GMs! Let me be cool now and again.

[Christian Walker]

Hey GMs,

Put down your little tables that define "appropriate" encounter levels for our gaming group. Yeah, we're 6th level, on average, so why not let us kick a little butt? Surely, there are still gobbos and orcs to mow down. Let us flex our muscles on some first level warriors! I want to hack enemies down like wheat, experiencing the thrill of racking up kills with my dagger! I watch LotR, get all fired up to hack, but get demoralized when you throw freaking four-armed, killer gorillas at us. Orcs, now! We hack 'em up good!

---

I, for one, think it's possible to craft compelling scenarios that don't see the party fighting for their lives every encounter. Mixing up the CRs now and again ensures that players won't always select weapons and spells for max damage. They might actually think about *gasp* style now and again.

 

[tetsujin28]

Sounds like someone's bummed that cleave isn't as good as it was at 1st level

 

[Christian Walker]

Sounds like someone's bummed that cleave isn't as good as it was at 1st level

Heh.

Actually, I used to play a wizard, who spent a great deal of time and effort to learn how to use a longsword. (martial weapon proficiency, weapon focus) I couldn't wait to pump myself up with spells and go buck wild on some gobbos. Sadly, it never worked out.

In the end, I decided to retire the character. I figure he stripped off his robes, strapped on some leather, and joined a first level party, signing on as a "fighter." If things got bad, he might wiggle out of the armor, then tear the baddies up with a fireball or something.

"Um, Duncan, we just thought you were a skinny fighter. We had no idea you could do, um, that!"

 

[sithramir]

You'd love my campaign's. I don't always scale up encounters to a monster but by tactics and understanding that there are lots of orcs that can be "cleaved" but that you have to kill em quick or that BBEG will smack your wizard down!

 

[Christian Walker]

You'd love my campaign's. I don't always scale up encounters to a monster but by tactics and understanding that there are lots of orcs that can be "cleaved" but that you have to kill em quick or that BBEG will smack your wizard down!

You get a cookie! That's the spirit!

I'm not saying I wanna mow 'em down ALL the time, just now and again. A "Home Run Derby," if you will.

 

[Gnarlo]

I'm not saying I wanna mow 'em down ALL the time, just now and again. A "Home Run Derby," if you will.

Gnarlo appeals to the GM to check Christian's longsword for corking.

 

[Azure Trance]

Oddly enough Christian, I thought you would've been the DM instead of the PC.

 

[Christian Walker]

Oddly enough Christian, I thought you would've been the DM instead of the PC.

Every dog has his day, I guess.

I was fortunate to be able to play for quite a stretch. 3e really threw me initially, and I needed some time to get used to it. I had a friend at the time who had been wanting to GM, so I got a chance to be in the peanut gallery for a change. During my time as a PC, however, I learned that I prefer GMing.

Duncan (my char.) never did get to hack and slay with his longsword, although he did cut a dire rat in half. To quote Ice Cube, that rat got "Knocked the HELL out!"

I'm really liking the new 3.5 and I want to run a campaign. I've been crunching stat blocks for practice, and I'm eager to play! I made an NPC party consisting of an elven fighter, halfling mage, and gargoyle rogue. They would rock!

This is starting to ramble on (like an editorial in Scrollworks), so I better stop. Can you tell that I'm cooped up and bored?

EDIT: I did GM for a little bit. Here's the link. Lotsa photos!
http://www.scrollworkspress.com/3e.htm

 

[Azure Trance]

Duncan (my char.) never did get to hack and slay with his longsword, although he did cut a dire rat in half. To quote Ice Cube, that rat got "Knocked the HELL out!"

San Jose, Representin'! *shoots dire rat with glock, flashes signs*

I'm really liking the new 3.5 and I want to run a campaign. I've been crunching stat blocks for practice, and I'm eager to play! I made an NPC party consisting of an elven fighter, halfling mage, and gargoyle rogue. They would rock!

Whoa there, buddy. Crunching stat blocks for practice? That's insane, because I bet you're not even using the D20 standard statblock for reference.

This is starting to ramble on (like an editorial in Scrollworks), so I better stop. Can you tell that I'm cooped up and bored?

I think that MM3.5 needs some memorizing there partner ...

 

[Ace]

Sounds like someone's bummed that cleave isn't as good as it was at 1st level

I did see the wink emoticon but to add to Christians post

There are way too many "bean counter" GM's out there who forget that being cool is a very valid player goal

I know D&D is at its core a tactical minis game but encounters do not need to balance all the time nor does ever manuever have to be exact


Sometimes its better just to GO! Don't sweat the small stuff. If it doesn't have a direct and important impact on the combat-- who cares. Go ahead take out the mooks

Oh and Christian you should come game with us you know you want to