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Old 11-11-2017, 02:16 PM   #1
JoelSammallahti
 
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Default simple easier enemies

Hi, I'm starting a new campaign and, since I've got the DFRPG, I was thinking of making use of the spiffy Monsters book. The PCs are only 150 points, though, so the monsters are generally way too tough for them. I've been thinking about a simple way to rescale the opposition, something that would require no time-consuming prep or math, because I want to be able to just whip out the book and pick a baddie. Here's what I've been thinking:

First, reduce DX, IQ, and HT by 2, with normal effects on secondary characteristics. This is just the simplest way I can think of to make an enemy less effective across the board. All skill rolls, resistance rolls, etc. just drop by 2, and defenses by 1. I'd make an exception for IQ 6- (animals), and keep that unaffected.

Second, halve DR, and round up. Lots of monsters have DR 8+ which is really hard to beat reliably without ST 17+, Weapon Master, or both. But DR is pretty arbitrary: there's no particular reason a dragon couldn't have DR 5 scales instead of 9, so I don't think anything will break from this. I'd make an exception for enemies that wear ordinary armor - but they can also just have crappier armor.

Aaand that's it. -2 to all Attributes except ST, all skills, all attacks, and all resistance rolls, -1 to Active Defenses, and halved DR. I think that should reduce monsters to a level that's manageable at 150 points. I'm planning on leaving ST and damage alone, because while ideally it might be better to also scale enemy damage down, it's a lot of extra cognitive load to recalculate thrust and swing (and BL) on the fly.

Anything I'm missing? What do you think will break?
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Old 11-11-2017, 07:20 PM   #2
Bruno
 
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Default Re: simple easier enemies

My thought is why nerf dragons? Leave them as is, and just don't have your PCs face one. Instead they can hear legends and tavern tales of how horrific they are, or about that one time that Big Damn Hero slayed one and now they have a quest to find his magic Dragon-Slaying Hat.

Consider reserving some of the monsters un-nerfed, just to give your PCs a threat range to grow into. Similarly, some are weenie enough I'm not sure they need nerfing. Don't send them up against a full size horde of Horde Pygmies, and don't give them a shaman and some zombie sidekicks.

Those "Oh my god, they have a Cave Troll!" moments can be great :)
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Old 11-11-2017, 09:19 PM   #3
zuljita
 
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Default Re: simple easier enemies

DF actually has a pretty good assortment of "horde" type enemies that 125 pointers can do just fine. Bruno already mentioned the horde pygmies, but in smaller groups, goblinoids will do fine as statted, so will dino-men, foul bats, gargoyles, hellhounds, skeletons, horde zombies, Giant Vipers, gorpse golems, bugbears, Giant rats, flesh eating apes and small groups of dire wolves. I'd award points quickly and you can creep up from there.
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