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9 months ago ::
Sep 10, 2012 - 6:03AM
#1
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Date Joined:
Jan 20, 2012
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So I run a D&D group on Sundays with a very small group. (Only three people, myself not included) And they're about third level and about to finish their first adventure, now more often then not they've had a very tough time winning due to the fact that there is only three of them. I was wondering if when we do the next adventure, should I pick one that was made for PCs of level 1-2 so that the fights seem more balanced?
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9 months ago ::
Sep 10, 2012 - 6:26AM
#2
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I'd probably use an adventure that's equal to their level and then hold back one or two monsters per encounter until it looks like they're having an easy time of it, then add the monsters back if it made sense and would be cool in the scene. "Two more orcs rush in, grraaah!" It's much easier to add to an encounter than to take away. A lot of players see taking monsters away from the encounter midfight to be "going easy" on the PCs and thus don't care for that.
Consider also combat outs and alternate goals. Encounter balance is less important if you can still win the encounter without necessarily killing every little thing on the map.
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9 months ago ::
Sep 10, 2012 - 6:28AM
#3
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Date Joined:
Nov 12, 2007
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Make sure to check the Dungeon Master's Guide. You cannot just pick up adventures without editing them to your group.
For example. I have five players in my group. I know that encounters that reward 500xp are fairly easy to them. If I see this in an adventure packet. I like to bump it to 575xp of monsters or 600. So that's like 3 more minions or one more monster at level 1.
This is the opposite for you. If you pick up a pre-made adventure; read through it first. Perhaps take monsters out here and there. Give them more minions to fight instead of full on monsters. This way they feel like they are killing more things, but it's not as difficult for them as it once was.
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9 months ago ::
Sep 10, 2012 - 6:42AM
#4
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Date Joined:
Aug 11, 2006
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Knowing which adventures you're looking at would allow us to offer more specific advice, but a general principle for standard published adventures is that if you only have three PCs then you should cut the XP budget to ~60% of whatever is listed to even things out. So you'd take a level 3 encounter (750 XP) and remove (or replace*) creatures and hazards to get the budget down to 450 XP.
* Sometimes it's better to replace regular creatures with minions, thereby scaling down the XP budget without cutting down the number of creatures appearing. For example, an encounter that normally includes one elite and three standard monsters might become one with one elite and four minions instead of one elite and one standard.
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9 months ago ::
Sep 10, 2012 - 7:09AM
#5
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Date Joined:
Jan 20, 2012
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Alright thanks! All of these answers will be immensly useful, so thank you!
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9 months ago ::
Sep 10, 2012 - 7:19AM
#6
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Date Joined:
Oct 24, 2001
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I'd probably use an adventure that's equal to their level and then hold back one or two monsters per encounter until it looks like they're having an easy time of it, then add the monsters back if it made sense and would be cool in the scene.
Seconded, with gusto.
Here are the PHB essentia, in my opinion: - Three Basic Rules (p 11)
- Power Types and Usage (p 54)
- Skills (p178-179)
- Feats (p 192)
- Rest and Recovery (p 263)
- All of Chapter 9 [Combat] (p 264-295)
A player needs to read the sections for building his or her character -- race, class, powers, feats, equipment, etc. But those are PC-specific. The above list is for everyone, regardless of the race or class or build or concept they are playing.
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9 months ago ::
Sep 10, 2012 - 10:23PM
#7
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One household allowed our three-player party to be successful without scaling back encounters:
Allow Second Winds to be taken as a minor action (free action for dwarves on their turns).
Combine that with a well balanced optimized group where each player also has a theme, and just keep running encounters as normal.
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9 months ago ::
Sep 11, 2012 - 7:05PM
#8
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Date Joined:
Aug 11, 2012
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In a campaign where I was a player with two other players and a DM, we each created a henchmen. Basically we each had two characters from a combat/skill challenge standpoint, but we primarily RP'd our main character. This made it easy to play standard modules (which was why we added the henchmen), and even had a few side benefits later in the campaign.
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9 months ago ::
Sep 11, 2012 - 7:18PM
#9
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Date Joined:
Jan 20, 2012
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In a campaign where I was a player with two other players and a DM, we each created a henchmen. Basically we each had two characters from a combat/skill challenge standpoint, but we primarily RP'd our main character. This made it easy to play standard modules (which was why we added the henchmen), and even had a few side benefits later in the campaign.
What side benefits?
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9 months ago ::
Sep 11, 2012 - 7:19PM
#10
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Date Joined:
Jun 25, 2009
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So I run a D&D group on Sundays with a very small group. (Only three people, myself not included) And they're about third level and about to finish their first adventure, now more often then not they've had a very tough time winning due to the fact that there is only three of them. I was wondering if when we do the next adventure, should I pick one that was made for PCs of level 1-2 so that the fights seem more balanced?
I run most campaigns with a group of 2 players. It's really all just about balancing encounters with the numbers. In our last session, the two dropped to negative hit points during the fight with an Owl Bear, but managed to live and defeat it. Meanwhile, they walked all over three gnolls who decided to hassle them for money.
If you're ever unsure, do as iserith suggested. Start light, then add more if it looks like they're on the verge of winning with ease. Do remember though, a few easy fights can be a blessing in disguise for you and them. On their side, they use up less resources to win. On yours, you lull them into a false sense of security. 
My username should actually read: Lunar Savage (damn you WotC!)
*Tips top hat, adjusts monocle, and walks away with cane* and yes, that IS Mr. Peanut laying unconscious on the curb.
http://asylumjournals.tumblr.com/
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