documentation for the irregularities.
If they cannot, feel Determining Party Strength
free to restrict item use or ask them to use a standard Party Composition Party Strength
ability score array. Point players to the D&D Adventurers 3-4 characters, APL less than Very weak
League Player’s Guide for reference. 3-4 characters, APL equivalent Weak
If players wish to spend downtime days and it’s the 3-4 characters, APL greater than Average
beginning of an adventure or episode, they can declare 5 characters, APL less than Weak
their activity and spend the days now, or they can do so at 5 characters, APL equivalent Average
the end of the adventure or episode. 5 characters, APL greater than Strong
Players should select their characters’ spells and other 6-7 characters, APL less than Average
daily options prior to the start of the adventure, unless the 6-7 characters, APL equivalent Strong
adventure specifies otherwise. Feel free to reread the 6-7 characters, APL greater than Very strong
adventure description to help give players hints about
what they might face. Average party strength indicates no recommended
adjustments to the adventure. Each sidebar may or may
Adjusting the Adventure not offer suggestions for certain party strengths. If a
particular recommendation is not offered for your group,
Throughout this adventure, you may see sidebars to help you don’t have to make adjustments.
you make adjustments to this adventure for smaller/larger
groups and characters, of higher/lower levels that the
optimized group size. Most of the time, this is used for
Dungeon Mastering the
combat encounters. Adventure
You may adjust the adventure beyond the guidelines
As the DM of the session, you have the most important
given in the adventure, or for other reasons. For example,
role in facilitating the enjoyment of the game for the
if you’re playing with a group of inexperienced players,
players. You help guide the narrative and bring the words
you might want to make the adventure a little easier; for
on these pages to life. The outcome of a fun game session
very experienced players, you might want to make it a
often creates stories that live well beyond the play at the
little harder. Therefore, five categories of party strength
table. Always follow this golden rule when you DM for a
have been created for you to use as a guide. Use these as
group:
a guide, and feel free to use a different adjustment during
the adventure if the recommended party strength feels off
Make decisions and adjudications that enhance the fun of
for the group.
the adventure when possible.
This adventure is optimized for a party of five 6th-
level characters. To figure out whether you need to
To reinforce this golden rule, keep in mind the following:
adjust the adventure, do the following:
• You are empowered to make adjustments to the
• Add up the total levels of all the characters
adventure and make decisions about how the group
• Divide the total by the number of characters
interacts with the world of this adventure. This is
• Round fractions of .5 or greater up; round frations of
especially important and applicable outside of
less than .5 down
combat, but feel free to adjust the adventure for
groups that are having too easy or too hard of a time.
You’ve now determined the average party level (APL) for
• Don’t make the adventure too easy or too difficult for
the adventure. To figure out the party strength for the
a group. Never being challenged makes for a boring
adventure, consult the following table.
game, and being overwhelmed makes for a
frustrating game. Gauge the experience of the
players (not the characters) with the game, try to feel
out (or ask) what they like in a game, and attempt to
give each of them the experience they’re after when
they play D&D. Give everyone a chance to shine.
• Be mindful of pacing, and keep the game session
moving along appropriately. Watch for stalling, since
Tyranny in Phlan
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