The entry fight killed four ogres, a goblin warrior, and a couple of goblin minions. It did not account for everything: per the maps, two goblin warriors and four goblin minions never got a black circle — they're still in play and have to be handled next session. Goblins left behind a clearing party have a way of reappearing at the worst possible moment — behind the back line, mid-fight, two rooms from now.
Before pushing into unknown territory, own the cavern you're standing in.
The Problem With Half-Cleared Rooms
Live goblins behind you do one of three things: run deeper and alert whatever is ahead, hide and wait for the party to commit to the next fight, or set up behind the party's line of advance. None of these improves with time. The good news is that goblin-tier enemies against this party at level 4 is a housekeeping fight, not a crisis — if it happens on the party's terms.
Theren's Fight
This is the Horde Breaker showcase. Once per turn, when goblins stand within 5 feet of each other — and goblins cluster — Theren gets an attack against a second one for free. Hunter's Mark on the first target of the sweep, longbow from range with Archery's +2, and let the feature do what it was taken for. Two shots a turn into low-HP targets ends sweeps quickly.
If the sweep flushes a goblin warrior worth keeping the mark on, the mark moves with Theren's bonus action and is already running when the next real fight starts.
The Cheap Seats
The sweep should cost the party almost nothing:
- Barzer covers fleeing runners with Fire Bolt at 120 feet — nothing outranges him in a cavern — and the bat's 60-foot blindsight checks the hiding spots his eyes can't.
- Elaris picks off stragglers with Starry Wisp (+7) or her light crossbow, and saves the inspiration dice — this is not the fight to spend them on.
- Nysera in beast form runs down anything that bolts and bodies any corridor the party wants closed. Wild Shape HP absorbs goblin arrows so nobody's real HP does.
- Kaltor stands wherever the exits are. Goblins that have to go through AC 19 to escape mostly don't.
Selena Sits This One Out
Worth saying explicitly: Selena has no attack cantrip. Her damage options are Guiding Bolt — a real spell slot — and Divine Spark, which is one of two Channel Divinity uses. Spending either on a fleeing goblin minion is the worst trade available to the party. Her job during the sweep is to stay central, stay safe at her 20 HP, and keep Healing Word unspent. If she wants to contribute, Sanctuary on herself costs less than anything she'd deal in damage.
Calling It Clear
Before the section counts as secured:
- Every space verified — goblins hide; the bat's blindsight and Theren's eyes check anything that could conceal a crouched body.
- Exits watched or blocked — any corridor leading deeper is either monitored or confirmed empty before the party rests or moves.
- Listen — after the sweep, stop and let the cavern be quiet. If it isn't, the sweep isn't done.
Pros
- Nothing left behind the party when the next fight starts
- Horde Breaker and long-range cantrips make it nearly free in resources
- Pairs naturally with a short rest afterward — sweep, then consolidate in a genuinely cleared room
Cons
- Takes time, and any goblin that already fled deeper has used that time too
- If the survivors are simply gone, the sweep finds nothing and the hour is spent anyway
Best If
The party wants a secured fallback position — and refuses to fight the next room while listening for footsteps behind them.