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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Henry" data-source="post: 5800037" data-attributes="member: 158">First of all, I don't really count resource management in my list for the main draws of exploration. Discovering the unknown, yes, facing unheard-of threats, yes, but counting your torches and rations was always the negative aspect of resource management to me. (Conversely, spell resource planning and limited use character abilities are the fun and strategic part of resource management to me.) As for unknown monsters, I would prefer to see the basics covered first. Why? Because for new players, they're going to be new and unknown regardless; for old players, we want to be sure that some of the most basic tales of adventure and exploration can be told, and D&D without orcs at first is like someone rewriting the orcs out of Lord of the Rings and replacing them with Deathclaws from Fallout.For a DM who wants to make those challenges new, however, there should be a good deal of coverage of the concept of reskinning monsters and hazards - it doesn't matter if the orc has 1 hit dice and amazing strength, because if he has steel-grey skin, no snout, huge shark-teeth, and glowing violet eyes in the dark, he goes from "aw, another orc" to "what the hell is THAT?!?!?" in seconds.</blockquote>