Where to go from here?

[Protato]

I'm a new GM preparing to run my next session next Thursday (at time of writing its late on Saturday) where the players might go on the road. For reference, my party is level 3 but extremely powerful already (I used 4d6-low reroll 1's). Most notably is Cassie the Aasamir (Tempest Cleric with a familiar that sometimes lets her get a second action, AND she has a Deck of Illusions. I let her have this because she's honestly very creative). I was wondering what scenarios or encounters might prove to be a welcome challenge without it being too overwhelming for the part, as while powerful, they're still low-level. In terms of the story, the party is a group of soldiers/mercenaries employed to protect a fort (which they've done) and liberate a town from occupying enemy forces. However, they've recently found a small fort and decided to live in it as a home base of sorts, throwing a bit of a wrench into that. I was also wondering how to include more encounters in a day without it being forced, as I tend to only have one fairly long encounter per session. Finally, I was wondering how to make my human enemies stronger if needed. I'll post their stat blocks if anyone's interested.

[TurboGhast]

It sounds like your players could face CR 3-4 foes without too much trouble, and CR 5-6 ones with significant effort. This is only an estimation, though. If you want to test the party against a particularly higher than usual CR, you could create an encounter that wouldn't hugely inconvenience them if they lost it and use that battle as a baseline for just how strong the PCs are.

One way to easily gain the mechanical benefits of having additional encounters without having to create extra between encounter segments is sending foes out in waves. An individual battle in waves tests the PC's resource management better than multiple encounters would, since they can't even use short rest recovery on the fight. It's also less noticeable than having constantly high pressure time limits on every objective.

Adding player class levels and abilities is a simple and flavorful way to power up a humanoid foe. You don't need to give a foes with class levels access to the entire capabilities of same leveled PC, some can be dropped for making running the foes easier. Just a player fighting style alone can strengthen a stock enemy in an interesting way.

[EvilAnagram]

Build Cr4-5 encounters with CR2-3 creatures. If that's too easy, build CR6 encounters with the same creatures.

[Marvnmartian]

As said above those ranges will work well, also remember these monsters can be customizable to your adventure So if things are headed south and quick for your party feel free to give your monsters flight roles for if they run when their health is under half. Even 1 turn of your opponent choosing to take the attacks of opportunity and double dashing will provide urgency and the breathing room of your party to not be taking spikes of damage from that monster.

And the fact that it allows you to throw larger CR monsters at your party while still making it manageable at the table. Say you want the party to see their first dragon at level 3 for a party of 5 that would be considered deadly for a young black/blue/white etc but if you only have to get through half of the dragons hp before you toss a dice (dependent on the situation at hand) with a result of X or Higher usually the half way mark on the dice but this allows you to fudge your number if they are in a bad spot and say oh I rolled under a 10 the dragon gets frightened of losing its precious long life and makes a break for it.

also... http://tools.goblinist.com/5enc use it... love it... worship it.. jk but it is helpful for quick ideas

[Honest Tiefling]

Well, if I was the sort to occupy towns, I'd probably want to occupy that fortress as well...And if I knew there were very powerful people there, I might not be so inclined to try to plink at their defenses unless I had some reason to believe this would be effective against them. So I might try to send a greater force, especially if I can't wrangle some non-human forces (like orcs, gnolls, etc.) to attack them.

That way, you have a reason for a larger assault against their fortress, and a reason for a sudden jump in CR because these aren't the enemies they've been fighting before. You can reuse the work you've already done on the story, as the antagonist is well, antagonizing them. More encounters spread out could be spies, scouts, or just incursions of hostile humanoids driven out by the occupying force.

[Protato]

Well, if I was the sort to occupy towns, I'd probably want to occupy that fortress as well...And if I knew there were very powerful people there, I might not be so inclined to try to plink at their defenses unless I had some reason to believe this would be effective against them. So I might try to send a greater force, especially if I can't wrangle some non-human forces (like orcs, gnolls, etc.) to attack them.

That way, you have a reason for a larger assault against their fortress, and a reason for a sudden jump in CR because these aren't the enemies they've been fighting before. You can reuse the work you've already done on the story, as the antagonist is well, antagonizing them. More encounters spread out could be spies, scouts, or just incursions of hostile humanoids driven out by the occupying force.

Hm, how I was planning to handle that was the party was going to try and recruit NPC allies into their fold. For example, by gathering favor with a local town, they've managed to depose a corrupt mayor and instead put a helpful priest in power, and he then gave the party a few bodyguards as allies. They also have a local hunter on their side. One idea I had for the next session was to maybe have them go to a nearby mountain to try and tame some gryphons to use as mounts. However, such a move would be conspicuous, and gryphons would be excellent targets for arrow volleys. Perhaps on the mountain they could fight a Chimera or two, giving them a CR6 encounter to test if they can defeat it easily? Another quest hook might be a shard of amethyst and a straw doll a character found in drawer, I could possibly have some sort of undead curse or similar be associated with it. Finally, I might be having a new player join me, a Paladin of some sort (subclass is TBD), I might be able to figure out a session involving their arrival.

[Honest Tiefling]

Hm, how I was planning to handle that was the party was going to try and recruit NPC allies into their fold. For example, by gathering favor with a local town, they've managed to depose a corrupt mayor and instead put a helpful priest in power, and he then gave the party a few bodyguards as allies.

Perhaps the occupying force is behind the corrupt mayor. They might not realize it with the first unhelpful NPC they encounter, but eventually, begin to realize that someone is behind a lot of people getting in their way. If they recruit one that the players aren't so fond of or you run out of ideas for, consider assassinating them. Also consider a spy NPC. I suggest a cook, since newer players are unlikely to suspect a mere cook who is a jolly little halfling eager to make pies. She could be a bard or rogue very easily.


Perhaps on the mountain they could fight a Chimera or two, giving them a CR6 encounter to test if they can defeat it easily?

A chimera has corned an injured gryphon. The chimera is willing to defend it's meal, but will retreat if too heavily injured. If the party runs away, it resumes trying to eat its meal. If the party successfully defeat or drive off the chimera, they can heal the gryphon to try to obtain it as a mount. This way they are fighting a CR 6 encounter, but unless they refuse to run away they can easily retreat as well as get an extra reward.