Encounter design: Non-Combatants & CR

[Krodjin]

Hi All,

I'm trying to design a low-level encounter that includes "non-combatants", and I'm not sure if I should include the non-combatants CR when determining the xp budget.

Thoughts?

Specifically this is an encounter designed to let PC's get some light horses (and a plot hook).

PC's are on foot when they are ambushed by some Orcs, who ride into battle on said horses. These horses won't be combat trained and I'm not expecting the Orcs to actually try and make the horses "attack". The PC's will have a few rounds to plan/prepare as they watch the Orcs gallop towards them across the steppe - which should pretty much nullify any advantage that may be gained by having the orcs starting the combat on horseback

So I wasn't planning on counting the horses in the encounter budget... Good call/bad call?

[Haargoth]

I would allow some extra do due to the extra speed and +1 attack for being on horseback. But as GM it's your call.

[Haargoth]

I wouldn't include it in the budget to deem it being too difficult but I would award extra XP especially if.they just kill the orcs and not the mounts so that they can use the mounts after... strategizing and RPing

[Lifat]

I'd say that it is a judgment call. I could see it going either way if I was making the encounter myself. I might add a little add hoc XP instead of increasing CR.