True, a climactic battle can fall flat, or vice versa. Through the first six months of the campaign, I was famous for my terrible rolling: i.e., they cast Entangle on a group of 14 charging orcs. I needed 14 or 15 or better to save, but only one orc saved to avoid being entangled! At least 4-5 should have made it through. Similarly, they entered a goblin cave before that and my intent was to wear them down with arrow fire and retreat in waves... however, none of the 8 arrows hit in the first two rounds.
But, then a few levels later when they had that big showdown with the duskblade, a hill giant, an evil cleric and a few other minions, it was just the opposite. I ended up killing three PCs and one major NPC because I couldn't miss... while the guy playing the elf fighter PC just missed killing blows in two straight rounds with rolls of 13 when he needed 14.
