Suggestions on how to handle a few things as GM – Xenia and Rochester stay out!

[ElterAgo]

Group is probably going to be ambushed in the mountains while guarding a caravan. This is not supposed to be lethal for a 4th level group (pretty optimized). Yet still dangerous enough to be scary and maybe take out some carts, ponies, and/or drovers.
On a narrow twisty part of cliff side trail, a couple of things to happen.

1) From Higher up the cliff small rock avalanche. Bad guys obviously don’t want to bury the caravan since there would be no loot. Then shooting bows from cover.
a) What should be the perception DC to notice the bandits up there getting ready?
b) How should I handle the mechanics of the falling rocks? How many have a chance to get hit? Damage? Chance of falling?
c) What kind of bonus/penalty for shooting from above with some cover?

2) From ahead of them on the trail, a maddened charging berserk ox with burning brush tied to its whithers.
a) How would you handle the mechanics of this?
b) Would it just be a trample attack on the leading guards?
c) What if it gets to a pony cart? Too big to trample, so maybe an overrun to knock off the trail?
d) What perception DC to notice some more bandits running up behind the ox?

3) A few hidden guys down lower on the cliff to quickly loot anything that goes over the side, then run away.
a) What perception DC to notice them?
b) how long should I say it takes them to quickly loot a cart or body?

4) Caravan is being followed from high altitude by a flying large humanoid (SLA not wings). Not sure exactly how high. The observer just wants to keep track of where the caravan is not details. What should be the perception DC to realize that dot up there is a humanoid not a bird? DC to determine some details of the figure?

[Kalridian]

Disclaimer: All my answers are based on using the official paizo perception modifyers for distance, which understandably, many people find to be stupid. (there are a ton of threads on the topic) In my own games I usually decrease the range penalty to +1 for every 20 ft of distance, instead of +1/10ft.

1a: If they are just getting ready, not moving heavy stones and such, the DC would be the bandits stealth roll +1 per 10 ft of distance. If they are still moving heavy stones around, I would consider giving the bandits a heavy (3-5) circumstance penalty on the stealth.

1b: for the falling rocks, you could just use as many of these traps here as you see fit, without the chance of a disable device roll of course.
The CR seems to more or less fit the APL, you can alwyas raise the Attack and/or damage a little, if you want them to be more dangerous.

I would also advise you to have the bandits trigger a bigger avalanche on the path in front of the group (behind the bull) so they can't just keep moving with the carts.

1c: Shooting from higher ground gives no bonuses to hit (as opposed to melee attacks from above) but the cover you mention should either be normal cover (+4ac, +2ref), if they use actual cover in addition to their elevated position or partial cover (+2ac +1 ref) if it's only the cover of their elevated position. Remember that whatever cover the Bandits get for high ground will also be available to the PCs, if the decide to press themselves up against the side of the mountain.

2a/b: Just a trample on the guards, yes. He doesn't want to attack them he just wants to keep running and they are in his way.

2c: since the drag/push weight of your ox is 9000 pounds, i think it would be reasonable to have it make an overrun, although i don't know what kind of CMD you would want to give to the cart. Maybe just an opposed strength check with the pony, giving the pony a bonus for the weight of the cart? If the ponies are not combat trained, remember that the drivers will have to make handle animal checks to keep them from panicking though.

2d: If the bandits are actually running behind the ox, they are not using stealth and therefore the DC should be 0 + 1 per 10 ft distance. I would just handwave that roll and have the PCs auto-succeed.
If the bandits are actually using stealth, which I would allow them to do on a rocky road with a charging ox as "cover", the same rules as in 1a apply.

3: How do those guys quickly run away? is there another path below the one the PCs are on? Why would the bandits plan to have stuff go over the side and why would they plan on running away right from the start? Do they expect to lose the fight? If yes, why do they attack?

3a: Same as before, if they use stealth (remember, reduced movement speed) stealth roll + distance, with a +5 circumstance bonus because the PCs are distracted. (per the rules, this would actually be a penalty for the PCs, but it's easyer to calculate this way around and the result is the same)
This is IF the PCs can even see the lower bandits. I would run it so that the pcs can't spot them as long as they are not in the squares on the edge of the path, and once they are, give them a roll with the +5

3b: picking up an Item is normally a move action, of which everybody gets 2 per round, so per RAW, the bandits would loot one clearly visible item from corpses or carts to their "inventory" every 3 seconds and spend the other move action of the round storing it on their person. If they need to open containers or otherwise have restricted access, make that process slower, if they have things like big sacks in which they can just drop the loot instead of storing it (free action), make it 2 items per round.

If the fight doesn't last exceptionally long, don't expect those guys to get away with much. I would actually advise you to have the bandits use those people in the attack too and then expect to just loot afterwards, except if the looters are not fit for combat.

4: If the flying observer doesn't a) have hide in plain sight or b) is flying high enough to use clouds as cover, he doesn't get to make stealth checks while flying up there, so the DC would be once again 0 + distance. (per the rules, the size of the observer does not come into play here, only if he makes a stealth check. Since I find it idiotic that a gargantuan dragon chilling by the lake would be spotted exaclty as easily as the pixie besides him, as long as non of both try to use stealth, I usually include the size modifyers to stealth in a roll like this too, which would be a +4 for the PCs in this case. This is a houserule 'though)
Since the rules only give a DC to "notice a visible creature" which is only seeing that there is SOMETHING, I would put the DC to realize it is not a bird a little higher, maybe 2 or 3 points, since it should be pretty obious that the shape of the observer is not birdlike (no wings)

Since those rules apply to the observer too , I would have him keep a distance that allows him to see the caravan based on distance modifyers. If he only occasionally wants to check in on them and the path they are going to take is relatively clear, have him keep a distance that allows him to make the check to spot them on something like a 18 (distance in ft = (18 + perception modifyer of the observer)*10, or *20 if you use my houserule from the initial disclaimer). If he wants to keep them in good view, put him on a distance that allows him to take 10 on his perception check.

If you use my houserule that includes the size penalties into normal spot checks, you of course have to apply it to the caravan too, granting the observer a pretty big bonus, since a caravan made of multiple carts including ponies and the PCs should probably be gargantuan (+12 on the check to notice it)

Have fun with your session and remember: don't spend too much time in the session claculating DCs, rather guesstimate them on the fly, the average players fun will be diminished much more by a 2 minute pause in combat to calculate stuff than by a perception DC that was 2 or 3 points off.

[GM 1990]

1.
The perception checks can be against the stealth rolls of the bandits +1 per 10/ of distance. If they're working to lever a rock you might just go straight up w/o the bonus since they're not exactly hiding. Perception Check Modifiers

Wouldn't you trigger the rock slide far enough out to ensure no loot is destroyed? so no need to check vs hitting a cart unless you want that aspect to affect the players- IE dodging a few rolling boulders. Of course, if it hits a PC it could kill them so maybe just best to avoid unless you want it for thematic elements. For thematic you could just describe the rocks sliding, tumbling and crashing through a cart, don't burn rolls on it if that meets the picture you're trying to place in the playerss heads.

Bonus for high-ground is +1; cover will either be partial for +2AC or +4AC. Since ranged PCs would be smart to hold their counter fire until the bandits exposed themselves to shoot, you may just go +2AC and be done with it. For that matter, PCs would probably get partial cover themselves by using carts, animals, or the rocks that slide down the ravine.

2.
Similar to the rock slide, if this is thematic, just describe the charging ox rampaging into the head guards. Even if the PCs are intended to kill it you don't need to burn session time rolling that initial setup out. Describe it to visualize for the players.

I don't think I'd make the players roll perception for bandits behind the ox. If they look up the road, see the ox barreling down, and there are people walking/running behind it they're not going to be hard to notice.

3.
Straight Stealth (bandit) vs perception (PCs) to notice them. Looting a cart is going to take several rounds (6 seconds) think about how much you can do in that time - not much unless something is laying out in the open. So they could either quickly grab something exposed and run, or spend time (risking the PCs ranged attacks) looking for good stuff. It really depends what your reason for them being there is in regards to the PCs.

4. Unless the large humanoid is trying to see what's happening it could stay so high watching the moving dots below that its unlikely the PCs could tell the difference between it an any bird like an eagle etc at that height. If you want the PCs to notice it to add to the story/apprehension, then let them roll, and make it a high DC maybe 25 or 30 (you probably have PCs with +10-12 at 4th level)

So my advice on these kind of encounters is use narrative for action things when you can, even when the group is interacting with it vs bogging it down with rolls. You want something like this to move quickly at the start. IE rocks rolling through, PCs are grabbing horses trying to get the cart out of the way, only roll dex/handle animal if it -really- matters when they fail. otherwise let them succeed and use more free form. Try to move along w/o rolls until you get into the actual combat, unless a skill check -fail- is going to add to the story, since you can let them succeed w/o a roll as GM, players just don't want to be told they failed w/o a roll.

Other GMs and groups may want more to rely on the dice, or skills they invested in such as acrobatics, so might want to roll a lot more out prior to the combat. You'll know what approach works for your group.

[Kalridian]

@ GM1990:

While I stand with you on the whole "dont sloww down the game with too much rolling", it might be important to figure out how much havoc the ox can wreak before the PCs kill him, so actually knowing what to roll for that is important. Players might feel cheated if stuff is just described without any option to interfere.

Also, AlterAgo was asking for specific DCs, so "just make one up that feels right" might not be the right answer here.

Last: +1 to attack from higher ground only works on melee, there is no bonus for ranged attacks.