Is enemy level scaling affected by party sizes?

chonkus

I know that enemy levels scale up to players levels (if you are level 10, the creatures will be a suitable level to fight), but is the level they scale up to affected by the amount of players in the party?

To use an example, if there are 5 players who are all level 10 in a party, would the creatures scale to a higher level than if there were 3 players in the party all level 10?

I ask because I've developed a quest to be rather difficult because I want it to be designed for parties, and not individuals. If the amount of players in a party does not affect scaling then it should be fine. Otherwise I'm going to have to make it easier.

boydzinj

To my knowledge no. Encounters are based on the max level of a party member - if I understand. If a single level 40 person enters a foundry or quest instance it will scale to that person - even if veryone else is level 20. Some enemy mobs scale based on the level it is... the "hard" mindflayers do not start getting hard until level 30+. As a result, you can stalk 2 of those encounters together at level 1 and think they are easy while a level 30-ish person of the same skill, more abilities, and better equipment think they are impossible to defeat (or too hard).

This makes it hard in building foundry quests/missions. Why? I built my first foundry quest with the intent that it will be meant for 3+ people and their companions. However, I got a fair number of 1 and 2 stars because i was told that "too hard" "too many mobs" and "I threw mobs in together with no rhyme or reason."

Yet, in my main description I stated (on the top and clearly) that the encounter was meant for 3+companions and heavy fighting. I then had the main quest NPC explain that there was a drow invasion on the beach. I even threw in a quick quest to talk to the leader of the Drow invasion. The Drow leader explained that she was leading an invasion and wanted slaves and an object on the beach and then despawned and re-appeared as an enemy boss "hard" encounter.

I then organized the enemy drow with scouts, light units, and spies in the front with heavier units in the middle and the boss at the back (with the object that the drow wanted - and the player had to retrieve). I even added patrol units (afterall what invasion army would not have patrols and guards?).

So who was right and who was wrong?

Was I right in adding the description, adding several hard mobs that a single player should not kill solo witout thinking, and adding a logical reason and placement of enemy encounters? Or was the 1 and 2 stars correct by saying: "too hard" "too many mobs" and "I threw mobs in together with no rhyme or reason."

I read all the comments and ignored the 'dumb ones.' If a solo person is complaining that they can not take on 2 or 3 "hard encounters" then maybe they need a group in a group adventure. Likewise, if a prson or group attacks a group of "hard" enemy encounters when a patrol or two are nearing them... is that my fault of theirs? Situational awareness. EZMODE is boring - logic and reason is what i am going for.

Luckily for me, I had more 5 and 4 stars than the 1 and 2 stars combined. However, I did have some other type of problems and I did eventually tweak my first foundry mission/quest. I even developed a technique in tweaking combat from "HARD" to "easy." I spawn a NPC mob near the spawn point called, "Click me for EASY MODE." Then I give an additional dialogue to the main NPC you have to talk to that explains if a person or group wants an easier time they need to talk to the bear (I guess the bear is a teddy bear).

Once a person interacts with the NPC bear called, "Click me for EASY MODE." the bear gives a unique dialogue to the player. I have several strategically placed enemy mobs dissappear or despawn after that dialogue option is chosen. It is still not fool proof - but this is one way to manage solo versus group content, as an example.