Challenging Elves

[agony]

I just finished a superb six session Human campaign which lead to some epic events in our campaign world. With a few weeks left in the summer (our group will be splitting for the school year) we are kicking off another short Elf campaign which is springing from the events of the last campaign.

The three PC's (all Elves) will be entering a human city with two factions in conflict over power. The city will be seiged by Orcs which will partially break through the wall and take over a district or two (think Stalingrad type warfare).

Enough of the background; how do you effectively present a myriad of DN's matching all three types of challenges (routine, difficult, challenging) when character's stats begin so goddamn high? I'm partially worried, due to the fact that any physical conflicts will result in these 4LP Elves owning face without the slightest of challenges.

Additionally, there will be plenty of political challenges and DoW's with the two warring factions but it almost feels rather contrived and trite to have the leaders Dueling skills/stats be inflated simply to match the Elves power level. Especially after setting a standard for both Orcs and Human NPC stats from the previous campaign.

You get the gist of what I'm worried about? Enlighten me and cast away my worry.

[Thor]

Set exponent caps, especially on Grief!

[agony]

Set exponent caps, especially on Grief!

What would you recommend? Taking into consideration their main opponents will be Humans.

Edit-Also, setting an exponent cap at 6 would be rather harmful to characters who came out with say, a Mental pool of 14 or 15. I don't think a player would be comfortable actually giving up stat points which they deserve.

Unless you're focused more on a skill cap. But my main worry is an exponent 8 Will Elf engaging this city's human leader with say a 4 or 5 Will in a duel of wits. That won't be entertaining unless the Elf completely flops his scripting.

[Drozdal]

I don't think a player would be comfortable actually giving up stat points which they deserve.Hello? Giving up the points? He can always go Gray.

[Ozark Tim]

A vicious GM might arrange some ugly wounds for the elves early on, so they are suddenly stumbling around lacking dice and afraid of combat due to partially healed wounds.

[luke]

The Elves' opponents can help one another. Sure, they start with low exponents, but enough help and they match right up.

A few 6-8 LP Great Orcs will put the fear of god into them, and a 6-7 LP human can own them right back.

A sorcerer or servant can also punish them in ways they can't cope with. And a Dark Elf will just hurt them, plain and simple.

There are ways to challenge them, many ways.
-L

Also, do as Thor said. Cap that Grief exp!

[agony]

Some good ideas. Especially did not consider Gray stats due to lack of experience with the system. Thanks for the help.

[stormsweeper]

Two words: Dark Elf.

[Thor]

Drozdal is right. No giving up points. If they go over the cap, they either have to Gray something out, or choose another path that doesn't send them over the limit.