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Why does WotC put obviously bad or illogical elements in their adventures?
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<blockquote data-quote="pming" data-source="post: 7179138" data-attributes="member: 45197"><p>Hiya!</p><p></p><p>TL;DR so...</p><p></p><p>I'd bet dimes to dollars it is because the writer was "designing encounters" as the primary method, as opposed to "environment dictates" as the primary method. Y'see, the two stupid hill giants? Designed because of EL vs PC Make-Up. Sharks? Same thing, probably. I'm sure there are many more in that adventure...seems to be the normal method since 3e came out, really.</p><p></p><p>Personally, I actually don't have a problem with this sort of 'design', but only one or two instances in an adventure. If the whole thing is written with the "designing encounters to fit the PC's using EL/XP" as the primary consideration then the adventure becomes REDICULOUSLY predictable once the players become experienced. Me and my group (I was a player in this one...a rarity) tried to play "Shackled City" back for 3e/3.5e. The DM was pretty much running it 'by the book'. After a single session we quickly learned that "You open the door and see a large room, with a single, human sized creature poking a campfire with a stick. Roasting on a spit is a series of human heads"...was code for "RUN AWAY!". Likewise, "You open the door and see a large room, with about a dozen human sized creatures gathered about a campfire. Roasting on a spit is a series of human heads"...was code for "Hehe...Get Em!".</p><p></p><p>Why? EL encounter building. A large group of things = all those things being low EL. A single thing = high EL. IF everyone in the party is at FULL capacity...feel free to give the single creature encounter a shot. But if everyone has taken a few hits, has cast spells and used abilities...do NOT take on a single creature encounter. That is the achilles heel of the "Design Encounter for the PC's" method of adventure design. And why I think it's a bad way to do it.</p><p></p><p>Give me Hackmaster 4e adventures, where a half-dozen 1st level PC's can encounter an aged beholder with an attitude in a cave any day of the week! (why is there a beholder in the low level adventure? ...story and to give the Players a crack on the head that not every encounter can be won...at least not in the normal 'kick down the door, kill the monster, take it's treasure' sort of way...).</p><p></p><p>Er...yeah. A bit long winded there. Bottom line...bad encounters are likely because of the whole "design via EL" method. IMHO, of course. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>^_^</p><p></p><p>Paul L. Ming</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="pming, post: 7179138, member: 45197"] Hiya! TL;DR so... I'd bet dimes to dollars it is because the writer was "designing encounters" as the primary method, as opposed to "environment dictates" as the primary method. Y'see, the two stupid hill giants? Designed because of EL vs PC Make-Up. Sharks? Same thing, probably. I'm sure there are many more in that adventure...seems to be the normal method since 3e came out, really. Personally, I actually don't have a problem with this sort of 'design', but only one or two instances in an adventure. If the whole thing is written with the "designing encounters to fit the PC's using EL/XP" as the primary consideration then the adventure becomes REDICULOUSLY predictable once the players become experienced. Me and my group (I was a player in this one...a rarity) tried to play "Shackled City" back for 3e/3.5e. The DM was pretty much running it 'by the book'. After a single session we quickly learned that "You open the door and see a large room, with a single, human sized creature poking a campfire with a stick. Roasting on a spit is a series of human heads"...was code for "RUN AWAY!". Likewise, "You open the door and see a large room, with about a dozen human sized creatures gathered about a campfire. Roasting on a spit is a series of human heads"...was code for "Hehe...Get Em!". Why? EL encounter building. A large group of things = all those things being low EL. A single thing = high EL. IF everyone in the party is at FULL capacity...feel free to give the single creature encounter a shot. But if everyone has taken a few hits, has cast spells and used abilities...do NOT take on a single creature encounter. That is the achilles heel of the "Design Encounter for the PC's" method of adventure design. And why I think it's a bad way to do it. Give me Hackmaster 4e adventures, where a half-dozen 1st level PC's can encounter an aged beholder with an attitude in a cave any day of the week! (why is there a beholder in the low level adventure? ...story and to give the Players a crack on the head that not every encounter can be won...at least not in the normal 'kick down the door, kill the monster, take it's treasure' sort of way...). Er...yeah. A bit long winded there. Bottom line...bad encounters are likely because of the whole "design via EL" method. IMHO, of course. :) ^_^ Paul L. Ming [/QUOTE]
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