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Challenging PCs in a world that make sense?
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<blockquote data-quote="Henry" data-source="post: 1712727" data-attributes="member: 158"><p>One thing to remember is that at 8 levels below the party's level, encounters are completely unchallenging. Use this as story color when running the larger adventures. "You encounter a party of Trolls. Having seen you, they apologize profusely, wish you a good day, and prostrate themselves as they slink away, hoping they'll live to see the next day." <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=":)" /> Or describe the effortless encounter as nonchalantly as you describe the sun coming up.</p><p></p><p>For actual high-level challenges, the secret is to introduce threats that can really only be stopped by powers the PC's have at that level.</p><p></p><p>---Three synchronous doomsday clocks who've just reached zero hour, and you have to disarm them simultaneously? That's a job for the guys who can teleport (and alter time slightly, if need be).</p><p></p><p>---Is there an invading ettin / ogre mage army, and spies have managed to slip a mass disease into PC allies' food supply? Time for the clerics to break out those mass heals, while the fighters and wizards have to come up with a plan to singlehandedly hold off the forces long enough.</p><p></p><p>---Is the only hope of the kingdom to restore a certain species of fauna after civilization has killed the last one off? Time for a Wish, or at least a Polymorph any object...</p><p></p><p>---Perhaps there are two nations, Orc and Human, in conflict, and it takes a master negotiatior to resolve the differences. Maybe his comerades can restructure the Orcs' farming and geography to foster good will...</p><p></p><p>My suggestion is to look at the higher level powers of the PC party and figure out "Hmm, what kinds of problems would these solve?" Sometimes, the ONLY thing a power is good for is kicking butt (Power word, kill, for instance, or the barbarian's fatigueless rage), but there are plenty of other powers that can save the day in many ways.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Henry, post: 1712727, member: 158"] One thing to remember is that at 8 levels below the party's level, encounters are completely unchallenging. Use this as story color when running the larger adventures. "You encounter a party of Trolls. Having seen you, they apologize profusely, wish you a good day, and prostrate themselves as they slink away, hoping they'll live to see the next day." :) Or describe the effortless encounter as nonchalantly as you describe the sun coming up. For actual high-level challenges, the secret is to introduce threats that can really only be stopped by powers the PC's have at that level. ---Three synchronous doomsday clocks who've just reached zero hour, and you have to disarm them simultaneously? That's a job for the guys who can teleport (and alter time slightly, if need be). ---Is there an invading ettin / ogre mage army, and spies have managed to slip a mass disease into PC allies' food supply? Time for the clerics to break out those mass heals, while the fighters and wizards have to come up with a plan to singlehandedly hold off the forces long enough. ---Is the only hope of the kingdom to restore a certain species of fauna after civilization has killed the last one off? Time for a Wish, or at least a Polymorph any object... ---Perhaps there are two nations, Orc and Human, in conflict, and it takes a master negotiatior to resolve the differences. Maybe his comerades can restructure the Orcs' farming and geography to foster good will... My suggestion is to look at the higher level powers of the PC party and figure out "Hmm, what kinds of problems would these solve?" Sometimes, the ONLY thing a power is good for is kicking butt (Power word, kill, for instance, or the barbarian's fatigueless rage), but there are plenty of other powers that can save the day in many ways. [/QUOTE]
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