Quote:
Originally Posted by Beginning of the End  Get rid of the notions that encounters are supposed to be "balanced". Get rid of perfectly balanced treasure parcels. Sometimes there are bad choices to be made and sometimes there are hard choices and sometimes there are easy choices. Let the PCs steer their own course. |
This is pretty easy to do.
Figure out how tough you want the level to be, then add monsters to make it that tough. The best way to do that is to give it a level, then populate it with encounters ranging from -2 to +4.
When it comes to treasure, roll 1d10 to see what package you get; roll randomly, or pick, whatever magic items you want. (I roll for the magic item slot, open up the AV and PHB, then pick one that I think's cool for the level.)
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"If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry."
-- Ernest Hemingway, "A Farewell to Arms"
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