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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Primitive Screwhead" data-source="post: 2547877" data-attributes="member: 20805">Sorry.. I just could not pass this up without comment.... Rasyr, I am glad you have such insight in how badly the CR/EL system works as you have not even tried to understand it!CR/EL is a decent benchmark to look at when creating an encounter. Its not perfect and there are many variable, but for the most part you can use a CR 5 monster against a group of 4 PCs of 5th level and expect them to expend 20% of thier resources on it. Do this 14 times and expect them to be able to level. Is it spot on every time? Of course not. Fickle Fate and other problems can intervene. But it is a guide for GM's who may not have the time to estimate the power balance of ceatures with strange abilities. And that is all it is. A guide. As to the OP.. player options are always a good thing. Having players learn the rules is always a good thing. How you approach new rules/PrCs/etc.. can ruin or increase the entertainment value of the game. I know the rules better than anyone in my group, so when a player wants to design a character I have them approach me with the 'I want to do this..' pitch and help them find the rules that best fit thier concept. To the point of customized classes as need be. Having prebuilt options that are outside of the box are easier than customizing a class from whole cloth.  However, the group knows that all rules are optional..even those in the PHB <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Even with that, I tend to average 4 hours of prep time for a 6 hour session. This is mainly because I dont want to be looking up obscure rules in the middle of play and so that I can be ready for when the players throw a monkey wrench into the plot-line. I would like to see more GM aide type things, like in the most excellent module 'Of Sound Mind' {thank you PirateCat!} there were cardboard cutouts of the NPCs. No searching around for the right mini, or using the banner carrying warrior as a goblin. 3e has done great things for the DM. Having modules address scaling for different levels is one. Yes, the default assumptions of magic = power and 'everyone speaks common' get annoying.. but I have yet to find an similarly wide spread RPG that does as well.E-Tools has done wonders for the time spent verifying player sheets. I dont worry about their math or spend time recreating the characters that got forgotten at home. I do have to echo a comment upthread. 3e crunch can be seperated from fluff relatively easily, with the exception of spells. This makes it easier than any previous edition ever ahd for using the rules to create alternate settings.yipwyg, your comment "The only real thing that I have seen a problem with this system is, players seem to not have any fear at all when it comes to combat." is erroneous. Its not the system that engenders this.. its the DM. Drop by for a session sometime and I will gladly demonstrate  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />   And I can do that with "EL Appropriate" encounters.. its all them years of CP2020 and Paranoia experience  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /> Anyway...</blockquote>

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