Inventive/Unusual First-Level Threats

[Palanan]

I'm going to be starting up a campaign at first level, and I'd like suggestions for peculiar, oddball, or obscure creatures to throw at a small first-level party. I have several veteran players, so kobolds and goblins won't cut it here.

I'm open to just about anything from official 3.5 or Pathfinder books, the weirder the better. I'm already planning to use a couple of tsochari strands, but that's only mildly weird. What else would make a tough challenge for a first-level party?

[Malimar]

A nilbog (possibly in a group of regular goblins). But only if you hate your players a lot.

[AWiz_Abroad]

I'm going to be starting up a campaign at first level, and I'd like suggestions for peculiar, oddball, or obscure creatures to throw at a small first-level party. I have several veteran players, so kobolds and goblins won't cut it here.

I'm open to just about anything from official 3.5 or Pathfinder books, the weirder the better. I'm already planning to use a couple of tsochari strands, but that's only mildly weird. What else would make a tough challenge for a first-level party?

. . . How tough are we talking?

Human wizard with fell drain sonic snaps and the ensuing wightpocalypse?

[ComaVision]

IME, terrain makes low level fights a lot more interesting. Put in some ledges and low-walls and areas with concealment.

[Gallowglass]

I'm going to be starting up a campaign at first level, and I'd like suggestions for peculiar, oddball, or obscure creatures to throw at a small first-level party. I have several veteran players, so kobolds and goblins won't cut it here.

I'm open to just about anything from official 3.5 or Pathfinder books, the weirder the better. I'm already planning to use a couple of tsochari strands, but that's only mildly weird. What else would make a tough challenge for a first-level party?

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/fey/gremlins

"the party is hired by Enzino the barber whose business is going down the drain. Somehow when he is cutting hair, whenever he turns away and turns back great swatches of hair have been cut from people's heads! He must find out why this is happening."

"The party may try masquerading as customers, or they might try nosing around, but what they will eventually discover is a series of mouseholes with strange little creatures living in them that come out invisible or quickened to steal hair. They will have to get shrink potions from the neighboring alchemist to go into the tunnels and find out what is going on. A combined society of gremlins stealing hair to weave their totems!"

[Flickerdart]

Avoid damage entirely, and focus on amusing debilitating effects. For example, your basic CR1 grig (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/sprite.htm) can produce an irresistible dance (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/irresistibleDance.htm) effect. While the DC is very low, the duration lasts as long as the sprite keeps playing, so your PCs might become trapped in an eternal boogie and have to negotiate for their freedom.

[BowStreetRunner]

Displacer Serpent, Kruthik Hatchling, Mad Slasher, or Spark Lasher - all from Miniatures Handbook.

[ExLibrisMortis]

Weird living spells, like a living buff spell a few levels higher than the party. When it engulfs you, you get damaged, and also +16 strength!

[daremetoidareyo]

Weird living spells, like a living buff spell a few levels higher than the party. When it engulfs you, you get damaged, and also +16 strength!
Prestidigitation to change the flavor of your tongue to butts

[tiercel]

Good to throw into the mix for 1st and low level parties: entire classes of challenges that aren't particularly challenging at even low-mid to mid levels.

Environmental obstacles: terrain, temperature, weather, food and water even. Travel generally; actually getting from point A to point B -- or even finding point B -- can be a lot more of challenge without the automatic "there's a spell for that... aaaaand we're there now." Seafaring, for instance; why sail if you can teleport? (Presumably you don't even have to wait until 9th level if buying a scroll or hiring an NPC spellcaster's services is actually cheaper than chartering a ship.)

Legal obstacles: many PCs (if not seriously, Exalted levels of Lawful Good) tend to laugh at town guard/what passes for local law once they have any real power; savor the brief feeling of PCs having to obey authority (or at least be a bit clever in avoiding it)

RP solutions to combat problems: recruiting allies, gathering intelligence, and even (gasp) negotiating with the (putative) Bad Guys -- to say nothing of running away -- seem a lot more attractive when you're little. PCs who actualy have to apply planning and consideration and even lateral thinking from low levels are more likely to consider more options even as their power grows, and not just immediately Apply Maximum Alpha Strike Force. (For example, ghosts can be often be put to rest by performing some specific deed, but that doesn't matter as much once ClericZilla can just NecroNuke the ghost every time it appears, until it takes.)

[Troacctid]

Try introducing an alternate goal (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?454210-Thread-from-the-Wizard-Forums-Guide-to-Alternate-Goals-in-Combat&p=20014901#post20014901) to a combat instead of just "kill all enemies".

[Fizban]

All those Improved Familiar monsters that no one ever sees until after they're familiar material. Imp, Quasit, Lantern Archon, Coure Eladrin, Musteval Guardinal, maybe throw in a Dretch. All CR 2 but rarely used at that level, at least from what I've seen.

[Gallowglass]

All those Improved Familiar monsters that no one ever sees until after they're familiar material. Imp, Quasit, Lantern Archon, Coure Eladrin, Musteval Guardinal, maybe throw in a Dretch. All CR 2 but rarely used at that level, at least from what I've seen.

we are the brotherhood of evil ex-familiars!

[Inevitability]

A noblewoman has dropped a magical ring in the sewers, and the PC's are hired to recover it.

However, there's two complications. The first is that the sewers are populated by jermlaines, rat swarms, and (dire) rats. The jermlaine leader has found the ring and wears it on his head now.

The second complication is the narrow tunnels. Small creatures can squeeze through, and tiny creatures can move more-or-less normally, but a human-sized being won't be able to move through the sewers.

To remove the second issue, each adventurer is granted a few potions of reduce person. Of course, with the potions only working a few minutes, the PC's will have to move quickly.

Finally, after completing the adventure there's still a major decision to make: return the ring and gain a noble's favor, or steal it and be blessed with an above-average piece of equipment?

[Flickerdart]

Finally, after completing the adventure there's still a major decision to make: return the ring and gain a noble's favor, or steal it and be blessed with an above-average piece of equipment?

The answer is always return it and then steal it again.

[Palanan]

Some really good suggestions here--fey, familiars, terrain, living spells, all good.

I also like the various oddball creatures from Miniatures Handbook. Any other suggestions along those lines?

[trikkydik]

Boggle is a monster from monsters manual 2. It steals from PC's

Maybe ankhegs if you downgrade them.

Good luck

[TheYell]

One armed boxer monk who keeps slapping and tripping his opponents. He may not be lawfully struck with weapons or spells.

The party must work as rodeo clowns for an afternoon.

Somebody snuck a merman into the municipal fountain. He refuses to come out into a water wagon. somebody's gotta go into six foot deep water and wrestle him out.

tug of war contest with the local fire department.

antipaladin and cleric are having a very loud debate and must be talked out of arguing in public.

party must listen to famous bard without smiling once at his jokes

father lost his wallet only has a check against a distant temple. party must find a merchant who will cash it.

party challenged to a lumberjack contest a race to hack through a log with an axe

must help a boy tie eight different knots correctly to win a merit badge

must put upright a toppled beehive despite a swarm of bees -- theyre calmed when the beehive is restored to its place

must beat a princess at jacks rolling a d6 five times

[Mr Adventurer]

A single Ghast makes an interesting 'boss' monster. Check out the mental stats on Ghouls and Ghasts! Easily enough to qualify them for 'mastermind' status for lower levels, smaller scale challenges.

Second all that stuff that higher levels obviate. Check out DMG2 for some awesome environmental stuff.

[Jay R]

1. Kobold slavers. They actively don't want to kill you; they want slaves.

2. Escaping from a kobold village.

3. Lost in a swamp near a kobold village.

4. Attempting to free the slaves in a kobold village.

[inuyasha]

For some reason, I've really grown to like using Mane demons as low level threats. They're fun, dumb, weak, and they explode into corrosive vapors!

[Necromancy]

1. Kobold slavers. They actively don't want to kill you; they want slaves.

2. Escaping from a kobold village.

3. Lost in a swamp near a kobold village.

4. Attempting to free the slaves in a kobold village.

Isn't this the entire plot of Rambo II?

[Afgncaap5]

How about the Shadow Sibling from Magic of Eberron? It's a graft that another creature can wear for a +1 to their CR (though I find that a whole CR for its benefit is generally a bit much). I recently used a modified Shadow ChildSibling that was basically a wimpy Quori variant possessing some villagers and making them mad. A level 3 Warrior and four level 1 Commoners, each with a Shadow Sibling, proved to be a non-taxing but creepy challenge for the players since I modified them to turn into their "without a host" variation instead of becoming treasure that the players could claim. The net result was that the players fought these people who were limned with shadow that made them hard to hit due to a miss-chance, and then when the human hosts were killed these wispy shadow beings rose from them to keep fighting like weakened ghosts.

That was, admittedly, meant to be an easy challenge for a bunch of level 5 players, so if you're starting at first level I'd scale it down. Maybe one or two level 1 Warriors or Aristocrats with a Shadow Sibling?

Or, heck, just the Shadow Sibling on its own could do. Similar to a fight against a Ghost or Shadow, but with some notable differences.

Edit:I called it a Shadow Child instead of a Shadow Sibling. Should be fixed now.

[denthor]

Look into giant frogs.

Silly villain would be some sort of slime.

[Necromancy]

I'd get creative with some handicaps

Three legged manticore, epileptic displacer beast, hemophiliac ogre, etc

[Nibbens]

From PF - tooth fairies! (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/fey/tooth-fairy).

Seriously weird, and you can make some terrifying set-up stories - kids waking up missing all their teeth and such - for a plot hook. Go nuts!

[Blackhawk748]

Red Cap, just dont have him use his scythe as that would be crazy. Just have the little bugger run around flinging rocks at the the party, and in general, be a nuisance.

[Belzyk]

Two words. Tuckers Kobolds. Nuff said they a threat from level 1 to 1 million

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Afgncaap5
How about the Shadow Sibling from Magic of Eberron?

This is perfect, absolutely perfect. There have been a lot of great suggestions in this thread, but the Shadow Sibling is ideal for an encounter I have in mind.

Some really cool suggestions here, definitely open to more. The creepier the better.

[zyggythorn]

From a friend's co-campaign (we are both running games in the same world):
A Mimic. In the shape of a couch. That is really a cursed man, who doesnt want to hurt the party, just ask for help. When they killed him, he was supposed to drop his wedding ring.

I say supposed to, because the paladin (who is in his second campaign ever- I DM'd his first) thought to ask why the Couch wasnt fighting back. So now Gary the Couch is a valued member of the team.

On my end...
Manticore rutting season. I mentioned it offhandedly to explain this young adult Manticore being extra agro, but then they used it to lure him away. By a combination of ghost sound and minor image. And a well thrown weasel. They were lv3.

[Eladrinblade]

get creative with using young/damaged/lesser versions of stronger monsters

there was a dragon magazine issue that had a tiny fire elemental called a spark which ive always wanted to use but never have

Interesting encounter I ran many years ago: party comes across a fortified wagon on a road, surrounded by slaughtered and blackened humanoid warriors (a battle had just taken place here, where guards got ambushed by marauders who were winning, then a bronze dragon intervened and lightning-blasted the surviving marauders to oblivion, then flew off before being seen). The people in the wagons were still holed up and wouldnt come out. If someone tried to pull down the step ladder to open the door, a troll who just barely survived the lightning would reach out from underneath the wagon where he was hiding and grab whoever it was. He had his legs blasted off and was low on hp, and could only regenerate 1 hp per minute at the time, and he was prone. He also had -4 str/dex/con. I dont have his stats anymore though. This was for a 1st level adventure.

use groups of rats/bats (use a tiny bird)/young wolves (dogs)/carnivorous fish (small sharks reduced to tiny)/mudcrab (monstrous crab reduced or maybe just a badger or something)/fire breathing pidgeons (use a raven, give it a 1d3 fire melee touch)

twig blights (MM2)

faeries! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?316011-Faeries!-%283-5-monster%29-PEACH)

a "dire chicken (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?392292-Dire-Chickens-Chocobos-Axebeaks&p=18640863#post18640863)"

scarlet spider
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/vermin/spider/scarlet-spider

slime swarm
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/oozes/alchemical-ooze-swarms/phlegmatic-ooze-swarm

[Bucky]

Skunks are a nice CR 1/4 addition to make combat encounters interesting. And you get to double dip on your CR with familiars and animal companions. You can also a class level to very low CR monsters to get (effectively) a CR 1 encounter - Skunk monks and bat druids anyone?

[Fizban]

You know what else never appear as anything other than minions or threaten anything other than peasants? Hommunculi. MM standard is CR 1 and Eberron variations vary. More stuff you should throw at players early while it's still a threat, so that when they can get them as minions they'll remember a time when it was a threat and know what they're made of.

[Gruftzwerg]

I have several veteran players, so kobolds and goblins won't cut it here.


really? I guess you never heard of TuckersKobolds (http://media.wizards.com/2014/downloads/dnd/TuckersKobolds.pdf)

If you don't want to go that far, just take a bunch of Orcs lead/supported by a Goblin/Kobold Shaman (Sorcerer LvL 3). The Shaman uses Color Spray, Enlarge Person & Mirror Image as Spells. It's a decent encounter for most groups if played correct (Shaman should be in cover and not easy to attack directly most of the time.