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Message: <blockquote data-quote="3catcircus" data-source="post: 2203557" data-attributes="member: 16077">It does when you want the game to be slow enough to build the plot threads that lead the PCs to challenge the high level NPCs *when* they are high enough level to challenge them.  I don't use the movers and shakers as save-the-day NPCs.  In most cases, my players are the heroes, scaled to the situation.  Meaning - 1st level PCs will be the ones the villagers look to in order to stop the raids/murders/mutilated livestock/[insert threat here].*When* the PCs are mid-level, instead of stopping the marauding goblin horde, and instead of finding out that the town blacksmith *wasn't* accidentally run over by a horse, they will discover that the goblin horde was paid to conduct raids - and the blacksmith eliminated as a source of competition - so that a local Iron Throne agent can sell weapons to the villagers at inflated prices.  Later still, they will find out that the Iron Throne wants the trade of weapons as a front in order to launder large amounts of coinage ill-gotten through the sale of slaves.Maybe the PCs will pursue the slavery angle and discover that the slaves are needed to conduct a Red Wizard Experiment/Banite Religious Ceremony/etc. (of an as-yet unknown nature). Finally - when the PCs are very high level, maybe they trace the Iron Throne to its source and discover the true nature of the Iron Throne.  Maybe they discover that the Red Wizard Experiment/Banite Religious Ceremony/etc. is using the slaves to power an infernal machine that is in direct opposition to the Iron Throne's true goals... If the progression of experience wasn't slowed down by the DM, then maybe the PCs discover the who and what, but not the why - which may lead them to ignore potential plot threads.See above - I don't "suddenly discover" that my players have high level PCs - I want to fully develop as many different threads as possible - and the only way to do that is either through a slower xp progression or to spoon-feed the PCs information that they should be figuring out on their own.  I have no problems dealing with PCs who have high-level abilities - it is the fact that those abilities mean nothing when the driver for your campaign has little to do with daily combats. Because that is not "realistic" (yeah, yeah - I know it is a fantasy game - I don't make them roll a d20 to determine if they got everything off when they wipe their behinds...)  1st level PC's aren't, and shouldn't, be the most important entities in the world.  They *can* be the most important in their little corner of it, but until they have earned enough levels to be political movers and shakers, then they will be relatively unimportant to the world at large.  Sure, at 1st level, they may be giving a headache to an orc tribe that is in the hills outside thier little town in Amn; but does a Amnian merchant who's livelihood is made from the sale of Maztican cocoa beans in Athkatla really care about that?  Not at 1st level.  Maybe later on, the fact that the PCs have eliminated an orc tribe means that a road is safe enough for the tiny little town to get it's first taste of these "cocoa beans of which you speak," at which point maybe the PCs are noticed by said merchant and asked to be caravan guards or go into business with him, or whatever... Which is exactly my point - *I* slow down the xp progression by doing things like this, by giving out xp for goal accomplishment, by doing whatever it takes to ensure that my players don't grow faster than the plot hooks they've generated can support them.It isn't about challenging them in combat - it is about keeping their growth in line with their storyline - a storyline that they are developing.  At the same time, as a DM, you want campaign world continuity.  I don't want the players to redefine certain things in my campaign - do I really want them to overthrow Cormyr's ruler?  No - but can I allow them to clear out the Stonelands and gain a Barony?  Sure.  Can I allow them to decide to secede from Cormyr and start their own kingdom?  Sure - that isn't to say that the Purple Dragons and War Wizards won't then suppress their rebellion and force them to go on the lam...</blockquote>

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