CHAPTER 3
BATTLEFIELD ENCOUNTERS
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an appropriate CR for the PCs. For example, an adventure Minor Support (–10% XP) might have three trolls outside the cave entrance, then an • Minor medical aid (low-level cleric or druid supplying some healing) antechamber with six ghouls, and finally a crypt with an evil cleric and two rogue bodyguards. The DM makes sure • Suppressive fire from artillery or archery (arrow volley keeps enemies from advancing) that the rooms’ challenges are neither too hard (a high-level • Magical or fantastic insertion (giant eagles drop the PCs lich in the crypt) nor too easy (a pair of skeletons in the behind the wall of the castle) antechamber). • Magical or fantastic extraction (army-issued scroll of teleport) But on a fluid battlefield where the PCs have greater freedom of movement, they’ll often encounter enemy • Magically altered advantageous terrain (entangle spells) foot soldiers that simply can’t touch powerful PCs. When awarding experience for an encounter, remem- Major Support (–25% XP or more) ber what the “C” in CR stands for: challenge. In other • Major medical aid (mid-level cleric providing extensive healing and other restorative powers) words, the PCs earn experience points only if the battle • Damaging artillery or archery (siege engines or fireballs was a challenge for them. If you have to throw more raining down on enemies) than eight to ten creatures at a group of four PCs, watch • Magical terrain alteration capable of damaging enemies the ensuing combat closely. If the PCs aren’t taking any (Evard’s black tentacles) damage and they aren’t expending significant resources to overcome the enemy, that melee isn’t worth experience points. Those lists intentionally don’t include one common Just because you aren’t awarding experience points for form of support: NPCs who fight alongside the PCs. It’s generally easier to describe NPC-versus-NPC attacks in a battle doesn’t mean you should discourage characters from wading into the enemy ranks. Battlefield advengeneral terms, rather than rolling for each blow; as a tures have other rewards besides experience—victory DM, you have enough to keep track of just interacting points and recognition points, for example. And don’t with the PCs. Whenever you spend time at the table figuring out what happens when one NPC interacts underestimate the vicarious thrill of laying waste to horde of enemies. As long as you give the players plenty with another NPC, none of the player characters have of opportunities to choose meaningful, challenging the spotlight. Avoid leaving the PCs out of the action whenever possible. encounters, it’s okay to let them blow off steam against It’s easier to just describe how the NPCs are faring enemy grunts from time to time and show off a little. If during the battle, updating the players every round (or you’re seeing smiles around the table, you’re doing your job as DM. more often if the PCs are watching events closely). If the PCs have charged into the orc army lines along with a comXP IN SUPPORTED ENCOUNTERS pany of human knights, you might say, “The orc troopers Another difference between adventures in a dungeon are wavering under the cavalry assault, and a few of them and on a battlefield is the amount of support the PCs break ranks and flee.” A few rounds later, you might say, receive. In most dungeons, the PCs are on their own, “A few orcs remain in melee combat with you, but the rest exploring at their own pace and fighting with only are running, and the cavalry is giving chase.” their own resources. But on the battlefield, PCs are part At the end of the encounter or game session, you need to account for the PCs’ allies. The presence of friendly NPCs of a larger organization. If their mission is important, reduces the number of enemy NPCs “overcome” by the PCs they’ll often get covering fire from nearby archers, a on a CR-by-CR basis. Then calculate the PCs’ experience barrage from friendly catapults, or even the proverbial cavalry to rescue them from a horde of enemies. point award based on the reduced number of NPCs. For Tangible support from NPCs makes the PCs’ jobs example, if four 5th-level PCs charge into battle alongside four 2nd-level fighter NPCs, slaying bugbears left and right, easier, so they’re able to take on tougher challenges. Accordingly, getting help from the rest of the army you can figure that each of the NPC fighters is roughly as affects the experience point award for overcoming a effective as a bugbear (a bugbear and a 2nd-level fighter particular challenge. are both CR 2). During the battle, don’t roll for attacks between the fighters and the bugbears; simply describe Because support can take many forms, it’s better for the DM to make a judgment call rather than rely on a two of the bugbears and two of the NPC fighters falling hard and fast rule. In most cases, support is either minor in battle (or more, or less, as you like). When you calculate or major. Minor support reduces the XP award for a the experience point award for the encounter, reduce the battlefield encounter by 10%. Major support reduces number of bugbears by four to account for the presence the XP award by 25% (or more, at the DM’s discretion). of the NPC fighters. Basically, if the support gives the PCs a small advantage, In short, use the lists above when the PCs get tangible it’s treated as minor support; if it has the capability of support that doesn’t involve actual combatants on the PCs’ dealing (or healing) significant amounts of damage, it’s side. If the PCs get help from NPCs who fight at their major support. Some examples of each kind oif support side, reduce the number of enemies they get credit for overcoming in order to compensate for the help. are provided below.
