Monster Levels

Making encounters in Nimble is easy! Simply add up the total levels of the heroes (e.g., if you have 3 level 2 heroes, their total is 6). Monsters with a total level equal to that will be a hard but fair fight; less than that: medium or easy; greater than that: deadly, or very deadly.

Example A griffon is a level 4 monster. So a flock of 6 griffons (24 monster levels total) would be a hard encounter for: 6 level 4 heroes, 4 level 6 heroes, or 3 level 8 heroes.

Typical encounters should have 1–4 monsters per hero (excluding minions). For an epic fight against a single bad guy, use a legendary monster, and if you want hordes of monsters, use minions.

Important Note! If the heroes or monsters greatly outnumber one another the encounter may be easier or harder than anticipated. 1–4 monsters per hero is the sweet spot for most encounters.

Encounters Per Rest

Typically, a session includes 2–5 combat encounters, but this is flexible. If your players are enjoying the game without combat, don’t force it—especially if they’ve cleverly avoided it or it doesn’t fit the story. If the story calls for more than five encounters, go ahead! The key is to ensure the game remains fun and engaging—avoiding encounters that are trivial, frustratingly difficult, or repetitive.

Encounter Difficulties

Easy

If the monster’s total levels are less than half of the heroes’, this is an easy encounter. Heroes will lose minimal HP and resources, making these encounters great for testing new abilities or gauging progress—or whittling down resources. They help players feel powerful, especially after leveling up. Use 1–2 easy encounters in a typical session.

Medium

When the monster’s levels are around 75% of the heroes’, expect some HP loss and moderate resource expenditure. Heroes will get hurt but shouldn’t drop to 0 HP. Use 1–2 medium encounters in a typical session.

Hard

When the monster’s levels equal the heroes’, this encounter will be challenging but fair. Heroes must use significant resources; some may drop to 0 HP, but none should die, barring poor tactics or bad luck. Use 1 hard encounter in a typical session.

Deadly

When monster levels are 100–125% of the heroes’, this encounter requires strategic thinking and teamwork. Suitable for tough battles, well-equipped parties, or campaign bosses. Use sparingly!

Very Deadly

At 150%+ monster levels, this encounter is extremely dangerous. Unless they are extremely well optimized (or are multiclassing) and play exquisitely, they will almost certainly need to retreat—or die. Use only when the heroes made a bad mistake: you telegraphed danger and they fail to heed.

Resting and Recovery

It’s common for heroes to return to a home base or town to rest after each session, but this isn’t a rule. Be adaptable. If your players are accumulating too many Wounds, consider introducing an opportunity for a Safe Rest, such as finding a friendly cleric or a hidden oasis. If a Safe Rest isn’t an option, you can ease the encounter difficulty to keep the adventure moving. Otherwise, heroes might need to cut their journey short to recover.

Armor Variety

While these ratios can vary, too many armored foes can bog down combat. Use armor to add flavor, not frustration. For a balanced session, aim for roughly:

• 60% Unarmored.
• 30% Medium Armor.
• 10% Heavy Armor.