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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cerebral Paladin" data-source="post: 4842273" data-attributes="member: 3448">I agree with the various people who say that, in a sandbox style game, you shouldn't be lowering the miniboss's power level to make it more appropriate for the PCs.  That said, a fight between a more powerful enemy and the PCs plus allies can still be fun and exciting.  If the PCs lose, okay.  If the PCs win because they brought along the right allies, that can be fine, too.I've played in games where the PCs functioned as the clever people figuring out who needed to be taken down and when and then calling in the cavalry (in the form of allies or whatnot) to do the actual fighting.  It can be very satisfying and fun.  It's a little odd, and players who need the big fight to feel happy may be disappointed, but I like it as an approach.  That said, if you go this way, you want to be careful to make the PCs manage their resources.  If they get the guards killed now, there will be less (or less capable) guards next time (or the king may be unwilling to let the guards go with the PCs next time).  If they're sending NPCs to put out fires, there more be more fires than the NPCs can deal with at any one time.  And obviously, to the extent that there's opportunities for the PCs to wade in to play a critical role, that's great.</blockquote>