Game Master / Adversaries / Building an Encounter
Building an Encounter
- Pick a threat (Trivial, Low, Moderate, Severe, Extreme) and read the budget for the party size.
- Price each adversary by its level relative to the party, then multiply by rank.
- Spend close to, not over, the budget. Going over deliberately just produces the next tier up.
| Threat | 1 PC | 2 PC | 3 PC | 4 PC | 5 PC | 6 PC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trivial | 40 | 80 | 120 | 160 | 200 | 240 |
| Low | 60 | 120 | 180 | 240 | 300 | 360 |
| Moderate | 80 | 160 | 240 | 320 | 400 | 480 |
| Severe | 120 | 240 | 360 | 480 | 600 | 720 |
| Extreme | 160 | 320 | 480 | 640 | 800 | 960 |
| Adversary level | XP | Suggested use |
|---|---|---|
| Party −4 | 10 | Low-threat lackey |
| Party −3 | 15 | Low- or moderate-threat lackey |
| Party −2 | 20 | Any lackey or standard creature |
| Party −1 | 30 | Any standard creature |
| Party level | 40 | Any standard creature or low-threat boss |
| Party +1 | 60 | Low- or moderate-threat boss |
| Party +2 | 80 | Moderate- or severe-threat boss |
| Party +3 | 120 | Severe- or extreme-threat boss |
| Party +4 | 160 | Extreme-threat solo boss |
Rank multiplier: Minion ×1/4, Standard ×1, Elite ×2, Solo ×4. Example 1, boss with backup: a 4-PC level-3 party, Severe (480 XP): a level-4 Elite boss (60×2 = 120), three level-3 Standards (40 each = 120), eight level-1 Minions (20×1/4 = 5 each = 40) totals 280 XP, leaving room for a hazard.
Example 2: Solo vs. a Large Party
Six level-5 PCs track a wendigo-touched trapper to his lair, where he waits alone with a pack of frost-maddened wolves.
- Budget: Severe for 6 PCs = 720 XP.
- The Solo: a level 6 (party +1) wendigo-trapper: 60 XP × 4 = 240 XP.
- The swarm: twelve level 2 (party −3) frost wolves as Minions: 15 XP × 1/4 ≈ 4 XP each (round as you like) = about 48 XP.
- Total: about 288 XP, well under budget.
To push it toward Extreme, raise the Solo a level or two, add a second wave of minions, or spend the rest of the 720 XP on a hazard (a blizzard, an iced-over ravine) rather than more Standard bodies. This is the usual shape of a Solo-plus-Minions fight: almost the whole budget goes to the Solo, which has to survive the whole table's focus and still threaten every round, while the minions pressure action economy and space instead of eating budget.
Going Over
Nothing stops you spending past the budget on purpose; you have simply built something closer to the next threat tier, whatever you call it. The table is a check on your instincts, not a hard ceiling.
Pacing
Choose the fight's purpose first: the Test (hard but winnable), the Reminder (the world is dangerous), or the Breather (a deliberate easy win). Put a Trivial or Low fight before a big set piece so the big one reads as hard. Returning threats become cheaper automatically as the party out-levels them. If players cleverly trivialize a hard fight, let it stand.
Encounter Templates
| Template | Shape | Typical build |
|---|---|---|
| Commander and Troops | A leader directs, troops fight | 1 Elite/Standard Leader or Controller + 3–5 Standard/Minion Brutes or Soldiers |
| Double Line | Front line shields a fragile back line | 2–3 Standard Brutes/Soldiers + 1–2 Standard Snipers/Controllers |
| Wolf Pack | Pure mobility swarm | 5–7 Minion or 3–4 Standard Skirmishers |
| Raid | Ambush and disengage | 1–2 Standard Snipers + 1–2 Standard/Elite Predators |
| Patrol | Detection first; often starts with a Reaction roll | 2–4 Standard Soldiers + 1 Standard Sniper scout |
| Battlefield Control | Controller creates openings, Skirmishers exploit | 1 Standard/Elite Controller + 3–5 Minion/Standard Skirmishers |
| Dragon's Den | A lone centerpiece | 1 Solo (optionally + 1 Elite) |