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Winter Fantasy 2016 and D&D AL
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<blockquote data-quote="Alphastream" data-source="post: 6821232" data-attributes="member: 11365"><p>Usually when a table does that, it is enjoying doing so. There are some abilities (and especially spells) that absolutely neuter an encounter. If your encounter routine is:</p><p>1) Roll initiative</p><p>2) Banish the biggest monster or cast Hypnotic Pattern</p><p></p><p>Then, yeah, sure, every encounter is easy. There is no practical way for an author to write an encounter within XP budgets but then have it still be difficult when the characters remove the biggest threat or cause every foe to do nothing for several rounds. I played several tables at Winter Fantasy that did that, though they were clearly enjoying the experience. I personally had the greatest fun at tables that didn't do that. We could see what the author really intended and have some thrilling combats with some very cool monsters. No right or wrong way to play, but the use of such abilities does have a huge impact that an author can't easily overcome. </p><p></p><p>Now, you can have it both ways if your DM is comfortable and you want to use all your powers and also still have it be hard. The DM has to just free-form run the combat and add stuff as they see fit. Encounter construction where you add 2 of the biggest threat isn't possible normally - it's way beyond approved XP values - but is absolutely a blast if the entire table and the DM want it. I've had some super-fun BIs where I was the DM and the table allowed me to add stuff. We sometimes had three times the approved number of monsters and all sorts of improvised stuff and they could use all of their cheese and still have a threat. This is always dangerous, because it can go from awesome to TPK and only the right players can be okay with that.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Alphastream, post: 6821232, member: 11365"] Usually when a table does that, it is enjoying doing so. There are some abilities (and especially spells) that absolutely neuter an encounter. If your encounter routine is: 1) Roll initiative 2) Banish the biggest monster or cast Hypnotic Pattern Then, yeah, sure, every encounter is easy. There is no practical way for an author to write an encounter within XP budgets but then have it still be difficult when the characters remove the biggest threat or cause every foe to do nothing for several rounds. I played several tables at Winter Fantasy that did that, though they were clearly enjoying the experience. I personally had the greatest fun at tables that didn't do that. We could see what the author really intended and have some thrilling combats with some very cool monsters. No right or wrong way to play, but the use of such abilities does have a huge impact that an author can't easily overcome. Now, you can have it both ways if your DM is comfortable and you want to use all your powers and also still have it be hard. The DM has to just free-form run the combat and add stuff as they see fit. Encounter construction where you add 2 of the biggest threat isn't possible normally - it's way beyond approved XP values - but is absolutely a blast if the entire table and the DM want it. I've had some super-fun BIs where I was the DM and the table allowed me to add stuff. We sometimes had three times the approved number of monsters and all sorts of improvised stuff and they could use all of their cheese and still have a threat. This is always dangerous, because it can go from awesome to TPK and only the right players can be okay with that. [/QUOTE]
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