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<blockquote data-quote="Barolo" data-source="post: 7047046" data-attributes="member: 61932">I do not inform openly the AC or HP of monsters during game, but I do expect my players to have an idea on the probable HP and AC range of most monsters, as we have been playing for so long.Also, I do expect them to be able to evaluate overall difficulty to hit (AC) just by &quot;looking&quot; at the enemies (actually paying attention to the descriptions I provide) as a lot of monsters and NPCs have clear signs of what sort of defense they have (hobgoblins in chain armor and shield, for instance, dragons clad in thick scales, unarmored giants with somewhat thicker-looking skin, or simply unprotected yet agile centaurs). And I do telegraph how is the HP drop going, how did the monster react to the perceived threat of some damage they just took, etc., and by so pacing the HP drop they can more or less guess the totals.I do all that on purpose. I want them to know that information, not 100% sure, but with high confidence (some blur in info spices up things, nobody needs to be too comfortable). The same way, if they are to face monsters with special defenses or deadly attacks with nasty lasting consequences, I give them in-game opportunities to find that information. It is not for granted, but if they miss it (which is not very common), they usually figure out by themselves latter they had the opportunity to find that information during the other pillars of the game, but through their own choices and actions they just didn't manage to. I want them to make well-informed decisions. Challenges seem more interesting to me when it is not a game of guessing blindly.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Barolo, post: 7047046, member: 61932"] I do not inform openly the AC or HP of monsters during game, but I do expect my players to have an idea on the probable HP and AC range of most monsters, as we have been playing for so long. Also, I do expect them to be able to evaluate overall difficulty to hit (AC) just by "looking" at the enemies (actually paying attention to the descriptions I provide) as a lot of monsters and NPCs have clear signs of what sort of defense they have (hobgoblins in chain armor and shield, for instance, dragons clad in thick scales, unarmored giants with somewhat thicker-looking skin, or simply unprotected yet agile centaurs). And I do telegraph how is the HP drop going, how did the monster react to the perceived threat of some damage they just took, etc., and by so pacing the HP drop they can more or less guess the totals. I do all that on purpose. I want them to know that information, not 100% sure, but with high confidence (some blur in info spices up things, nobody needs to be too comfortable). The same way, if they are to face monsters with special defenses or deadly attacks with nasty lasting consequences, I give them in-game opportunities to find that information. It is not for granted, but if they miss it (which is not very common), they usually figure out by themselves latter they had the opportunity to find that information during the other pillars of the game, but through their own choices and actions they just didn't manage to. I want them to make well-informed decisions. Challenges seem more interesting to me when it is not a game of guessing blindly. [/QUOTE]

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