Recent content by SRD

The DMG explains everything about Encounter Levels but says nothing about how many encounters a party can (on average) confront before dying. Is there any part in any DnD book that answers this question?: - how many encounters can I, as DM, squeeze inside a day? That is, after how many...

The DMG says a monster's level represents a fair (standard) challenge for a party of 5. 1) I'd like to know how I can calculate its challenge if the party has a different number of people (say 3), but preferably based on solid rules. 1a) Also for the above situation, what would be a "hard" or...

I've read somewhere in this forum that players using 4th Ed. rules almost don't die anymore (game difficulty is low). Should my party want a harder game, is it possible anymore (or we have to return to 3.0/3.5 games)? And if it is possible, how?

How can I (as DM) find out if he can or can't outpace them?

(I haven't seen any rules for it.) So, if a player is down on his last Health Points can he leave the current encounter to go to town and buy Healing Potions? Or must he stay in the battle no matter what?

First off, thanks for the answers. Perception may be good in many cases, but what if that ring is The Reward for the whole adventure, the principal quest item (adventure's goal being to retrieve it) or something required to proceed in the adventure? In any of these 3 situations what is a DM to...

If there are no rules for my question, please tell me the most convenient way in your opinion. 1) Should I (being the DM) keep my own "DM map"? Should it be different from the players' map (ie. mine having all secret passages marked whereas theirs' not)? 2) Should all the miniatures for each...

I've not found any mention that leveling lets you increase your stats (STR, CON, DEX etc.), only add new feats, skills and HP's. Does it? And if yes, where is it written? Thanks.

So then why they don't write clearly: a Rat does 1 point of damage ???

Please help me, I see in the MM, at Rat: Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d3–4) What does it mean? 1) Exactly what "damage range" can it have? Because (1d3–4) translates into "from -3 to -1". Negative damage??? 2) What can I apply "+4" to ? Thanks.

I've read about Rewards in the DMG. But it leaves some empty spaces: 1) What if a PC just moves around iin a tough fight while the others are hard at work? Why should he gain XP? 2) Or: what if he takes 1 swing or 2 at a monster, so he can justify asking for his "earned" XP, the same as the...

It is EXACTLY the answer I was looking for. Thanks a lot.

What I mean is: HOW do I know 1 hour has passed? Do I ask the DM every 5 minutes: "Excuse me, DM, has an hour passed already?", "Now is an hour passed?", "Is it now already?". So: WHO can tell me those things and HOW does he do it? Example: I just cast Darkvision on me (I'm lvl 3) and it's...

In the PHB I saw that some spells last for 1 round, some for 1 minute, 8 hours, a day etc. While I know when 1 round ends, I don't know how is the DM supposed to keep track/calculate/decide when does a day/8 hrs/1 min. end. How is it done? Does the DM just decide when? Or does he roll? and what...

a) Let's say in a combat situations there are Player A (initiative 6), Player B(initiative 9), Monster C (initiative 7), Monster D(initiative 12). What is the correct order in which they will atack? b)Oh and in the PH it says in the Initiative section, after it's been rolled, that "In every...