Out of the Box, D&D Encounters, Series 2, #17 – “The Ante”
Introduction to the Out of the Box Encounter: [caption id="attachment_24661" align="alignright" width="355"] DMG5e Feywild Cladio Pozas pg 50 CC SA 3.0[/caption] The series of articles have touched on the Feywild before, but it was more from the point of view of chasing or following denizens there. In...
Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #16 – “Stomp”
Out of the Box Introduction
There are two approaches to scaling encounters for players when using lower CR monsters. The first is to just add more of the same. The second is to change how they are used, or use them in a way in which they act in concert with another monster type or mechanic.
Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #15 – “The Lucky Catch”
Out of the Box Introduction
Out of The Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #14 – “Frog Princess”
Out of the Box introduction
If you run out of ideas to challenge your players, there’s always Tiamat from the Rise of Tiamat adventure.
If I hear any refrain commonly online and with other Dungeon Masters, it’s “but my players are X level. How do I challenge them?”
Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #13 – “Here, Kitty Kitty”
Out of the Box introduction
Classic image of a displacer beast from the 1st edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual. [Art by David A. Trampier]
Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #12 – “The Walls Have…arms?”
Introduction
Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #11 – “Building Bridges”
[caption id="attachment_22980" align="aligncenter" width="640"] This D&D party looks like they could use a team-building retreat. Say no more! This Out of the Box encounter is better than a trust fall for the party.[/caption] Introduction Have you ever needed an icebreaker encounter for either a new group, or...
Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #10 – “Fish Bowl”
Did someone say fish bowl? Better not mess with The Xanathar’s goldfish. Cover to Xanathar’s Guide to Everything from Wizards of the Coast. [Art by Jason Rainville]
Introduction
Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #9 – Bandersnatched
[caption id="attachment_14716" align="alignright" width="219"] Night hag as seen in the fifth edition Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual. [Art courtesy of Wizards of the Coast][/caption] Introduction In a previous encounter within Series 1 (Auntie Knows Best) there was mention of a Hag Eye. This device was being employed...
Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #8 – Road Crew
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Societies all over the world have their own way of doing things. Regardless where you are from, I bet you’d be surprised how cultures on the other side of the world did some of the most common things. The way we make a meal, prepare a home, treat the loss of a loved one, or manufacture materials or products might be done in a completely different way in a far-flung culture. This objective truth should also apply to the realms within fantasy. Volo’s Guide to Monsters goes into some of these cultural aspects, and this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #7 – Feeding Time
Many entries in both the Monster Manual and Volo’s Guide to Monsters indicate one or more monsters have some sort of relationship with each other. What I’d like to present here is one between a Monster Manual entry (Bullywug) and Volo’s (Froghemoth).
Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #6 – Lonely Boat
A Mimic doesn’t have to appear like the traditional treasure chest.
Out of the Box hasn’t featured an aquatic encounter in a long time, so I think we’re overdue. I’m not sure how many followers and players will remember this simple rule of physics, but the material of an item (its density) is less important than its shape and volume (based on displacement). If an object is the right shape as to spread out its volume to account for its density, so long as it’s water resistant or water proof, it should float. That’s why boats made of steel float.
Therefore, if we take a creature out of its element (Mimic) and put it in a place where it’s adapted to fit something (a boat and not a chest), we have a creature in a place we’d never expect to find it. This is less of a classic re-skin and more of an adaptation, which occurs in nature all of the time.
Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #5 – Spider Mine
Inspiration for encounters can come from a number of sources. Common ones are books, movies and other literary or performance arts. This latest one comes from one you might not expect – an old game. Minesweeper. In this case, the field isn’t a logic exercise to reveal where a mine or other explosive device might be. Instead, we will use a natural creature – a spider.
Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #4: Calliope
I have personally looked through a Monster Manual and told myself that a particular monster could not be used to its potential without me being accused of being a “dick Dungeon Master.” One of those creatures is a Harpy. They may have a low intelligence, but they’re smart enough to use the Luring Song to cause grievous harm to a target and then fly away if things get too tough. If Harpies were ever paired with something to take advantage of a target incapacitated by the Harpies’ song, then things could get pretty rough in a very short while. This will lead to bad player-DM relations in a very short span of time, especially if the source of that Charm effect keeps leaving and flying away at range. Harpies need to fly away because they have a very soft AC and are not that formidable in combat. They rely on numbers and evasion.
Out of the Box D&D Encounters, Series 2, #3: Ascension
It is a widely known fact that life comes in many shapes, forms and varieties. The lifeforms in fantasy add to this melange. However, we tend to see those fantasy creatures as certain “accepted” forms. The mythologies of the world, too, add to this list of accepted forms. Nearly all ancient races had some form of a giant, dragon, vampire and ghost. Some of those forms have made it into Dungeons & Dragons nomenclature. Modern movies, comics, and other fiction have certainly gone to some length to further break the back of this limitation, but there are still many more steps to walk on that journey.
What I would like to do here is take something from mythology and the D&D universe and further alter it, to expand its range and variety within the game. Not only that, but I would like to add an element back from earlier fantasy that seems to only exist in the realms of horror now. There was a time when Fey were feared as they might abduct children and place changelings in their place. Elves were notorious for that. Redcaps were more common (now introduced in Volo’s) and were murderous little cretins. Sprites, Pixies and Brownies (no, not made of chocolate) were dangerous little tricksters. The Feywild was a dangerous place where time is fluid and unpredictable, as were its residents. Their motivations were (and still are) alien to mortals.
