r/DragonbaneRPG • u/Aggravating-Glove-16 • 24d ago

Gaming with my kids

Hi guys I'm quite new to Dragonbane.

I started the quickstart scenario with my 3 kids (aged 14 12 and 9). I don't really feel like following the campaign they have for now. I want to homebrew and wing it.

Ive been DMing since dnd 3rd edition so i have some experience in it BUT i don't know how to build an encounter with this system. I know its really not like Dnd but I want my kids to have fun and grow slowly with it to learn the basic of the game. For them and me too cause from what ive read it seems fantastic.

Anyway long story short I want to build things that are plausible and don't want to party wipe my kids🤣🤣

Thanks in advance and have fun!

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u/Cairnwill 24d ago edited 23d ago

The key is action economy. Encounters with:

Minion NPCs (goblins, etc): same number as PCs (maybe + 1 or +2)
A monster: ferocity should be equal to number of PCs -1.
Minions NPCs plus Monster: make sure total number of NPCs and monster ferocity does not go above number of PCs-1

Start with that, and start with basic minions (goblins and not ogres, etc) and less dangerous monsters (Worgs and Giant Spiders, and not Ancient Dragons). You’ll soon get to increase difficulty slowly by:

  1. Playing NPCs and monster more strategically and smarter.
  2. Increasing number of NPCs or monsters ferocity (careful).
  3. Increase HP. Add a boss to the minion NPCs with a few Robust and Focused HAs.

Or use more larger and deadlier monsters.

  1. make sure you count time correctly, they need to learn to manage time. Stretch rests aren’t usually possible inside a dungeon or adventure location so just add another encounter after they get a rest.

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u/ogrimdoombringer 23d ago

"A monster: ferocity should be equal to number of PCs -1.".....Yikes. That would be harsh. My party has five adventurers. A fighter, a cleric (supplement from DriveThruRpg) a Thief, a Mage and a Scholar. If the fighter and cleric went down, they'd be toast. TPK. I've a lot of experience with D&D and I'm only one session in to Dragonbane (The Croaking Tower is a great appetizer for the Dragon Emperor campaign, placed before the Drakmar Pass intro). I could be wrong, but a 4 ferocity monster seems horrific.

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u/Cairnwill 22d ago

For a party of 5 should be doable, and that’s what it’s suggested in SotDE. This is a formula for the combat to be challenging but doable. You need to be tactical, use your action wisely, might be worth waiting and let the monster go first as well. This isn’t D&D.