Difficulty Level vs Character Level

[Bagpuss]

At 1st level, you might fight a couple of kobolds. Dumb kobolds. No levels, no Tucker, no nothing.

If at 20th level you're still fighting a couple of kobolds with no levels and no Tucker and no nothing, something's wrong.

Yeah, but that's reducing the difficulty level.

If at first level you are facing mainly CR 1 creatures on average and at 20th level you are facing mainly CR20 creatures then you haven't increased the difficultly level.

 

[zibeck]

I find 1sts level to be the most difficult. PCs are fragile things then.

 

[Nail]

Do you increase the difficulty level of the game for the players as their characters go up in level?

What a bizarre question!

Generally speaking APL = EL + 1 in my games.

 

[Arashi Ravenblade]

I chose Other. If the PC's walk into a cave thats known to house Challenge rating 10+ monsters at Level 1 then thats what they encounter. Not lowly Orcs and kobolds straight from the MM just because the PC's are weak/. So whatever makes sense to the situation is what difficulty they face.

 

[was]

Yes..as the group gets tougher, so do the challenges

 

[howandwhy99]

What a bizarre question!

It's not that alien of a question. Hundreds of games use this very premise. Does the game get harder for the players as the game goes on? Lots of computer games do this and they didn't start the idea. Players progress from beginner level up to expert. They become more skilled at playing. I'm wondering if anyone still does this in RPGs.

 

[William drake]

Do you increase the difficulty level of the game for the players as their characters go up in level?
Yes, No, Other (answer below)

Also, how does your group decide on the difficulty level for the game?

Edit: Poll question was chopped off.

Edit2 (more clarity): Does the game get harder for the players as the game goes on? Lots of computer games do this and they didn't start the idea. Players progress from beginner level up to expert. They become more skilled at playing. I'm wondering if anyone still does this in RPGs.

I would say that Yes, the difficulty gets higher,but equal to their levels. First level, a few wolves could kill them, a few levels later, its men, a few later its men on horses with a magic user of some kind, later its something summoned, made, or paied to kill them, later is mor than one, and later than that it, I would think get into grand scales: bands, and very powerful things. Also, I think the most dangerous thing I DM can throw at players are political movments. Some players aren't keen on society, or the implications of their actions, who they back, and who they kill and why.
Also, in my examples I would say that when chased by the wolves, the players would have more options then just stand and fight, but later, as thegame moved on, for what ever reason, the players would have to stand their ground, and sooner or later, running would no longer be an option. To much would be at stake for that.