Interesting encounters are short descriptions of encounters that GMs can use to build on. They combine unique aspects of different types of foes, terrain, skill checks, weather, combat, etc in order to provide more unique challenges than hit monster; repeat.
The goblin canyon is an excellent whimsical "random" combat encounter to throw into a campaign for a change of pace. For this encounter, you will probably need to break out your mass combat rules. I had about 70 goblins in play. This encounter is best used with non-flying PCs that are traveling with companions, mounts, wagons, and other non-worn supplies. It can work for a caravan too, or a ship floating down a river with minor modifications.
The party in this encounter is traveling through a canyon with sloped sides and a lot of rock formations. The formations and canyon walls are 20 to 30 ft up. This is all pretty visible when the party enters the canyon. Because of the open layout, it doesn't seem that dangerous. This isn't the typical box canyon trap. Very keen eyes might spot the hidden caves or signs of blood from previous ambushes.
What the party doesn't know is that the canyon is the preferred ambush site for a large tribe of goblins. These aren't just any goblins, though. These goblins are armed and in force.
For mass combat, I like to organize my foes into groups of 6 to 12. Adjust the number of goblins in the groups to get the challenge you need. Generally this allows you to apply damage to the groups at once, and allows you to have all the members of the group take the same action.
The goal in this encounter is not to kill PCs with goblins; rather, we want to make the party spend a lot of time cutting through melee goblins on the canyon floor. This time spent is the real danger, because a lot of bad things will be going on in the meantime.
On each sides of the canyon, just out of sight, are a group of goblin archers and a group of goblin riders. To start off the ambush, the goblin archers will spot the incoming party and start rolling a barrage of boulders down the canyon walls, trying to hit the PCs or at least disrupt an easy escape. PCs will need to dodge the boulders, and boulders will generate difficult terrain when they land in the canyon. The archers can then rain down arrows on the party. The goblin riders on mounts will charge in and attempt to block escape and engage in many vs one melee. The goblin riders are also going be enticing the party to move away from all of their stuff.
In the canyon itself, there are some hidden caves. In these caves, 4 groups of goblin infantry wait. Once this battle breaks out they will run out. They might attack the party, or they might to get to work on the party's stuff.
The rock formations have a couple of surprises waiting. Out of the sight of the party, there are camouflaged foxholes dug into the rock formations from the top. When the battle breaks out, a group of goblin shaman and a group of goblin firebombers appear scattered along the edges of the rocks of the various formations, ready to rain down havoc on the party.
Terrain wise, the twisting corridors between the rock formations can break up the party and allow the goblins to attack each PC from multiple directions. Also, the sloping sides of the canyon are difficult terrain, slowing PCs trying to get to the goblin archers. The rock formations are difficult to climb, and their height poses a risk for both falling damage and getting attacked on the way up.
Despite the large number of goblins involved in the battle, there is a lot of opportunity for roleplay. Goblins aren't particular intelligent, so some standard stupid enemy hi-jinks are going to happen. The firebombers and archers, in particular, may not be as good with their aim as they would like, so hilarity may ensue. Goblins may also be calling out all sorts of things to the PCs to try to scare them. The PC may find this pretty annoying, but ultimately funny.
The PCs will look awesome in this fight, so try to get some battle narration going as the PCs mow down goblins.
Firebombers do pose a unique threat that the party may overlook. Fire can be a real nuisance. If the party happens to have some obviously flammable cargo, like distilled spirits, alchemist's fire, black powder, or even lamp oil, the little goblin pyros are going to be dancing with glee. Worn items that are flammable like spell books, scrolls, and magic items (necklace of fireballs) are also vulnerable to the fire attacks. Wooden wagons will also be prime targets.
With so many goblins attacking, every living thing in the party will be under attack. This includes NPCs, mounts and work animals, and guard animals. If there are supplies not worn by the PCs, the goblins will be ripping them apart, throwing things, and attempting to steal what they can. The PCs, win or lose, have a good chance of losing things not on their person. With this, add more hi-jinks.
Some of the goblins will be in positions to attack and hide. This strategy, depending on your system, can be pretty disruptive and force the party to hunt down goblins in their holes. This distraction will only worsen looting of the party's stuff.
When things start to look really grim for the goblins, they will grab everything they can and run away. At this point, throw in a ton of attempts to steal items off the PCs. Over the sides of the canyon are forest on both sides, so catching more than a couple of the fleeing goblins will be a real challenge.
In the end, this encounter is designed to be a partial victory for the party. Despite beating back the goblins, there is a good chance they lost a lot of stuff in the fight. It will be a really cool story for them to tell, when their party took out a goblin army that outnumbered them 10 to 1. It is definitely a nice distraction from the plot for a session, when you need a change.
The goblin canyon is an excellent whimsical "random" combat encounter to throw into a campaign for a change of pace. For this encounter, you will probably need to break out your mass combat rules. I had about 70 goblins in play. This encounter is best used with non-flying PCs that are traveling with companions, mounts, wagons, and other non-worn supplies. It can work for a caravan too, or a ship floating down a river with minor modifications.
The party in this encounter is traveling through a canyon with sloped sides and a lot of rock formations. The formations and canyon walls are 20 to 30 ft up. This is all pretty visible when the party enters the canyon. Because of the open layout, it doesn't seem that dangerous. This isn't the typical box canyon trap. Very keen eyes might spot the hidden caves or signs of blood from previous ambushes.
What the party doesn't know is that the canyon is the preferred ambush site for a large tribe of goblins. These aren't just any goblins, though. These goblins are armed and in force.
For mass combat, I like to organize my foes into groups of 6 to 12. Adjust the number of goblins in the groups to get the challenge you need. Generally this allows you to apply damage to the groups at once, and allows you to have all the members of the group take the same action.
The goal in this encounter is not to kill PCs with goblins; rather, we want to make the party spend a lot of time cutting through melee goblins on the canyon floor. This time spent is the real danger, because a lot of bad things will be going on in the meantime.
On each sides of the canyon, just out of sight, are a group of goblin archers and a group of goblin riders. To start off the ambush, the goblin archers will spot the incoming party and start rolling a barrage of boulders down the canyon walls, trying to hit the PCs or at least disrupt an easy escape. PCs will need to dodge the boulders, and boulders will generate difficult terrain when they land in the canyon. The archers can then rain down arrows on the party. The goblin riders on mounts will charge in and attempt to block escape and engage in many vs one melee. The goblin riders are also going be enticing the party to move away from all of their stuff.
In the canyon itself, there are some hidden caves. In these caves, 4 groups of goblin infantry wait. Once this battle breaks out they will run out. They might attack the party, or they might to get to work on the party's stuff.
The rock formations have a couple of surprises waiting. Out of the sight of the party, there are camouflaged foxholes dug into the rock formations from the top. When the battle breaks out, a group of goblin shaman and a group of goblin firebombers appear scattered along the edges of the rocks of the various formations, ready to rain down havoc on the party.
Terrain wise, the twisting corridors between the rock formations can break up the party and allow the goblins to attack each PC from multiple directions. Also, the sloping sides of the canyon are difficult terrain, slowing PCs trying to get to the goblin archers. The rock formations are difficult to climb, and their height poses a risk for both falling damage and getting attacked on the way up.
Despite the large number of goblins involved in the battle, there is a lot of opportunity for roleplay. Goblins aren't particular intelligent, so some standard stupid enemy hi-jinks are going to happen. The firebombers and archers, in particular, may not be as good with their aim as they would like, so hilarity may ensue. Goblins may also be calling out all sorts of things to the PCs to try to scare them. The PC may find this pretty annoying, but ultimately funny.
The PCs will look awesome in this fight, so try to get some battle narration going as the PCs mow down goblins.
Firebombers do pose a unique threat that the party may overlook. Fire can be a real nuisance. If the party happens to have some obviously flammable cargo, like distilled spirits, alchemist's fire, black powder, or even lamp oil, the little goblin pyros are going to be dancing with glee. Worn items that are flammable like spell books, scrolls, and magic items (necklace of fireballs) are also vulnerable to the fire attacks. Wooden wagons will also be prime targets.
With so many goblins attacking, every living thing in the party will be under attack. This includes NPCs, mounts and work animals, and guard animals. If there are supplies not worn by the PCs, the goblins will be ripping them apart, throwing things, and attempting to steal what they can. The PCs, win or lose, have a good chance of losing things not on their person. With this, add more hi-jinks.
Some of the goblins will be in positions to attack and hide. This strategy, depending on your system, can be pretty disruptive and force the party to hunt down goblins in their holes. This distraction will only worsen looting of the party's stuff.
When things start to look really grim for the goblins, they will grab everything they can and run away. At this point, throw in a ton of attempts to steal items off the PCs. Over the sides of the canyon are forest on both sides, so catching more than a couple of the fleeing goblins will be a real challenge.
In the end, this encounter is designed to be a partial victory for the party. Despite beating back the goblins, there is a good chance they lost a lot of stuff in the fight. It will be a really cool story for them to tell, when their party took out a goblin army that outnumbered them 10 to 1. It is definitely a nice distraction from the plot for a session, when you need a change.
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