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General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
As a player/DM do you prefer one powerful monster or many weaker ones?
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<blockquote data-quote="kleinetommy" data-source="post: 1535717" data-attributes="member: 19297"><p>Actually there is a work-around on the whole TPK vs. Cakewalk thing.</p><p></p><p>Just make sure there is alot of enviroment to work with (tables to throw, ledges, cauldrons of boiling nastiness, sudden darkness, nearby open fires, combat on the roof of a coach: "Watch out for that Inn sign", Meat hooks, unsound constructions, etc) . As a DM you make the battlefield and you have plenty of time to think of an optimal way to use the enviroment. If it looks like it's going to be a TPK just stand in a more vulnerable area, and if it's a cake walk: well we always had the cauldron of boiling nastiness somewhere.</p><p></p><p>Ofcourse tactical "mistakes" made by the monsters are still just that: mistakes. But your players will not really notice it as much as say "Not first targeting the wizard with your most damaging thing". This also makes skills like Jump, Balance and Tumble and feats like Bull Rush more viable.</p><p></p><p>Also, with just a single foe you should prepare different stages of combat, like for example in most action movies showdowns start with a first battle, then a chase and finally a "Last stand".</p><p>Think of some different stages with different degrees of difficulty. If it's going badly for the PC's just skip the most dangerous stages and if it's all too easy, well use that stage that you never thought you would use.</p><p></p><p>The downside of this is that it's hard to award XP for these kind of combats: was the envoriment actually making the encounter easier or harder?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="kleinetommy, post: 1535717, member: 19297"] Actually there is a work-around on the whole TPK vs. Cakewalk thing. Just make sure there is alot of enviroment to work with (tables to throw, ledges, cauldrons of boiling nastiness, sudden darkness, nearby open fires, combat on the roof of a coach: "Watch out for that Inn sign", Meat hooks, unsound constructions, etc) . As a DM you make the battlefield and you have plenty of time to think of an optimal way to use the enviroment. If it looks like it's going to be a TPK just stand in a more vulnerable area, and if it's a cake walk: well we always had the cauldron of boiling nastiness somewhere. Ofcourse tactical "mistakes" made by the monsters are still just that: mistakes. But your players will not really notice it as much as say "Not first targeting the wizard with your most damaging thing". This also makes skills like Jump, Balance and Tumble and feats like Bull Rush more viable. Also, with just a single foe you should prepare different stages of combat, like for example in most action movies showdowns start with a first battle, then a chase and finally a "Last stand". Think of some different stages with different degrees of difficulty. If it's going badly for the PC's just skip the most dangerous stages and if it's all too easy, well use that stage that you never thought you would use. The downside of this is that it's hard to award XP for these kind of combats: was the envoriment actually making the encounter easier or harder? [/QUOTE]
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Community
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*TTRPGs General
As a player/DM do you prefer one powerful monster or many weaker ones?
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