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<blockquote data-quote="Banshee16" data-source="post: 5444176" data-attributes="member: 7883">I disagree with this point.&nbsp; Even if it's a 50% chance that a monster can kill a PC instantly, that doesn't make it poorly designed.&nbsp; Nor does it eliminate tension.It's a party game.&nbsp; It's intended for groups of 4-5 characters, and maybe even some hirelings or followers.&nbsp; If there is a 50% chance per PC, what are the chances that in that instant all 4 PC's will be instantly killed?&nbsp; Pretty much about 6.25%.&nbsp; The other party members will have several rounds to fight the creature, and could very well vanquish it.There's a heck of a lot of tension to an encounter where the PCs enter the lair of Medusa, and &quot;Oh crap, Frank just got stoned!&nbsp; We have to stop her or we're all gonna die!&nbsp; Don't look her in the eye!&quot; etc. etc..&nbsp; That's drama.&nbsp; That's risk.&nbsp; That can make an encounter that stresses the players, and they try their darndest to take down this monster, before it kills them all.I mean really.....there are creatures in the game that do immense damage.....ancient or older red dragons, for instance.&nbsp; If they get a breath in, there's a good chance the dragon can take out a character, if the character isn't protected sufficiently.&nbsp; What's the difference between Medusa being able to turn a character to stone with a glance, and a dragon breathing a cone of fire that can cause more damage in one attack than any character in the party who does not have 1d10's for hit dice even has for hp, when fully healed?&nbsp; Either way, the character is still dead.I'm really not sure what the whole deal is with this argument.&nbsp; Some monsters have rather lethal attacks that characters have to prepare themselves to face.&nbsp; Only fools rush in unprepared.&nbsp; And if they do, they deserve to die.YMMV.It's D&amp;D....The characters are taking the place of Perseus or Lancelot or St. George or whoever.&nbsp; Hunting down creatures that terrify and destroy innocents.&nbsp; That in many cases&nbsp; have maimed dozens of other adventurers who have tried to end the scourge.&nbsp; And now YOUR character is going to try their hand, and see if they can vanquish the beast.&nbsp; Of course there's going to be danger, and sometimes, characters will come back in body bags.&nbsp; Back in the 2E DMG (or PHB??) there was even a fantastic picture showing a pair of fighters bringing their buddy back in a &quot;stretcher&quot;.....he was dead, obviously killed violently, arm dangling out of the stretcher, and they were walking up the steps of a temple to get him raised.Without that kind of risk, what's the point?&nbsp; It's just my opinion....but I prefer epics over pulp, I guess.&nbsp; Where the heroes don't always have happy endings, and in many cases, they don't all make it home.&nbsp; Banshee</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Banshee16, post: 5444176, member: 7883"] I disagree with this point. Even if it's a 50% chance that a monster can kill a PC instantly, that doesn't make it poorly designed. Nor does it eliminate tension. It's a party game. It's intended for groups of 4-5 characters, and maybe even some hirelings or followers. If there is a 50% chance per PC, what are the chances that in that instant all 4 PC's will be instantly killed? Pretty much about 6.25%. The other party members will have several rounds to fight the creature, and could very well vanquish it. There's a heck of a lot of tension to an encounter where the PCs enter the lair of Medusa, and "Oh crap, Frank just got stoned! We have to stop her or we're all gonna die! Don't look her in the eye!" etc. etc.. That's drama. That's risk. That can make an encounter that stresses the players, and they try their darndest to take down this monster, before it kills them all. I mean really.....there are creatures in the game that do immense damage.....ancient or older red dragons, for instance. If they get a breath in, there's a good chance the dragon can take out a character, if the character isn't protected sufficiently. What's the difference between Medusa being able to turn a character to stone with a glance, and a dragon breathing a cone of fire that can cause more damage in one attack than any character in the party who does not have 1d10's for hit dice even has for hp, when fully healed? Either way, the character is still dead. I'm really not sure what the whole deal is with this argument. Some monsters have rather lethal attacks that characters have to prepare themselves to face. Only fools rush in unprepared. And if they do, they deserve to die. YMMV. It's D&D....The characters are taking the place of Perseus or Lancelot or St. George or whoever. Hunting down creatures that terrify and destroy innocents. That in many cases have maimed dozens of other adventurers who have tried to end the scourge. And now YOUR character is going to try their hand, and see if they can vanquish the beast. Of course there's going to be danger, and sometimes, characters will come back in body bags. Back in the 2E DMG (or PHB??) there was even a fantastic picture showing a pair of fighters bringing their buddy back in a "stretcher".....he was dead, obviously killed violently, arm dangling out of the stretcher, and they were walking up the steps of a temple to get him raised. Without that kind of risk, what's the point? It's just my opinion....but I prefer epics over pulp, I guess. Where the heroes don't always have happy endings, and in many cases, they don't all make it home. Banshee [/QUOTE]

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