Low-level tactical encounters?


Advice


I'm running a group entirely composed of new players. They've reached the end of their first adventure, Crypt of the Everflame, but due to a rookie error on my part, they all reached 3rd level almost halfway through the module, rather than at the end. As a result, most of the encounters have been trivial for them, and they haven't really needed to use any sort of tactics.

Does anyone know of any good CR 2-4 monsters or other encounters that wouldn't be likely to kill them, but would force them to use things like flanking, AoO, and things like that?


AOO is usually from unintelligent creatures such as undead, or constructs not smart enough to move tactically through 5ft steps or withdrawls. Or from attacking smart enemies that feel they need to provoke to get to a better tactical position.

Flanking would require work on the players part, if they do not know how to use it, they won't do it. Make certain they know certain tactics exist, and how, why and when to use them, advanced tactics are very hard to learn. Flanking is often most necessary against high AC creatures, or when there is a rogue in the party that needs to sneak attack.
Your best bet might be a skeletal champion, a skeletal archer, and an appropriate number of 1hd skeletons around them. Loot would be minimal, the 1hd minions would be easy to AoO as they move towards the back lines (have them "created" to seek ranged targets first, personal threats second).

Another option might be some CR1 barbarians from Here .
Have them ambush the party (smokesticks, tanglefoot bags, etc), then taunt ("Give us your coin, or we will take you life AND your coin! You have 6 seconds to decide). Then battle, barbarians can drink potions to increase AC (barkskin?) for first round, allowing melees to get in to potion, then they charge the back lines (provoking AoO's to disable spellcasters and rangers first).

The Exchange

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Please warn your players to switch on their brains before you crank things up. If charging blindly in has worked every time so far, they're likely to use that tactic again, and some players tend to blame the GM when their string of easy wins suddenly turns sour on them.

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