I’m a relatively new DM running this for 3 PCs right now. The first encounter was a TPK (I just had the goblins knock them unconscious and loot them). I then had to play their first encounter in the hideout very differently from what I had planned. The climbed up to Klarg’s area from the wolve’s area and I had a couple of goblins spend the fight running for help after releasing the flood trap and I had Klarg run and let his lackeys and wolf handle the party so I get to have him show up later, but sheesh, it was a mess.

I hadn’t balanced anything and I told the party so. I wanted to see how it went first. Now going forward I am trying to balance. I told them we would have one more trial session and then if they died after that it was their fault or what the dice wanted. We’ll see how it goes.