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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Imaculata" data-source="post: 7153343" data-attributes="member: 6801286">I balance encounters on the current level of the players, regardless of when they arrive at that part of the sandbox. And upon revisiting an earlier area, I'll rebalance the area to provide an appropriate challenge, and I'll find a good story reason to explain why these opponents have suddenly become a lot tougher.For example, my players encountered a tribe of cannibals on an island when they were only level 1 (it was the start of the campaign). The cannibals were an appropriate challenge at the time. But eventually they'll return to this island to get rid of all the cannibals, but now they are epic level. And so they'll encounter some of the tribe's toughest warriors, who can challenge an epic level party.This I definitely do. My villains take notice of the actions of the players, and improve their defenses. But the reverse is also true; the players can spy on the plans of the villains, and stop them from beefing up their security. For example, during the course of my campaign the players uncovered a plot to create a gateway somewhere at sea, that would allow living ships from the realm of the dead to come to the surface. The players were able to stop this plot, and so now the villains don't have their fancy new harbor. But they'll probably try again.What I tend to do... but I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing here... is introduce greater threats as their level increases. My campaign has been working towards a big epic naval battle from day one, but this will not happen until they've reached a certain epic level, and a certain part in the story. Seamonsters tended to leave them alone when they were just low level, and sailing in a tiny little ship. But as they got stronger, and got a better ship, they also became a more tasty snack for the horrors of the deep. I would not have them be attacked by a kraken unless I knew they could defeat a kraken.I also have some areas in the sandbox that are deliberately high level (they are 4 challenge ratings higher than their level). Not unbeatable odds, but it means they're going to get hurt... a lot. And there's a high chance for fatalities if they choose to take on these odds. I make sure to communicate this clearly to the players, by means of story telling and setting the scene. In my sandbox there are no artificial walls that say: "not unless you're at least this level".</blockquote>

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