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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Manbearcat" data-source="post: 6014131" data-attributes="member: 6696971">I understand what you're saying but I'm not sure if you're making this more difficult than it is. I have always taken the advice to be pretty straight forward: - This 3 number level range presupposes a certain mean acumen for PCs trained in skills that are being challenged; eg + 8 for levels 1 - 3 (this is off the top of my head)- This number then becomes the assumed mean deployable resource to bring to bear against "of level" challenges for the group.- With that Skill Bonus as the mean deploayble resource to bring to bear against an "of level" chalenge for the group, a DC of 15 becomes trivial, 19 becomes average, 23 becomes difficult, etc.- Therefore, if I'm composing "of-level" challenging fiction that I want to be "difficult", then 23 is the lowest number I should be looking at for a target DC.- Once this is done, "within the established fiction of the gameworld", this challenge (assuming it is overcoming a physical object that never changes - eg a lock) is then forever this number. It doesn't level or delevel with the PCs...unless I dictate that the fiction changes (eg; the nobleman hires a master locksmith to create a terrifically potent lock for his vault/door...then I revisit the DC). So then, - PCs are level 2. They have a Rogue with a + 8 Thievery check. I have a fictional situation whereby they are breaking into a vault. This is an "of-level" scenario (meaning its a 1-3 level fictional scenario). This is the vault of a mayor of a city and contains important contracts that would incriminate him in a political coup. He has taken great measures to safeguard these documents. I determine that this DC should be at least 23 (difficult) due to all of these facts. For Task Resolution purposes then, this vault lock is forevermore a Thievery check DC 23 to break into (unless something within the fiction changes its mechanics). If these same PCs come back later and break back into this same vault at level 20 with a + gazillion check, so be it...their Rogue does it while juggling chainsaws and eating a pastrami sandwich. But it won't be of-level any longer and not really an "encounter". Actually, it basically becomes mechanic-neutral "exploratory play" fiction...it becomes one of S'mon's (in another thread); "You are here. What do you do?" or - PCs are level 5. They have a Rogue with a + 10 Thievery check. I have an ad-hoc decision to make in improvising a scenario as they have broken into a place that I didn't anticipate so I'm flying by the seat of my pants. Maybe this is an orphanage without a lot of resouces. It seems logical to me that this is an easy, or less, DC (use easy DC, or less, on chart for levels 4 - 6 group). That DC is 16. I determine that this is probably even easier than that...that this isn't really an "of level" challenge (perhaps this would be easy for a level 1 - 3 group). I use the trivial DC of 15 for level 1 - 3 (fail only on a 4 or less). This will stay the same DC forevermore unless something changes within the fiction.  Again, these guideliness are just quick, adjudicative means whereby a GM can determine "of level challenge DCs at the trivial, average, and difficult range". I'm free to move up or down that if I feel it is "below level" or "above level" or if it is OMGMURDEROUSLY HARD. Its just a guideline to assist in adjudication of task resolution. Once mapped to the fiction, it doesn't change. It presumes that the DM understands what "of-level" means both logically and metagame-wise...as Rodney outlines in his clarifying advice (which I assumed was implicit...but perhaps not).</blockquote>

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