I am looking for some creative ideas if anyone out there can help.
This Encounter doesn't need to tie into my campaign necessarily. The PCs are at 7th level. I like encounters that are more than just battles. I need some puzzly things and/or some other objectives besides killing the enemy and/or something that just makes the encounter interesting or memorable.
The parties encounter an area where Frost Giants used to dwell. There are only 1 or 2 remaining now and they live and guard the area as it serves as a graveyard or memorial for their once great tribe. One of the Giants remaining will have casting abilities.
I am trying to generate some ideas:
- maybe the PCs can only get past to continue their adventure if they solve something?
- maybe the Giants have hostages?
I am open to any ideas - thanks in advance for the help.
One of the giants is a necromancer, and the guardian of a dungeon, which is full of undead.
The PCs can talk their way past him, or sneak around him, or just fight through him -- but if they fight him, some of the ghosts or undead in the dungeon will be much less friendly, and able to get past him to chase the PCs back to their camp, or back to town, or whatever.
The giant also knows a lot about the area and they can learn about its history from him, or maybe trade their loot for some extra treasure the giant has (remnants of previous adventuring parties that were unsuccessful), but he is an obstacle the PCs have to deal with somehow.
to expand on Tonyz idea, there could be dread zombie ice giants as a type of powerful undead. However I don't have the stats at had to say if that would work well with a 7th level group or not.
You could have a reason as to the frost giants leaving the area as you said they "used" to dwell there. Maybe fungal creatures invaded and the remaining ice giants are fungal hosts or through mining they found something like a cursed item that turned against them.
One of the giants is a necromancer, and the guardian of a dungeon, which is full of undead.
The PCs can talk their way past him, or sneak around him, or just fight through him -- but if they fight him, some of the ghosts or undead in the dungeon will be much less friendly, and able to get past him to chase the PCs back to their camp, or back to town, or whatever.
The giant also knows a lot about the area and they can learn about its history from him, or maybe trade their loot for some extra treasure the giant has (remnants of previous adventuring parties that were unsuccessful), but he is an obstacle the PCs have to deal with somehow.
I like these ideas - Maybe there is something (some object) that the Giant keys is power from or that is very precious. If the PCs can get to this object and either capture or destroy it, the Giant stops fighting, giving the PCs an option to just having a battle.
Any more ideas?
Don't Frost giants out class a 7th level party pretty substantially? 1 Scrub Frost Giant is CR 9, they are also known to keep winter wolves, slaves of various sorts, white dragons and linhorns. So a straight encounter seems unlikely.
I would possibly go for a chase encounter. A pack of enough winter wolves to scare them off chase them while Frost Giants throw ice chunks for target practice.
or
The party becomes the humanoid slaves that frost giants are known to take. This would be interesting lots of rp encounters to stay alive through diplomacy, keeping your masters happy and making allies eliminating threats among the other slaves they keep. Perhaps they groom the PCs as gladiators to fight against their other slaves, winter wolves and dragons. Of course they need to escape via some awesome method. Like the above chase scene which may or may not include elements of the chase scene sledding down the mountainside to escape the frost giants and the avalanche behind them.
Giants are big and strong, they have a habit of throwing boulders too. Perhaps there is a blockage like rubble or something and the players need the giants to clear it or maybe the giants could use a rockslide and cause a blockage.
Love this idea of having to get the Giant to clear the way - thanks for chiming in Emperor!
Don't Frost giants out class a 7th level party pretty substantially? 1 Scrub Frost Giant is CR 9, they are also known to keep winter wolves, slaves of various sorts, white dragons and linhorns. So a straight encounter seems unlikely.
I would possibly go for a chase encounter. A pack of enough winter wolves to scare them off chase them while Frost Giants throw ice chunks for target practice.
or
The party becomes the humanoid slaves that frost giants are known to take. This would be interesting lots of rp encounters to stay alive through diplomacy, keeping your masters happy and making allies eliminating threats among the other slaves they keep. Perhaps they groom the PCs as gladiators to fight against their other slaves, winter wolves and dragons. Of course they need to escape via some awesome method. Like the above chase scene which may or may not include elements of the chase scene sledding down the mountainside to escape the frost giants and the avalanche behind them.
Maybe I am terrible at tactics, buy my party of 5 regularly beats off encounters that are well above the CR for their level. I was throwing CR10s at times when they were 5th level.
I like the idea of a chase - maybe I combine a chase, clearing a boulder filled landslide, and raising some undead!!
Thanks - please chime in with other ideas too.
I remember a DM long ago that had a frost giant living in a warm climate that would run around naked attacking caravans and using goblins as scouts... very weird encounter but incredibly fun.
Regards,
DRS
That is very funny - but gross - yuck!!
Thanks man - This is a cold environment, but the idea of a naked Frost Giant is pretty funny.
Large skeletons are fun, as are half white dragon polar bears.
Remember, giants are eligible for enlarge person !
I'd remember to cast protection from fire and protection from good, to shore up the two most obvious weaknesses.
And just blast everyone with the cold breath weapon, the giants and undead are immune.
Ok come on nobody? Frost Giants ON ICE!
Party encounters an unlikely scene of frost giant children skating on a frozen pond.
Unfortunately they get spotted and identified as a potential threat to the children's guardian what do they do?
The parties encounter an area where Frost Giants used to dwell. There are only 1 or 2 remaining now and they live and guard the area as it serves as a graveyard or memorial for their once great tribe. One of the Giants remaining will have casting abilities.
How invested are you in this?
I think the remote forge of a famous frost giant smith with only a few apprentices and some minions around might make for a cool encounter, especially if he's the last of a tribe.-TimD