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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The Crimson Binome" data-source="post: 6769725" data-attributes="member: 6775031">The question is inherently flawed. Optimization and Role-Playing aren't better or worse or mutually exclusive or anything. Optimization and Role-Playing are two words for the same activity - investment - which are at the opposite end of the sliding scale from not caring at all because it's just a game. The first poll option - "Completely. It's a game, and I want the best character within the rules." - demonstrates a completely alien mindset. It doesn't fit anywhere along that spectrum.If the DM isn't specifically tailoring the encounters to match the party, or even if the DM is tailoring the encounters and the luck happens to swing significantly, then the entire party can die. It can totally happen. We've all seen it. Less commonly, or more commonly if the DM is cheating, you get an encounter that is extremely close and actually does come down to a single die roll.The thing is, if you know that you might find yourself in that sort of situation, why would you ever accept any more risk than you absolutely need to? Why accept an 11% chance of death, if one simple choice could get that down to a 10% chance? The only possible answer is that the character is insane and somehow wants to die. And there's no reason why any sane individual would allow such a liability into the party. End of story.</blockquote>