SF2E ENCOUNTER DESIGN QUICK REFERENCE
Sources: SF2E GM Core Ch.2 (Building Games), Ch.4 (Subsystems)
Last Updated: 2026-01-17
| Threat Level | XP Budget | Description |
|---|
| Trivial | 40 or less | Not a threat, minimal resources |
| Low | 60 | Minor threat, low resources |
| Moderate | 80 | Standard challenge |
| Severe | 120 | Dangerous, significant resources |
| Extreme | 160 | Life-threatening, careful play needed |
| Creature Level vs Party | XP | Suggested Role |
|---|
| Party Level -4 | 10 | Low-threat lackey |
| Party Level -3 | 15 | Low/moderate lackey |
| Party Level -2 | 20 | Any lackey or standard |
| Party Level -1 | 30 | Any standard |
| Party Level +0 | 40 | Standard or low-threat boss |
| Party Level +1 | 60 | Low/moderate boss |
| Party Level +2 | 80 | Moderate/severe boss |
| Party Level +3 | 120 | Severe/extreme boss |
| Party Level +4 | 160 | Extreme solo boss |
| Threat | XP Budget (4 Players) | Per Extra Character |
|---|
| Trivial | 40 or less | 10 or less |
| Low | 60 | 20 |
| Moderate | 80 | 20 |
| Severe | 120 | 30 |
| Extreme | 160 | 40 |
3 players: subtract adjustment. 5+ players: add adjustment per extra player.
| Template | Composition | XP |
|---|
| Boss + Lackeys | 1 PL+2, 4 PL-4 | 120 |
| Boss + Lieutenant | 1 PL+2, 1 PL+0 | 120 |
| Elite Enemies | 3 PL+0 | 120 |
| Lieutenant + Lackeys | 1 PL+0, 4 PL-4 | 80 |
| Pair | 2 PL+0 | 80 |
| Troop | 1 PL+0, 2 PL-2 | 80 |
| Squad | 6 PL-4 | 60 |
Hazards use same XP as creatures of equivalent level. Complex hazards continue to act each round.
| Level | Low | Moderate | Severe | Extreme |
|---|
| 1 | 130 cr | 180 cr | 260 cr | 350 cr |
| 2 | 230 cr | 300 cr | 450 cr | 600 cr |
| 3 | 380 cr | 500 cr | 750 cr | 1,000 cr |
| 4 | 650 cr | 850 cr | 1,300 cr | 1,700 cr |
| 5 | 1,000 cr | 1,350 cr | 2,000 cr | 2,700 cr |
| 10 | 6,000 cr | 8,000 cr | 12,000 cr | 16,000 cr |
| 15 | 33,600 cr | 44,800 cr | 67,200 cr | 89,600 cr |
| 20 | 192,000 cr | 256,000 cr | 384,000 cr | 512,000 cr |
| Duration | VP Target | Thresholds |
|---|
| Quick encounter | 3-5 | -- |
| Long encounter | 7-10 | 4 |
| Most of session | 15-25 | 5, 10, 15 |
| Adventure-wide (sideline) | 15-20 | 5, 10, 15 |
| Adventure-wide (forefront) | 25-50 | 10, 20, 30, 40 |
Accumulating: Crit Success +2 VP, Success +1, Crit Failure -1
Diminishing: Crit Success +1, Failure -1, Crit Failure -2
| Style | Combat Mix |
|---|
| Horror | 2 moderate, 1 severe, possibly 1 extreme |
| Infiltration | 4 low, 4 moderate, 1 severe |
| Military | 4 low, 4 moderate, 1 severe |
| Mystery | 2 trivial, 4 low, 6 moderate, 6 severe |
| Intrigue | 2 trivial, 2 low, 4 moderate, 1 severe |
| Style | Combat Mix |
|---|
| Exploration | 2 trivial, 8 low, 6 moderate, 2 severe |
| Romantic | 2 trivial, 3 low, 6 moderate, 1 severe |
| Dystopian | 4 trivial, 7 low, 7 moderate, 4 severe, possibly 1 extreme |
| Style | Combat Mix |
|---|
| Space Opera | 4 trivial, 10 low, 12 moderate, 4 severe |
| Planar Adventure | 4 low, 12 moderate, 6 severe, 2 extreme |
| Type | Adventures | Max Level | Weekly Sessions |
|---|
| One-Shot | 1 | 1+ | 1 session |
| Brief | 2 | 4-5 | ~12 (3 months) |
| Extended | 5 | 11-13 | ~52 (1 year) |
| Epic | 6+ | 20 | ~78 (1.5 years) |
| Type | Nature | Example Foes |
|---|
| Corruption | Weakens/changes people/places | Fiends, Midwives, psychic fungus, undead |
| Devastation | Destroys places/people | Dragons, daemons, Swarm |
| Extremism | Violent change-seeking | Angels, cultists, jinsuls, terrorists |
| Mayhem | Senseless violence | Akatas, beasts, gremlins, orocorans |
| Subjugation | Seeks to rule | Aeon guards, Corpse Fleet, devils, dragons |
- Mix creature levels for variety; include mooks (PL-4) and bosses (PL+2 to +3)
- Add environmental hazards (budget XP if significant)
- Include objectives beyond "kill enemies" (protect evidence, prevent retreat, nonlethal)
- Use time pressure for low-threat encounters
- Provide escape routes and negotiation options
- Vary threat levels across an adventure
- Foes taking countermeasures feels realistic; give fair warning before overwhelming force
- Use non-combat NPC statistics (social skills, Perception, Will)
- Award XP equivalent to moderate combat of same level
- All PCs start at same level
- Use Character Wealth table for starting currency and items
- Let players choose their own items
Consolidates encounter design from SF2E GM Core Chapters 2 and 4.
