Horde of the Dragon Queen episode 6 combat encounter question

[Dmdork]

Spoiler alert. So looks like eventually the party (5th or 6th level?) will face off against Pharblex and ten bullywugs. Now according to the way the DMG quantifies encounter difficulty, the ten bullywugs themselves are a very deadly encounter, or am I just calculating that wrong?

[ad_hoc]

Spoiler alert. So looks like eventually the party (5th or 6th level?) will face off against Pharblex and ten bullywugs. Now according to the way the DMG quantifies encounter difficulty, the ten bullywugs themselves are a very deadly encounter, or am I just calculating that wrong?

This challenge, like many in HotDQ, is better solved through engaging in the social interaction and exploration pillars.

Yes, if PCs just pick fights with the creatures they encounter, they will get wiped out. I'm surprised it hasn't happened already if that is what they are about.

The final chapter of the adventure has much more powerful creatures. If they haven't learned to not just charge in by then, they will when they get TPK'd.

[Aembrosia]

You didnt say how many player characters there are so i cant answer the math question.

Hoard of the dragon queen encounters are notoriously dangerous across the board.

Even though you say they are bullywugs, and you make them act like they are merely hostile as opposed to aggressive, if your non player character races and creatures are usually portrayed as walking xp all these people are going to see is xp.

With that said: capture them. Capture them and eat them over the course of a ten-day. Do it with a smile and then come back and report.

[Falcon X]

With that said: capture them. Capture them and eat them over the course of a ten-day. Do it with a smile and then come back and report.
This would be my advice. Capture them. It defeats them, but still gives them a chance to escape.
-And yes, when they get to the last chapter, they will die if they rush in. You might even consider modding the episode for them, because no prisoners will be taken in that one.
- If you are REALLY adventurous, you could use capture as a lead-in to Out of the Abyss (They will forevermore fear capture).

Alternatively, you could throw in something to "save" them. Maybe the swamp dragon decides to show up at this time. Maybe they find a one-use magic item in the castle that saves their butts.

[Dmdork]

I'm just reading, haven't started yet. Appreciate the advice. My players are hack n slash, but as expert players they will get
the message before it's too late, or maybe not. Lol eat them? Lol.

1. So, four or five 5th or 6th level chars against 10 bullywugs is a deadly encounter? That seems like it shouldn't be. I will tailor the encounters, or find some other way, but I was wondering, 2. how do you guys feel about the system for quantifying the danger of encounters?

That's two questions.

[Aembrosia]

1) Five fifth level characters vs. 10 bullywugs is an Easy encounter.
2) When you consider all the variables that it doesn't its useless. Ive thrown quintuple deadly encounters at parties that functioned on a theoretical 'hard' level due to, for example, fortification.

[Dmdork]

Ah,ok thanks. I was calculating the difficulty wrong. And yeah, other circumstances are not taken into account when determining difficulty level. However, it is a good place to start. I think they built 5e that way on purpose, so you can make a judgement call and just 'eye' it

[Malifice]

Spoiler alert. So looks like eventually the party (5th or 6th level?) will face off against Pharblex and ten bullywugs. Now according to the way the DMG quantifies encounter difficulty, the ten bullywugs themselves are a very deadly encounter, or am I just calculating that wrong?

Bullywugs are CR 1/4, and the party are 5th/ 6th level.

Remember, if the PCs are significantly higher level than the monsters, you dont multiply them to determine difficulty (you just add in the individual XP).

I consider 5th/ 6th level PCs 'significantly higher' than CR 1/4 to justify not multiplying the encounter XP.

Even 10 x CR 1/4 (11 HP, AC 15, +3 to hit, 2 x attacks) get utterly mowed down by 5th/6th level PCs no problems at all. Heck, a single 5th level Fighter destroys them in a few rounds without breaking a sweat. Sleep, Spirit guardians or Fireball takes them down even faster.

[Dmdork]

Yeah, it's an easy encounter. Super easy, if they wanted to add another category lol

[Malifice]

Yeah, it's an easy encounter. Super easy, if they wanted to add another category lol

I've got 10 x CR 1/4 (even adjusted for difficulty) as 1250 XP (500 XP base).

'Deadly' for 5 x 6th level PCs is 7000 XP+. 'Easy' starts at 1500 XP.

http://dhmholley.co.uk/encounter-calculator-5th/

At a glance, a party of 5th/ 6th level PCs would wipe the floor with them in a round or two without breaking a sweat.

[Dmdork]

Wow, great link. Any other cool 5ed links I'm missing out on?

[TheTeaMustFlow]

I ran the encounter a while ago, and through in Borngray for good measure. Still fairly easy, and the Bullywugs were utterly irrelevant, as they died in a fireball before they got a single shot off. I could have taken them out of the encounter and it wouldn't have had any influence on the outcome. Now, it might be a little more troublesome for a party without access to much area damage, but even then, most of the threat will come from Pharby.

[Dmdork]

I ran the encounter a while ago, and through in Borngray for good measure. Still fairly easy, and the Bullywugs were utterly irrelevant, as they died in a fireball before they got a single shot off. I could have taken them out of the encounter and it wouldn't have had any influence on the outcome. Now, it might be a little more troublesome for a party without access to much area damage, but even then, most of the threat will come from Pharby.

Depends what you mean by utterly, I mean the char had to use his turn to cast the fireball and expend the resources. The bullywugs mob also made the encounter "look" dangerous. I'm sure the player was rewarded seeing the fireball decimate the room. Good idea throwing borngray in there, cuz if I remember correctly his char is not important later in the story any how.