Ask Game Masters

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A place where Game Masters, Dungeon Masters, Storytellers, Narrators, Referees (and etc) can gather and ask questions. Uncertain of where to take the story? Want to spice up your big baddie? Encounters? That player? Ask away!

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Combat encounters (ttrpg.network)

submitted 1 year ago by LilGuyPlasmoidDruid@ttrpg.network to c/askgamemasters@ttrpg.network

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So, this is an area I've been struggling to figure out. How do I balance a combat encounter?

I obviously know you can't trust CR, but I'm struggling to figure out how I should plan or balance a combat encounter when that's not an option.

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[–] tissek@ttrpg.network 3 points 1 year ago

Back when I ran D&D 5e (we are talking about that right?) I made heavy use of (Kobold Fight Club)[https://koboldplus.club/]. But not straight party size and level. I found that if I overleved the party in the calculator by 2-3 levels I got reasonably balanced encounters. That number will of course depend on your players and their characters. If I were you I would start keeping short encounter notes for a while. The encounter budget, difficulty, #foes or actual foes. This way I bet you can after 3-5 sessions (assuming about 2 combat encounters per session) have a decently good idea of how to over/under level your party in calculators.