Need some ideas

[Jatrell]

Hey all,

My current game group (consisting of 6 players) is overpowered. Every encounter I throw at them is just under powered. I could really use some GM ideas to make an encounter more threatening. SOme of the things I have done is 5 stormtroopers at a time and a rancor that I actually made with 48 BP's and it only took 1/3 dmg and it didn't even get a hit on any players. I have also done combos with 6 sotrmtroopers and an AT-ST and no one takes dmg. It has been suggested that I should raise the str of the enemies we fight. But I honestly don't want to be responsible for killing a player. My players are pretty good about knowing when to run and get outta dodge. So again, maybe some suggestions. I hope I have painted a well enough picture for you all to work with.

Jatrell
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Experience is the excuse everyone gives for their mistakes

[Guardian_A]

Take a look in my signature, I've got a link to a bunch of pdfs with new and upgraded NPCs, including more powerful versions of existing characters like Stormtroopers. It might be a good place to start.

[CRMcNeill]

Well, the easiest solution is to use tougher enemies so that the characters are challenged and at risk, but keep your dice rolls hidden (GM screen or something) and if one of the characters takes a roll that would kill them, just fudge the results a little.

I saw somewhere that the original ending for ROTJ had Lando not make it out of the Death Star in the Millennium Falcon, with the Falcon blowing up while trying to fly out after the reactor got destroyed. Han's line about having a funny feeling "like I'm not gonna see her again" was intended to be foreshadowing. But screening audiences reacted so negatively to it that the ending was pulled and changed so that Lando survived.

Why do I bring it up? In your universe, you are George Lucas. Don't like the result (or wary of a negative reaction from your audience)? Just change the ending.
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"No set of rules can cover every situation. It's expected that you will make up new rules to suit the needs of your game." - The Star Wars Roleplaying Game, 2R&E, pg. 69, WEG, 1996.

The CRMcNeill Stat/Rule Index

[CRMcNeill]

[Guardian_A]

I keep meaning to get back to those, but recently, our second GM hasnt been running a game, so all the planning has fallen to me. I just havent had a lot of time to invest in it. He's planning to start GMing again soon, so I should have a little time on my hand again soon, . . . at least until the twins arrive.

I'll be sure to bump the Civilians up on the priority list when I get started again. Anything specific you are looking for?

[CRMcNeill]

[Fallon Kell]

[Jatrell]

Awesome, I appreicate the help. Who could I ask to roll me up a special NPC char? Its a real specific character and I dont want to do it myself for fear of it being to Overpowered (or underpowered)
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Experience is the excuse everyone gives for their mistakes

[Grimace]

Five or six stormtroopers are too easy? Then increase their numbers. You don't have to go with stronger or more skilled versions, you can do it with quantity instead of quality.

How's 10 stormtroopers? What? The players are mowing through those pretty quickly? Well what about the dozen reinforcements that just showed up?

Comlinks can be used to call for reinforcements and those reinforcements could get there "just in time" to catch the PCs either by surprise or to throw them back from completely overwhelming the first wave.

The other thing to do is to provide other challenges that don't necessarily revolve around combat all the time. Physical challenges, such as sneaking into a place or travelling/traversing very rough terrain, can be good without needing to have blaster bolts fly.

When it comes to creatures, especially creatures that may not travel in packs, you can use clever tactics. Think of the way the velociraptors were presented in Jurrasic Park. So maybe the PCs stumble across a big creature like a Rancor. Well, maybe they didn't notice that the Rancor is actually doing it's best to get their attention while its mate...a big, angry male...comes up on their side/behind and takes them by surprise. There's reasons why some creatures (even in the real world) grow to huge size and look like they've been through a dozen fights. It's because they have and have learned how to be more cunning in order to win those fights.

The other thing you need to consider is that perhaps you've simply boosted the PCs to a point where they need to be retired. If they can easily take out an AT-ST without being hit at all, either their dodge is very high or you gave them way too powerful of weapons to deal with things like that. So look at that to see what sort of power the PCs have. If they've got stuff to easily blow up an AT-ST, what will it do to an AT-AT? If they can take out an AT-AT as well, then you'll need to do something to address the problem of you giving them too much power.

If they're just doing it with good, sound tactics, then congratulate your players and increase the quality and/or quantity of the bad guys you throw at them.

[Guardian_A]

[Naaman]

I like to use the rule that Stormtroopers (in particular, not the regular imperial army troops) can combine fire without needing a command roll. So, no matter how many of them there are, they can all "gang up" on the PCs.

Basically, you make one roll to using the skill of the best shooter (doesn't matter which, if they all have the same stats). For each additional Stormtrooper, you may add a +1 bonus to either the attack roll or the damage roll (you can divide it up as you see fit). So, if the players encounter 15 Stormtroopers, you can grant one guy a +10 to hit, and a +4 to damage, for example.

It really helps to bring the Stormtroopers out of the cannon fodder category and into the slightly annoying henchmen category. With enough of 'em, you can make the PCs think twice.

Also, for larger scale weapons (walker and up, I'd say), even if the PC dodges (if he doesn't have cover) he gets knocked over from the blast and loses an action or suffers a stun or something. That way, cover becomes a serious necessity in battle (as it should be).

[garhkal]

Tactics is another way to go.. USE their equipment to the best the stormies have.. IE they are used to their armor so suffer no dex penalty.
Use smoke grenades or other sensory depravation ammo since their helmets protect them AND the MFAS allows them to see through it.
Mass fire on stun.
SNEAKY enemies.. Remember if they get surprise there is no reaction defense.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Raven Redstar]

[garhkal]

If you want, PM me info on the following and i can whip one up quickly for you.

1) Alliegance: Imp, fringe, criminal, other
2) Power level: Eg pcs have base stats, 100 cp spent, 200 cp spent, 300 cp spent??
3) time frame of game.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Praxian]

All that is great advice.

Something else you can do is set the players up for a trap. I did that once in a game and it worked out pretty well and made the players start reigning themselves in.

Ex:

A squad of troopers were tasked with setting up an ambush in abandoned building 1 over here.

The elite troopers had set up the building ahead of time so as to blow the whole building up. Normal troopers had requisitioned a bunch of mines, explosives, stuff for ranged and enviromental traps so as to bring down the 2 Jedi in the party.

Players show up, Elite squad was watching from Building 2 across the street. Players go in building 1, have their confrontation with the troopers, and as soon as the fire-fight began, the Elite blow up Building 1. The regular troopers died, 1 pc died, but the other 5 made their rolls dodge / survive the damage rolls.

The players had a second fight as soon as they headed out and while, they were alive, they -were- wounded once, and twice so that when the elite troopers stepped in, they were less than happy with dice pool penalties, and the like.

The trap in a trap works pretty well, but I don't reccomend using it too often. Primarily if your pc's seem to be over-confident and are always making short work, make some sort of tactical battle where they have little way of avoiding being hurt. Injured pc's usually means pc ego on "It's me, I can survive anything thrown at me" goes down dramatically and they will probably start being more careful... at least for 2 or 4 game sessions.