Encounter Adjuster

<div class='cover-header'>Encounter Adjuster</div>

<div class='cover-footer'>Guide & Tools for Adjusting Encounter Difficulty</div>

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# Encounter Adjuster Guide & Tools v0.1

Hey! Welcome to this little guide I threw together on ways to adjust encounters when time is of the essence. The watchword here is "adjusting" not "creating." Creating an appropriately difficult encounter has spawned a plethora of tools online. These tools do a good job at *creating* encounters but fall short in *adjusting* encounters based dynamic conditions at the gaming table.

I am using "monsters" here as a generic term for all "enemy" NPCs regardless of whether they are monstrous or not. This is in keeping with the vernacular used for the titles of published material. Similarly, "creature" specifies a particular target within a description (though it a times I use them interchangably)

I've also decided to avoid the use of prerequistes and other qualifiers for the various tools given here to maintain flexibility vs. prescribing specific options. Obviously you as the DM can decide otherwise, but I would pass along this bit of advice: monsters are NOT player characters and thus don't strictly follow the rules for player characters layed out in the core rulebooks

## 'Short fuse' Encounter Adjustments
There are few levers given to adjust encounter difficulty when time is short. Similarly, "ground" conditions at the start or during a session may lead us to want to adjust difficulty. What we don't want to do is arbitrarily make something tough or easy for the sake of making it so.

We need to account for extraneous factors that would affect how well the PCs fare during encounters. This probably isn't "bad rolls" (but DMs may decide to consider them.) It *is* things that skew the power balance considerably from the baseline.

For example: right before the beginning of a session one of the players cancels and suddenly there isn't a spell caster available. What do we do? Obviously as GM we might choose to run this PC ourselves or have another player do so. Many tables frown upon PCs being run when their players are not present. So we need to adjust the encounters we have prepped on short notice to be a bit more accommodating.

The opposite situation also might occur: a player who has been on hiatus (for whatever reason) indicates they will be at the game today. Now we need to account for the fact we have an additional character that will be taking part in the encounters.

There are many other examples: overpreperation, unforseen combinations, scheduling, and so on. This guide isn't meant to be an exhaustive list of every tool to use, nor will it rely on "fudging" dice rolls. What it *is* meant to do is lay out a simple set of adjustments that we can use under many circumstances to adjust difficulty when time is of the essence.

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## By the Book Adjustments
This first section covers adjustments which are spelled out or implied in the existing rulebooks. They can add a lot of flexibility when running an encounter and are usually quite good at reducing the difficulty.

These fall into adjusting attributes: hitpoints, AC, and weapons. This also includes some "variant" options given for a few monsters.

### Hit point ranges 
Every monster stat block has two indications of hit points: hit dice formula and explicit numbers. If we look at the stat block for an Owlbear, we  see this:
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> ## Owlbear
> ___
> - **Hit Points**  59 (7d10+21)

The number "59" is the HP total based on the average using the HD specified. But the HD formula implies a *range*: **28** *(7 x 1 + 21)* -- **91** *(7 x 10 + 21)*. That's a huge range! And something we <ins>can</ins> and absolutely <ins>should</ins> use.

This gives us some flexibility in the moment as well as when designing before hand. We should be encouraged the use the lower end for lower level parties and the higher end as the PCs progress. Another thing this can do is add some variety to groups of similar enemies. A group of hobgoblins could have some with as few as 4hp and others with 18hp. By changing up their hitpoints, suddenly the monsters don't look like carbon copies from template.

The pitfall to hit points is that we end up making everything about what monsters can "endure" (or not). It doesn't grant them any ability to change tactics or actions.

To reduce the difficulty, this isn't a bad lever to use as tends to shorten the encounter and make the PCs feel relatively more powerful (see *Hits not points* later in the guide for taking this to the extreme)

### Differing AC 
Not every Hobgoblin will have chain mail. Some might have platemail or maybe just studded leather. We can represent this by altering the AC up or down to accommodate the differences. This is really a good way to represent irregular or mercenaries who will have cobbled together different equipment. If this encounter was meant to be more difficult, but before the battle the party has fewer characters (killed, player left unexpectedly, etc) we could adjust the AC down by a category (2 points lower, which translates to going from chainmail to breastplate for example).

For monsters with natural armor, this variation is easy to explain via maturity, damage, environment, or other natural factors.

The pitfall to changing the AC is that players can get frustrated if they never hit, or it ends up being like cutting butter. Like HP changes, this doesn't fundamentally change what the enemies can do. It just merely makes them more or less capable at avoiding damage.

### Different Weapons
Going back to hobgoblins: the stat block says they use longswords and longbows. But as before, if they have cobbled together their equipment, perhaps some have greatswords and others have scimitars and shortbows. Thus if the encounter will be too tough based some factor, perhaps our hobgoblins are now just armed with scimitars.

The pitfall of weapon changes is similar to what has been mentioned before: it changes damage results but doesn't fundamentally alter the interactions taking place during battle.

This does work quite well at reducing the difficulty by lowering damage output of the monsters.

### Number of monsters
We've all been there: we need need to beef up the encounter we have prepped. So we do the obvious thing: add more monsters. A lot of time these are "fodder" like a few more goblins or zombies (or whatever our setting implies). It's and easy fix and is pretty seamless to handle during execution. Combined with hit point ranges, armor differences, and weapon changes it can add some great variety and depth.

The downside to this method is that it can make battles a slog and it really only effectively scales in one direction: "more difficult and tedious."

For reducing difficulty by removing redundant monsters this works quite well.

### Initiative
Initiative is a pretty blunt tool but can be used effectively to make encounters more balanced.

The default rule would be that every monster gets its own initiative. This tends to be less swingy than some of the other methods because there is a decent chance that a few will get good initiatives and some others will not, spreading out the threat. This can get quite difficult to track at the table for the DM, though. We have to know that "Goblin X" goes on 18 and "Goblin Y" goes on 5 and act accordingly.

Another method that creates a very "swingy" battle is group or side initiative but only for monsters. (This is from the variant rule for side initiative applied only to the monsters). This tends make things swing wildly, and can make it very difficult or very easy depending on where the monsters land in initiative. It has the benefit of being somewhat easier on the DM.

On the easy end for an encounter would be if all monsters end up going after the majority of the party. By that point, a party could have concentrated fire on the top tier enemy and then it is just mooks left. On the other end would be if the party ends up in initiative after the monsters. Suddenly there might be real danger if the party is low on hit points or other resources going in.

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The way we can tweak this is to create multiple initiative "groups". Grouping minions and mooks in one group and giving special characters their own initiative maximizes the chance of a monster (or group) going before the party without all of the monsters doing so. We could also build "squads" that roll together consisting few monsters acting in tandem.

### Variant Features
Several monsters have "variants" listed alongside the regular versions. In the case of demons and devils, these are often summoner variants that can summon others of their kind. There are also variants which grant spells to the monster in question. Regardless, these most often add additional action options.

Most often, a variant would increase the difficulty of the encounter, but can sometimes go in the other direction. In the case of a summoner variants, for example, they generally have an some percent chance to successfully summon using an action. So they could "burn" an action on their turn and fail to summon, making the enouncter easier. If they succeed? Suddenly it becomes more difficult.

While obviously the players may not know whether they are facing a variant or not, it is a great way to add some uncertainty to the encounter from their perspective. The downside is that we need to take into account the extra work undertaken (looking up spells, adding the additional monsters and running them).

Variant monsters are a tool we can use but are likely less effective on the fly than the previously mentioned options.

### So what else, then?
These adjustments we explored will change the difficulty a bit. For the most part they are limited in scope and don't address the action economy side of the equation. In the next section we will explore some new actions and other tools we can use to ramp up or cool down the difficulty of encounters.

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## Action!
This section will primarily cover action changes we can use to modify the difficulty of an encounter. In most cases this would be used to increase difficulty, but there are a few where it could be used to decrease it as well. We will break this down into Actions, Bonus Actions, Reactions, Special Actions, and Action Dependencies.

Since these are for monsters, we aren't requiring the normal requisite feats or other features for them to do these things (i.e. like dual wielder). They aren't PCs and shouldn't be treated as such. We should use these sparingly and carefully lest every monster suddenly become something it isn't.

All of these actions types are recommendations. We could change the actions given to be any type (actions, bonus actions, reactions, etc.) to fit our particular needs.

### Actions
Most monsters have quite a few action options, but they are primarily attacks or spells with few others. Here we will find some examples that give a bit more depth and complexity to what monsters can do as an action:

#### All in!
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- **Usage Time:** 1 Action
- **Difficulty change:** Increases difficulty 
- **Description:** *Typically used by a leader, lieutenant, etc.* Forgoing an attack of their own the creature yells or otherwise communicates with their allies in such a way it inspires immediate action. Every creature targeted thusly gets an immediate melee attack.
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#### Fill in the gaps!
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- **Usage Time:** 1 Action
- **Difficulty change:** Increases difficulty 
- **Description:** A leader sees that there are gaps in their own defenses and calls on their allies to fill in. Allies immediately move to fill in any openings in the front line.   
- **Variation:** Movement doesn't provoke opportunity attacks.  
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#### Fire at Will!
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- **Usage Time:** 1 Action
- **Difficulty change:** Increases difficulty 
- **Description:** Monsters with a ranged attack get a free attack on a designated target named 'Will' (or any other target PC of our choice.)
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### Bonus Actions
Bonus actions are an area under-represented in most monster stat blocks and are a great opportunity to add some flavor and increase the difficulty of the encounter.

#### Off hand attack
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- **Usage Time:** 1 Bonus Action
- **Difficulty change:** Increases difficulty 
- **Description:** A monster with second weapon, shield, or even empty hand makes an attack with their off-hand. Damage should be based on type (1d1 for punch, 1d4 for dagger/improvised, 1d6 for shortsword, etc)
- **Variation**: For weaker monsters, like goblins, this would be at disadvantage
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#### Fly or fall
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- **Usage Time:** 1 Bonus Action
- **Difficulty change:** Increases difficulty 
- **Description:** A monster with flight or who is positioned above a target might just "stop" and "drop" as a bonus action. A simple rule would be to deal half damage to the target and half damage to the "faller." Roll opposed dexterity checks, with the attacker hitting on ties. A miss results in full damage to attacker.  
- **Variation:** A certain number of feet of the fall could be transferred 100% to the target. The first 20 feet seems reasonable.
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#### I'm outta here
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- **Usage Time:** 1 Bonus Action
- **Difficulty change:** Increases difficulty 
- **Description:** One monster (usually a leader) will yell out before moving. Their movement doesn't provoke opportunity attack as their compatriot prevents it.   
- **Variation:** The opportunity attack still occurs but the compatriot is the one subject to it.
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#### Cover me
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- **Usage Time:** 1 Bonus Action
- **Difficulty change:** Increases difficulty 
- **Description:** One creature will yell before moving. They gain the benefit of half-cover during their movement as their allies begin firing ranged weapons.
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#### Toughen up 
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- **Usage Time:** 1 Bonus Action
- **Difficulty change:** Increases difficulty 
- **Description:** A monster with scales, a tough hide, or other natural armor tightens up their muscles closing gaps, temporarily increasing their armor by 2 until their next turn
- **Variation:** They have limited uses i.e. 3/day.
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### Reactions
Similar to bonus actions, reactions tend to be under-represented in stat blocks. Because many of these are situational, it's not a bad practice to use them.

#### Don't you die on me! 
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- **Usage Time:** 1 Reaction
- **Difficulty change:** Increases difficulty 
- **Description:** With inspiring words, a monsters saves their compatriot from certain death. The targeted creature which would have normally been killed instead has 1 hitpoint.
- **Variation:** They have limited uses i.e. 3/day.
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#### Strike-back  
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- **Usage Time:** 1 Reaction
- **Difficulty change:** Increases difficulty 
- **Description:** A monster who missed with all of their attacks during their turn can make a counter-attack as a reaction when hit
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#### Not so fast!  
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- **Usage Time:** 1 Reaction
- **Difficulty change:** Increases difficulty 
- **Description:** When an creature's ally is attacked by a foe within 5', the creature makes a melee attack in response.
- **Variation:** The attack on the creatures ally is prevented if the hit is successful
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#### Dive!  
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- **Usage Time:** 1 Reaction
- **Difficulty change:** Increases difficulty 
- **Description:** When a creature is attacked they roll out of the way imposing disadvantage on the attack that might otherwise hit them. This imposes a disadvantage on the creature's next attack as they are off balance.
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#### I'll take that  
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- **Usage Time:** 1 Reaction
- **Difficulty change:** Increases difficulty 
- **Description:** When a creature is attacked by a foe with a melee weapon, they grab the foes weapon and wrest control of it via an opposed strength check
- **Variation:** The melee damage on the creature is nullified
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### Special Actions
Normally when we think of "lair" actions or "legendary" actions it applies to high CR creatures. There are plenty of lower level encounters that can benefit and add flavor or difficulty to otherwise easier encounters. Dynamic environmental hazards are another way to add verisimiltude and interest. Some would help the monsters, other the PC party. *Note: any of the previous actions mentioned could be adapted for use here as well.*

#### Machinery of War  
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- **Usage Time:** At initiative 20, losing ties
- **Difficulty change:** Typically increases difficulty
- **Description:** The monsters have laid traps that are all suddenly sprung/some weapons on simple repeating mechanisms fire/etc. Some sort of weapon effect blankets the area hitting foe and friend alike. It's up to us what this means. Perhaps a DEX or STR save to avoid damage.
- **Variation:** The monsters are prepared for this impending attack and avoid it.
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#### The world is collapsing!
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- **Usage Time:** At initiative 20, losing ties
- **Difficulty change:** Varies but usually increases difficulty
- **Description:** During the heat of the battle, things break and and fall. It can be as mundane as a table splintering or as consequential as rock slide. Maybe this is an area with geysers, lava, or other natural hazards 
- **Variation:** The monsters know the area and know what to expect and avoid it.
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#### We are who we are
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- **Usage Time:** At initiative 20, losing ties
- **Difficulty change:** Typically increases difficulty
- **Description:** The monsters have traits or abilities that are passive and are used together. For example, the stench of their rotting corpses might require a CON save, myconids might have spore clouds issuing forth cutting visibility, or large creatures shake the ground with their movements requiring a STR save to avoid falling prone
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#### Magic gathering
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- **Usage Time:** At initiative 20, losing ties
- **Difficulty change:** Varies but usually increases difficulty
- **Description:** Similar to *The world is collapsing* but magical in a nature. Spells may randomly fire off due this being an oft used battlefield. This could be as mundane as a minor illusion or mending. It could also take the form of something that can cause real damage like a bonfire or acid splash. We should avoid the use higher level spells except in rare circumstances, but cantrips fit well into the kinds of spells which could spontaneosly fire.
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### Action Dependencies
Action dependencies are a tool that can be used to lower the difficulty. Maybe the spellcaster in the enemy group needs a certain condition met or component given before they can do their spell. Maybe one creatures attack depends upon the action another of its allies. Regardless, the idea is that these actions are dependent on some other creatures action that in on of itself doesn't threaten the PCs

#### I need that! 
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- **Usage Time:** 2 actions (different creatures)
- **Difficulty change:** Decreases difficulty 
- **Description:** A creature needs a particular item that another creature has or is near (a special jewel focus for magic, a special component, or special weapon in the case of a martial character) to complete perform their action. The monster can't take their action without it so they call out for assistance.
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#### Together, now. 
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- **Usage Time:** 2 actions (different creatures)
- **Difficulty change:** Decreases difficulty 
- **Description:** Sometimes it takes two creatures acting in concert, maybe pulling a lever, loading a weapon, or climbing to a better position.
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#### Almost there, hold on.
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- **Usage Time:** 2 actions (same creature)
- **Difficulty change:** Decreases difficulty 
- **Description:** Sometimes a creature just needs the time. They need to finish up their preperations, need to fix a buckle on their armor that has come loose, etc.
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### Group options
There some other options we should cover that aren't actions. These generally come into play with groups of monsters. These would be things like what it takes to kill a monster, how well the monsters work together, or an interplay with morale and attacks the creatures

#### Hits not points
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- **Difficulty change:** Typically decreases difficulty 
- **Description:** With large groups of monsters where they are much lower level than the party, it is easier to track these monsters as taking a single hit to kill. For "lieutenants" among this group maybe it takes two or three hits. So, for example, an 11th level party might make quick work of cult initiates but cultist guards take two hits.
- **Variation 1:** Spells effects like fireball count as multiple hits.
- **Variation 2:** A critical hit could kill multiple minions by cleaving through like butter.
- **Added benefit:** Gives the players a sense of power and confidence as they are able to mow down several enemies very quickly.
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#### We are legion
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- **Difficulty change:** Typically increases difficulty
- **Description:** The more minion type creatures that surround a PC, the higher the creatures attack bonuses. It goes up +1 for every creature within 5' of the PC. So being surounded by 6 creatures gives each attack bonus of +6. This works well with with zombies and "swarms" of regular creatures
- **Variation (Harder):** Start with higher number like +3 before scaling and/or scale by higher number (+2) for each additional creature.
- **Variation (Easier):** Scale with every 2nd or 3rd creature surrounding the PC instead. 
- **Added benefit:** Can create tension and if used in conjunction with *Hits not points* could give an almost "survival horror" dynamic
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#### What do we do now?!?
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- **Difficulty change:** Typically decreases difficulty
- **Description:** Perhaps the PCs manage to kill a leader of a monster mob or maybe the leader was killed prior. Regardless, short of fleeing, there still may be consequences to their fighting ability. To show this consider giving the monsters disadvantage on attacks, saves, and/or skill checks.
- **Variation:** Some groups are skilled and hardened such that the loss of their leader rallies them for a bit. To model this consider give advantage on attacks, saves, and/or skill checks for a limited period of time like 1-2 rounds.
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#### Form up and shut down
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- **Difficulty change:** Increases difficulty 
- **Description:** Creatures with shields (or equivalent natural armor), form up in close proximity and grant half cover. On a grid, this might entail two medium creatures every 5' square. The barrier can't be crossed without overcoming strength check (creatures at advantage)
- **Variation:** Halves monsters movement to remain in formation
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## Tables

##### Action Selection Table
| d20 | Action Name | Action  <br/>Type | Difficulty<br>Change | Description | Variations 
|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
| 1 | All in! | A | Inc. | Creatures allies all get an immediate melee attack | — | 
| 2 | Fill in the Gaps! | A | Inc. | Creatures allies get free movement | Does not provoke OA| 
| 3 | Fire at Will! | A | Inc. | Monsters with a ranged attack get a free attack on a designated target | — |  
| 4 | Off-hand Attack | BA | Inc. | A creature makes an attack with their off-hand. | Off-hand attack at disadvantage |
| 5 | Fly or Fall | BA | Inc. | Creature positioned above drops causing falling damage.<br/> Opposed DEX check to hit: 1/2 damage to self, 1/2 to target | First 20' dmg solely to target|
| 6 | I'm Outta Here | BA | Inc. | Creature get's supported by ally, preventing OA when moving | OA is against ally | 
| 7 | Cover Me!| BA | Inc. | Creature gains half-cover from allies with ranged fire | — |
| 8 | Toughen Up| BA | Inc. | A creature with natural armor tightens up closing gaps, <br/> increasing armor by 2  until next turn| Limited uses e.g. 3/day | 
| 9 | Don't You Die on Me!| R |Inc. | Monsters rallies ally from certain death. Target has 1 hitpoint instead. | Limited uses e.g. 3/day |
| 10 | Strike-back| R | Inc. | Creature that missed with all attacks during turn can<br/> make a counter-attack when hit as a reaction | — |
| 11 | Not So Fast!| R | Inc. | When creature's ally attacked within 5', can counterattack | Successful counter negates original |
| 12 | Dive!| R | Inc. | Roll out of the way of PC's attack, imposing disadvantage | Disadvantage on own next attack |
| 13 | I'll Take That| R | Inc. | Grab attackers weapon, gaining control of it if win STR check | Attacks is prevented. | 
| 14 | Machinery of War| S | Varies | Weapon effect blankets area hitting all. <br/> DEX or STR save to avoid damage, dependant on type | Monsters know & avoid areas | 
| 15 | The World is Collapsing!| S | Varies | Environmental hazards: rockslide, geysers, collapsing stairways, etc. <br> impose disadvantage on attacks, saves, skill checks | Monsters know & avoid areas |
| 16 | We Are Who We Are | S | Varies | Monsters have passive traits/abilities used together. (e.g. reducing visibility via clouds/fog, stench causing sickness, ground shaking crumbling ) | — |
| 17 | Magic Gathering| S | Varies | Oft-used battlefield has lingering, spontaneous magical effects via cantrips  | Monsters know & avoid areas | 
| 18 | I Need That!| 2A | Dec. | A creature needs a particular item that another creature has or is near, causing requiring both their actions | — | 
| 19 | Together, Now| 2A | Dec. | Multiple creatures must work together to perform a single action like open a door, relaod weapon, etc | — | 
| 20 | Almost There, Hold on| 2A | Dec. | Creature just needs time to finish preperations, fix a buckle on armor, etc. | — |

BA - Bonus action, A - Action, R - Reaction, S - Special, Inc. - Increases, Dec. - Decreases

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Combat Encounters: they seem so static and immovable in difficulty. You CAN fix this, though. 
 
 Maybe you miscalculated and the encounter is WAY to easy. Or maybe you come into a situation where an encounter borders on deadly difficulty and shouldn't be. Regardless, this guide gives you some tools and other considerations to rebalance very quickly. This guide is meant for inspiration, not prescription though. Adapt and make it fit your own uses.
 
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 ##### Additional thanks

I took inspiration from Matt Colville, specifically his video [Action oriented Monsters](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_zl8WWaSyI). It took this kernel of an idea and tried to build upon it. His focus was making encounters more interesting, but I realized they also tweaked the difficulty. Because of that, they would be great ways to update an encounter in hurry without adding any really difficult calculations or onerous reference.
 
  
 
 I also took inspiration from a [Twitter exchange](https://twitter.com/newbiedm/status/1374801805285208068) I had with @NewbieDM and @nickdrawing around adjusting difficulty on the fly. @NewbieDM (rightfully) was a proponet of HP ranges. I took the thoughts we discussed and expanded it out to something more encompassing of the various methods that are RAW as well as the other things that were discussed. 
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