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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Novem5er" data-source="post: 3928609" data-attributes="member: 57859">DM_Blake, good suggestions and I take a similar approach for lower level combats. I use note cards for monsters and typically just write down a few basic stats: HP, AC, Attack, Dmg, and Spot/Listen.For NPCs, I've do basically the same for combatants. If the PCs jump someone I didn't intend for them to fight, I have to wing the stats.But as Dr. Awkward suggests, this can be dangerous to do long term. High level PCs tend to know their stuff and the gamer in me wants to be fair. I'm okay with fudging the number for a goblin warboss (okay, +4 to hit versus +1 for his minions), I have a much harder time doing that with higher level creatures. For one thing, higher levels combats are almost never just hit/damage. Most often there are special powers, spells, feats, magic items, etc, and that combination (in a single monster or NPC) is what I can't fake!But I agree that a DMs job is to be a story teller and I've often fudged a hit/miss on a monsters attack roll. It's a fine line, but when you can only get together every couple weeks or months, it's no fun to have a character get hit EVERY time like the dice can do to you (hey, I roll a lot of 18's... what can I do?!). I actually have a set of yellow dice that I will NEVER use as a DM against my players. They simply roll too well... They aren't weighted or anything, but they routinely will out-roll my players. Now, when a player is routinely rolling bad, I just pass them the yellow dice... "give these a try, they're luckier".There are two types of D&D games: the tactical simulation and the adventurous story. Simulationists need strict rules and a real sense of danger so they can feel accomplished when winning. Story players just want to have fun, which means getting their butts kicked, but not dying because you get hit with 2 crits in a row or because you roll misses back-to-back-to-back while the Bugbear never seems to miss.It's a balance that I feel comfortable with at the early levels, where the numbers aren't too high and each creature/NPC is pretty one-dimensional.My one fear with 4e is that I'm going to open up the book and not be able tell immediately that it's a new edition. If the only difference are number scales on a chart, I'll be underwhelmed. I realize that's an opposite opinion to many on this forum.My feeling is that I already own 3e and if I want to keep playing, then there are dozens of source books that I've not picked up yet. I need a new edition with significant changes, otherwise why start purchasing books all over again? I want them to keep the d20 basics: "higher is better", the core races,  the core classes, skills/feats... and then I'm okay with them "improving" everything else. But improve is a funny word.Make it quicker, keep it fun, and give me options. Maybe I'll get to DM more than a couple times a year, and maybe I'll get to "play" even more than that.</blockquote>

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