Enemy Motivations

Every encounter should happen for a reason. Consider a creature’s motivation to fight. Is it defending its lair? Robbing to enrich itself? Following sadistic impulses? Simply being paid to fight? You may realize a creature doesn’t have a compelling motivation, or that the PCs have done something that eliminates the impetus to fight. In that case, the encounter doesn’t need to happen! Your game might be more satisfying if the PCs’ clever actions avoid the fight—provided you award them XP accordingly.

Morale

Think how an enemy reacts when a fight is going poorly for them—or well! Enemies who do something other than fight to the death make an encounter more dynamic and believable. While PCs occasionally encounter truly fanatical zealots or single-minded creatures that would never back down from a fight, most creatures—even nonsapient creatures like animals—back down from a battle they’re obviously losing. This normally means foes fleeing at a certain point, potentially ending the encounter, but if the PCs need to capture those opponents, it could add a secondary objective and split their focus. Look at how differences in morale between participants impact the fight. For instance, after the necromancer’s living allies surrender to the PCs, she might activate a latent magic she implanted within them, killing them and merging their bodies into an enormous undead abomination. An enemy’s morale could even change the encounter from combat to social, as the PCs enter negotiations over a surrender or try to convince their foes of the errors of their ways.

QUICK ADVENTURE GROUPS

If you want an easy framework for building an encounter, you can use one of the following basic structures and slot in monsters and NPCs.

• Boss and Lackeys (120 XP): One creature of party level + 2, four creatures of party level – 4

• Boss and Lieutenant (120 XP): One creature of party level + 2, one creature of party level

• Elite Enemies (120 XP): Three creatures of party level • Lieutenant and Lackeys (80 XP): One creature of party level, four creatures of party level – 4

• Mated Pair (80 XP): Two creatures of party level • Troop (80 XP): One creature of party level, two creatures of party level – 2

• Mook Squad (60 XP): Six creatures of party level – 4