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How does “optimization” change the game?
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<blockquote data-quote="Willie the Duck" data-source="post: 8399331" data-attributes="member: 6799660"><p>Okay, against a constant benchmark of challenge it is. I would say that.. assuming both an optimized and unoptimized party both are relatively similar in having basic roles filled (front-liner, someone with heals, someone with an answer to swarms), the relative 'power' of the party improves about 20-25% when you optimize. Optimization doesn't double or triple your effectiveness, it just enhances it some. </p><p></p><p>As for likelihood of 'the party to die'... even with a fixed challenge I think the likelihood of TPK still goes up when you optimize. When you have more power, you take on larger threats (and are less likely to run away when the nest of owlbears is 5 instead of 3 like you thought, etc.). There's a tendency in games (not just D&D or even TTRPGs) where as both sides increase in power, the likelihood of victory on one side occurring as a catastrophic route for the loser increases. That seems to play out in 5e -- at low OP failure is more likely to be a 'run away!' or 'they killed Kenny!' moment, but in high-OP the point of failure is often a TPK or one-survivor situation.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Willie the Duck, post: 8399331, member: 6799660"] Okay, against a constant benchmark of challenge it is. I would say that.. assuming both an optimized and unoptimized party both are relatively similar in having basic roles filled (front-liner, someone with heals, someone with an answer to swarms), the relative 'power' of the party improves about 20-25% when you optimize. Optimization doesn't double or triple your effectiveness, it just enhances it some. As for likelihood of 'the party to die'... even with a fixed challenge I think the likelihood of TPK still goes up when you optimize. When you have more power, you take on larger threats (and are less likely to run away when the nest of owlbears is 5 instead of 3 like you thought, etc.). There's a tendency in games (not just D&D or even TTRPGs) where as both sides increase in power, the likelihood of victory on one side occurring as a catastrophic route for the loser increases. That seems to play out in 5e -- at low OP failure is more likely to be a 'run away!' or 'they killed Kenny!' moment, but in high-OP the point of failure is often a TPK or one-survivor situation. [/QUOTE]
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How does “optimization” change the game?
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