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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Koloth" data-source="post: 9709938" data-attributes="member: 6706231">A combat encounter without meaningful risk is a waste of time.  A risk free encounter should go something like this:  "The party is traveling through the dark woods.  A band of ogres takes the party by surprise.  The party manages to kill the ogres with little trouble.  The party divides the following loot: ...."  No need to waste time playing out the encounter, the result is already known.Risk doesn't have to be death.  It could be the party are all downed by the above ogres and when they wake, they are stripped of all gear and the ogres are negotiating exchange ransom terms with a nearby settlement.  This results in the party having no gear AND owing the settlement a bunch of money to settle the ransom debt.  Debt probably worked off by doing several missions for the settlement.  Maybe the settlement had an agreement with the ogres....   The classic 1st ed Rust Monster was a real risk to many parties with zero risk of death.Another down side to the no risk scenario, no heroic tales to boast about in the tavern.</blockquote>