Gladiator Arena Beasties

[Slurm Browley]

I'm getting ready to start up my first campaign as a DM, and I am planning on starting the party in an arena-based encounter. I'm trying to identify monsters that would work for 2-3 first level new players (backed up by another 2-3 NPCs) without causing a TPK. I'm thinking it would go in something of a wave system (for those who remember, I'm thinking something akin to the arena from Fable I), with each wave following some sort of a theme. Any suggestions/ideas?

[Ronnocius]

I'm not sure exactly how powerful you want the beasts to be, but I am assuming around the CR 1-2 range. If the players have significant NPC help I would probably put more than just a single monster if you want them to be faced with a real challenge.

Here is a list of CR 1 creatures from the Monster Manual that could possibly be used:
Brown Bear
Dire Wolf
Giant Eagle
Giant Hyena
Giant Spider
Giant Toad
Giant Vulture
Lion
Tiger
Death Dog
Hippogriff

Technically not a beast, but half-ogre is CR 1 as well.

CR 2:
Allosaurus
Giant Boar
Giant Constrictor Snake
Giant Elk
Polar Bear
Rhinoceros
Sabre-Toothed Tiger
Ankheg
Carrion Crawler
Centaur
Grick
Peryton
Gargoyle
Griffon
Ochre Jelly

Hopefully this was helpful.

[Finlam]

Just popped in to say that initially misread the thread title as "Gladiator Arena Besties" and was prepared for a thread about PC gladiator/buddy cop type builds.



But more on topic: the traditional fight would be vs lions. Several lions. Then let something out afterwards to keep them on their toes.

[FreddyNoNose]

I'm getting ready to start up my first campaign as a DM, and I am planning on starting the party in an arena-based encounter. I'm trying to identify monsters that would work for 2-3 first level new players (backed up by another 2-3 NPCs) without causing a TPK. I'm thinking it would go in something of a wave system (for those who remember, I'm thinking something akin to the arena from Fable I), with each wave following some sort of a theme. Any suggestions/ideas?

Don't forget those beasts might not be in the best condition to start with. They old be old, underfed, or got disabilities from previous fights. Waves might be tough for low level. You could toss in some arena fodder NPCs to add to the battle. Let the players control a couple of them each.

[danpit2991]

cows lotsa cows they are dangerous

[bc56]

I would do several bouts, ratcheting up the difficulty each time. Maybe start with some convicts (bandits), and work up to something cool or scary, like lions or a wyrmling dragon.

Stick with the familiar. New players aren't going to want to fight githyanki, or slaadi. They will want traditional enemies; skeletons, giant spiders, bandits, and dragons.

The NPCs are unimportant. Have them get killed off to highlight the danger. Let the players loot their corpses.

It'd be cool if there was some kind of announcer telling the cheering crowd what the next beastie to enter the ring is, with highlights on the creatures it has killed in previous matches.

[FreddyNoNose]

cows lotsa cows they are dangerous

Back in the 70s in one of the Judges Guild games I was playing in, we were on like the 3rd level of a dungeon and had a random encounter. It was a herd of cows. Why? Because the DM said that is what he rolled on some random table.