D&D 5e Encounter Building Observations

It's no secret for many GMs that combat encounter creation can be difficult to build and balance for your party. With D&D 5e, it becomes a bit of a chore with their adjusted experience calculations. I have recently started my first 5e campaign outside of the Starter Box, which was very good, and I wanted to compare and stress test the encounter building method laid out in the books.

A snap shot of the encounter building rules from the Basic DMG.

I first started off by comparing the encounter building rules with the encounters laid out in the Starter Box. I was not terribly surprised to find out that most of the fights in the published adventure were well above the deadly threshold for my three party group (A wizard, rogue, and bow fighter). To research the lethality of the system, I didn't adjust any of the combats, forcing the players to think creatively on how to approach each encounter. 

About a year after I ran the Starter Box, I have just started up a nonpublished campaign. To test the encounter building rules in the source material, I decided to run the players through a range of combats from a difficulty of medium to deadly. Below will be a list of the encounters I have run the party through. For most of the encounters, the party consisted of four players. A fey pact warlock, rogue thief, martial ranger, and a totem barbarian. For each encounter I will include the enemies, setup, xp, adjusted xp (axp), and my brief thoughts on how the fight went. So far, I have ran my players through six homebrewed encounters. 

1st Level

Encounter 1*

Enemies: x3 Swarm of Ravens

Setup: No surprise

xp/axp: 150/300 (deadly)

Thoughts: Party was overwhelmed by damage resistance. Used clever distraction to escape birds. Only one swarm eliminated. * Party consisted of only rogue, ranger, and barbarian. 

Encounter 2*
Enemies: x1 Scarecrow
Setup: No surprise
xp/axp: 200/200 (hard)
Thoughts: Party was not challenged much. Used clever way to deal extra. * Party consisted of only rogue, ranger, and barbarian.

Encounter 3
Enemies: x10 Giant Fire Beetles
Setup: No surprise
xp/axp: 100/250 (medium)
Thoughts: Party not challenged.

Encounter 4
Enemies: x3 Hyenas, x2 Gnolls
Setup: Ambushed foiled
xp/axp: 230/460 (deadly)
Thoughts: Party had easy time. Could be down to poor dice rolling. Play tested this encounter using Starter Box wizard, cleric, sword fighter, and rogue; had difficult time.

2nd Level
 

Encounter 1
Enemies: x4 Cultists, x1 Ogre
Setup: Party Ambushing
xp/axp: 550/1100 (deadly)
Thoughts: Party used other resources to distract and disorient before dealing with the ogre solo. Ogre (solo a medium fight) was easily dispatched. Warlock used illusions and sleep spells to take out the cultists.


Encounter 2
Enemies: x4 Gnolls
Setup: Ambushed during rest, random encounter
xp/axp: 400/800 (deadly)
Thoughts: Was a good fight for the party. Not too hard or easy.

While this is only six encounters, my observations on the encounters seems to lead me to a couple of conclusions. First off, the encounter building rules above call out to ignore monsters with CRs significantly lower than the rest of the monsters. This seems to be true at a small gap than anticipated. So far, I think one should ignore taking into account monsters who CRs are three steps below the parties current level (ie 1st level would be CR 0, 2nd level would be CR 1/8). I will calculate my next few fights ignoring these lower CR monsters and observe how the fights play out.

I also believe that deadly fights may be the target you want to shoot for challenging fights. Fights easier than this tend to be too easy for the party who knows how to use smart and clever tactics. There is a chance that random luck can ratchet up the lethality of a deadly fight, but I've yet to have that luck come up. Also, while I say shoot for deadly fights, don't put in monsters who CRs are too high, unless you want them to drop your players in a single hit.

That's all for now. I'll make another update after I run more encounters at 2nd level, which allows for a bit more variety in the encounter building.

Thoughts on Indie RPGs

Over the past two months, I've had the unique experience of being able to run some independent RPG systems for both of my RPG groups. It's not often that in either group is willing to play in an indie system, or that there is a slot available for one. After just recently running Princesses and Palaces, the third indie system I've had the chance to run, and I'm starting to notice a trend that comes from playing these indie games.

So far, all of the systems I've run have had very simple mechanics behind them, with two of them being "micro systems". The micro systems, Lasers & Feelings and All Outta Bubblegum, both had a roll under/over mechanic in which you have a single character stat and you're trying to roll under or over it depending on what you wanted to do (see the links for more exact rules). While the 13 pages of Princesses and Palaces isn't exactly a micro system, it does have more complex rules than the two systems mentioned before. While it does have more stats, rolling, and math than L&F and AOB, P&P's system designed to teach a father's very young daughter number relationships and basic math is still very simple.

Now in the board gaming world, it is possible to simplify and streamline a game to the point where you actually start losing the game. I was worried that some of the "game" aspect of "Roleplaying Game" would start to get lost. For some players, this is completely fine. But for others where roleplaying takes a backseat to the game, I was worried that they would get bored. But to my surprise, something happened. 

The stories that we told for these RPG systems became so rich. Now, I partly attribute this to the simplicity of the rules, and that a super rich story was necessary to make the simple mechanics fun. I also attribute this to that these simple systems have a pretty focused theme. Super thematic storytelling was needed to keep these game enjoyable, and it was some of the hardest work I've had to put in as a GM. In other systems, you have more of a game you can fall back upon if the story got bumpy.

These simple systems have put my storytelling to the test. After running my first session of P&P, I was mentally exhausted. It took so much creative work to keep this fairy-talesque feeling whimsical and light. Super tropey storytelling and over dramatic characters were always needed. After the past two years of regular gaming, scene improv has become a developed skill. But when trying to tell such a rich story, improvisation was much more difficult. My L&F and AOB sessions (which can be found here) were still difficult, but for a different reason. These micro games also tended to run pretty short. Coming up with a cohesive story and wrap it up in an hour was the challenge.

Overall, I would like to think that these simple indie systems have drastically improved my storytelling. The level of rich story necessary to keep players engaged in such a simple system takes lots of work. I firmly believe that if you want to develop your storytelling skills, try out one or all of the indie systems above. These systems will take you out of your comfort zone, and by doing more of that, your future heavy system games will enjoy a richer bit of story. 

Savaria: World Description

On the sun scorched plains of Savaria, burning temperatures are an everyday occurrence. Nestled between the Vast, a massive dessert to the north, and Everwave, a salt water sea to the south, life in Savaria isn't easy. Rivers and lakes now sit mostly, if not completely, dry, only taking in what they can in the ever shortening monsoon season. With rain rarely falling out side of the one and a half month monsoon season, farming has become difficult, and towns and villages will rally all they can to save their food. On top of this, the sun baked savanna is occasionally plagued by wild fires.

But all of these hardships hasn't kept people out. Savaria is home to every kind of being, forming together to make large towns and cities. A vast mountain called Chimney, and it's surrounding base of hills called The Hearth, sits in the center of Savaria and is home to many of the dwarves. Smoke rises from the extinct volcano's snow covered peaks from the dwarven forges deep in the mountain. Run off from Chimney's peak feeds down into the Hearth where many more dwarves live amongst others. 

Gladyon south east of Chimney and his home to many elves. Nestled in a canyon, this city of towers, bridges, and cliff dwellings gets it's water from wells deep in the canyon. The dwarves claim that this underground water is from the run off Chimney, causing the two to never get along completely. 

West of Chimney sits the city of Six Pillars, a mecca for most of the religious in Savaria. Here, a city of cathedrals and temples sit amongst five huge sandstone natural pillars rise off the ground, and one pillar that's been toppled over. A small lake that sits in the middle of the six pillars never seems to lower and is considered a holy site. To stop water poachers from stealing the holy water, entrance into the walled city of Six Pillars is only permitted to those who have a letter stamped by an approved priest. 

The prosperous Gullcrest is Savaria's assumed capital, south of Chimney on the coast of the Everwave sea. Home to most of Savaria's prestigious arcane universities and libraries, Gullcrest get's its water from swathes of hard working alchemists desalanizing the sea's salt water.  Gullcrest's sandstone docks are a haven for merchants, who come to purchase the exotic goods brought to them on the massive ships of the mysterious Southmen. Because wood is a rare resource for most of Savaria, Gullcrest's docks are rarely equipped with ships flying the blue and white flag of the city. It's said when a man with enough wealth builds himself a ship capable of sailing away from Savaria, he is never seen again. 

If you're on the run from the law, trying to make a quick coin, or just given up on your life, you might find yourself in Dredge. On the edge of the Vast, north east of Chimney, this make shift town of scum and dead beats. Here you can find dirty deeds, illegal goods, and a fight around every corner. With no readily available sources, holding on to what ever drink you have is a chore. Whether it's from the low lifes that make this place their home, or from the Vast tribesmen who step out of their boundaries to sack and raid. 

Benjamin Oberon

Through a balcony opening, silhouetted by the rising sun, a shirtless man carefully strikes out with his fists and feet into the air. The bedroom to which the balcony was attached held the distressed bed with a passed out woman in it and a haze of spice smoke. Ben was centering himself from the lavish party he and his partners had on an almost nightly basis.

The galactic stock market was the source of debt and despair for most people, but those who were good at it thrived. Fortunes that could sustain nearly any vice could be amassed and the parties, sex, and spice were bountiful. For most, it was too much to resist, and Ben Oberon was no different. 

But Ben did better than most of his companions because of his Teräs Käsi practice which he ritually performed every morning. After the sickening nights, he used this self centering martial arts practice to regain his focus, allowing him to surpass his hung over peers. Taught to him by his late father, he's heard rumors that it was a martial arts used by some Jedi, but Ben has never really believed it. 

He got some of the best deals available to him, but soon they weren't going to be enough to keep up with his ever growing vices. Better drugs, more beautiful women, and more lavish parties required him to start becoming more creative with his ventures. Some under the table deals, some dirty deals and Ben was able to sustain. Until one of his deals went south, and the son of the leader of the  criminal syndicate he was working for got arrested. Now they're out for him, and they want him dead. 

Ben returned to the final Teräs Käsi stance and looked back towards the bed. He walked in, threw on a grey suit and grabbed the packed rucksack that laid by the door, all while the passed out women never stirred. He didn't know her name, but still felt bad for her. The arm of the syndicate would probably be here in an hour and they would most likely beat her for information. But he had a ride to catch. An archeologist looking for some extra hands....

200 Word RPG Submission

Pocket Change
After a series of unfortunate events, many people become homeless. These hob
extraordinary journeys that lead them to new places, people, and problems. You will
take on the role of one of these vagabonds as they scrounge up what little they can to
make a life for themselves. You need: A coin, pencil, and paper.

Click here to download the Pocket Change PDF. 

Peter Lochlan: Bland Hobbit

Peter Lochlan

 Bland Hobbit

Peter Lochlan grew up in a small family. His father and Mother owned a small farm which they made their living off of selling beans of various types. Once of age, Peter worked with his parents on Lochlan's Legumes. He was almost constantly working, and never had time to play with the other kids. "Come on, Peter! Gandalf has arrived and will be giving out presents!" The kids would say.

"I'm sorry," Peter replied, "but Mother says I've got to finish my work before I can go play. If you could, please bring me a present from Gandalf?" But the kids seemed to already have run off.

That night, after he finished his work and made his way home, he found a Hobbit his age with red/orange hair sitting asleep outside his front gate. Peter woke her up with a poke to the forehead and as she opened her drowsy eye she held out a gift she had been holding. "This is your gift from Gandalf." Lily said through a giant yawn.

Peter smiled, "Thank you, Lily." Lily acted as if she had not heard a word Peter said. She stood up slowly from the ground, stretched her arms out, and gave another giant. Through half closed eyes she took off down the path towards her home, patting Peter on the head before leaving.

The gift, when he had time to further inspect it, was a special notebook. It was filled with blank pages that he could write or draw on, and after muttering a word the ink would sink into the page and disappear. He used this to his advantage, writing and drawing about small farming machines that could help him do his job faster and allow him to play with the other kids. That was, until his Mother found the book. His lunches would be longer, or he would go to bed early, allowing him more time to write and draw. Eventually, his mother caught him with the book, and when she discovered that he had been wasting time with a blank book she threw it in the fireplace. The only device he conceived that he had managed to build was a small thing he called a slingshot.

The rest of Peter's life consisted of little interaction outside the home and farm. With little outside socializing and his small physique, his mother secretly decided that his chances of finding a wife were low, and started to train him on how to be self sufficient. She taught him how to cook, clean, sew, and other skills that a wife would have brought him.

Eventually, he had out grown his mother's home and got his own house. He stilled worked on his mother's farm, but now had more freedom. Occasionally, he had time to go out and meet with the other Hobbits, but they never seemed to treat him like each other. Everyone treated him like an outsider except Lily, who ever since a child he had a liking of. Eventually, he stopped going out and ended up in a routine of waking up, going to work the farm, making dinner, and going to bed. His free time he would now spend working on recipes, mainly for himself.

One day, he heard that there was a birthday party being thrown for Lily. Peter had become so fond of her that he decided that he would come out of his home and partake in the event. He spent want little money he had on a gift for her, a small silver cup. He went to work the morning of the party, using the cup and baking in it a small cake in it, which he frosted and topped with an exotic cherry. Later, he went to the party with the small perfect cake in the silver cup and presented it to Lily when she was away from guests.

"Thank you Peter, how sweet of you." She said as she took the cupcake. Her face lit up with the first bite and turned slightly red. "This is delicious."

Peter was so proud of himself. The boost of confidence led him to ask Lily over for dinner one night after the party. "If you like the cake you'll love some of my other dishes!" he said excitedly.

But the excitement did not last long. The expression on Lily's face changed to one of embarrassment and her eyes lowered to the ground. "I'm sorry Peter, I can't go on a date with you. I don't feel that way about you." she said holding the silver cup and half eaten cake out towards him.

"But, why not? You said you liked the cake."

"Yes, the cake was very flavorful and sweet, but you..." she paused, "You're very bland. I'm sorry."

Heartbroken, Peter recomposed himself, taking the cupcake back and straightening his jacket. He smiled and wished Lily a happy birthday before turning and leaving. He strode back to his home with a furious pace and immediately began packing once inside. "Bland you say?! I'll show you bland! I'll leave Shire and go on an adventure. I'll meet the Elves, Dwarves, and Lake Men like Bilbo talks about and then who will be bland!"

That night he left with a backpack and a walking stick. He tacked a small note on his door before leaving.

"Dear whoever may be looking for me,

It has been brought to my attention that I have been living a bland life here. To rectify this problem, I have decided to go on an adventure. Hopefully this will spice up my life a bit.

Regards,

Peter"

Love

Lilly

How Things Work

Hard Work

Mushrooms

Hate

A Poor Meal

Confrontation

Heights

Parties

Race for Atlantis: A Fate One Shot

Gathered in the back room of a bar in Casablanca, Morocco, you sit at a large round table and listen to a man speak.

"... And because of this, the Smithsonian Institute has decided that we have obtained enough evidence to launch an expedition for Atlantis." said the suit clad Curator. "The Smithsonian Institute has decided to hire the lot of you to help find it. They have also spent a pretty penny on some of the equipment you will have available for use. Moored in the harbor is the Felicity, a fishing vessel captained by the French Hef Hughner. Felicity has been modified to carry and launch the pride and joy of the Smithsonian's aquatics exploration division, the Manatee. The Manatee is an eight man submersible, capable of reaching the average ocean floor depths. Sustained via a tether to Felicity, it could remain underwater indefinitely, as long as its pumps and generators."

"If you manage to find the sunken city, we would like it if you could map out as much of it as possible, and retrieve an artifact or relic that we could use as proof of our discovery. This expedition is of utmost secrecy, which is why we are in this back room. Some of the men over at the British Museum and New York City's American Museum of Natural History have been interested in this project and would do anything to earn the fame and glory of being the ones to discover Atlantis."

The Curator slammed back the small amount of scotch left in his glass. "Well, now if you don't have anymore questions for me, I guess we are done here. I will see you all bright and early in the harbor. Six o' clock seems like a good time to get started." He rose out of his chair as he finished his last words. With a nod, he threw down enough cash to cover everyone's drinks and left into the cool night.