Playing this with 6 characters

[Mavrickindigo]

so I just completed "Burnt Offerings" with my group of 6 players. They include

Human Gunslinger
Elf Wizard
Tiefling Magus
Kitsune Rogue
Kobold Cavalier
Dhampir Inquisitor

If figured I could get through the campaign with no real problem if I run it with them one level lower than what's presented. Problem is they blasted their way through the whole adventure rather easily.

Is there anything I need to make the rest of the adventure more challenging, or will things even out if I keep the party one level lower than what's presented?

[Skeld]

I'm GM'ing RotRL AE for a 6 player group (in case you're curious: Half-elf Rogue(scout), Half-elf Ranger, Aasimar Paladin, Human Wizard(evoker), Dwarf Cleric/Fighter(weaponmaster), and Tiefling Alchemist(chirurgeon)) also. We're about half-way through Hook Mountain Massacre (the party is currently attempting to retake Fort Rannick). I knew going into it that I would have 6 players, so here's what I did.

1) Like you, I keep the party about 1 level lower than the recommendation presented in each chapter. We don't use XP, so it's easy for me to modify if I need.
2) During character creation, I had them use a 15-point buy.
3) I've kept the treasure level about the same as it is in the AP, so 6 people are splitting treasure designed for 4.
4) I try to increase the number of minions by ~50%, or I'll add some minions to curb single-for encounters (when it makes sense).
5) Also, something you've done that I don't do is allow monster races. I only allowed CRB races plus Aasimar/Tielfling and, for this campaign, I mandated that no two players could play the same race (although there was a mix-up and 2 players have half-elves, which I didn't quibble over).

I haven't had any problems yet. The Alchemist is probably been my toughest PC to deal with, because he fancies himself a "mad bomber." Right now, I have them at level 8. After Fort Rannick is retaken, they'll be level 9, and level 10 at the end of the chapter.

Based on what you've posted, you might just try bumping up minions.

-Skeld

[Tsukiyomi]

Does increasing the number of minions work across the board for the encounters or are there some that are good for 6 players as written?

[Skeld]

Tsukiyomi wrote:

Does increasing the number of minions work across the board for the encounters or are there some that are good for 6 players as written?

I don't recall all the encounters they've played through, but there were definitely a few that didn't require bumping. For instance,

Spoiler:

Xanesha I left as a single-foe encounter because she was pretty tough on her own (I used the AE version, and I got them to waste almost rounds worth of actions on her illusion while she waited invisibly for them to position themselves). Malfeshnikor also doesn't require any minions because he might be too much for the PCs anyway.

Whenever I prepare for a coming session (like this Friday night), I look ahead at the encounters they're likely to trigger and mark the ones on which I want to plus up the minions. If the PCs are in bad shape or have some other mitigating circumstance, I might run the encounter as written instead. The nice thing about increasing minions is that it doesn't add any work for the GM because you already have minion stats, you just use more instances.

Another thing worth mentioning is that I occasionally rebuild foes. For example,

Spoiler:

I rebuilt Naulia as an Antipaladin6 for no other reason that it fit the theme I had built around her (also, I Burnt Offerings before the AE was released).

Hope that helps!

-Skeld