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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pming" data-source="post: 8336673" data-attributes="member: 45197">Hiya!What makes you think combats are "cakewalk fights"? Mine certainly aren't! Over the 5 or 6 years we were playing it, the HIGHEST level that any PC got to... 7th level Barbarian. After that, a pair (?) of 5th's, handful of 4ths, then just 1st to 3rd. So obviously my fights aren't "cakewalks". Bearkiller EARNED his 7 levels by the gods! He deserves every bit of praise he gets from our group.Now, if you (general 'you') are the type of DM that is of the mindset that Players "should win by default...but make it look good/dangerous", to me, that's like throwing a boxing match. In which case said type of DM would most likely make "cakewalk combats" or cheat/fudge the heck out of the dice to make sure no PC died because it was "just an encounter to give them some XP and gold". In which case...just use the Milestone type advancement and remove the tomfoolery of having 'dangerous encounters' that really aren't.Another thing that most definitely makes a difference...when the DM is "specifically building encounters to the PC's". Because then the DM has some sort of expectation... "This fight will be easy, same with the second one, then a tough one. Then they rest. Then an easy one that becomes the final deadly one when they pick up The Foozle". The DM has, at that point, "designed mini-adventures" that fit within the greater framework of the full-adventure. The DM is planning everything so that the PC's will most likely be right in that 'sweet spot' the DM envisioned. This is, IMNSHO, a horrible idea! But that is a whole other thread! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />The DM that is designing "mini-adventures" that 'fit' inside some block of time is apt to...hmmm... modify his/her decisions in order to have the PC's complete the time-limited mini-adventure. The DM may do this via tweaking dice rolls, or deciding there are only 4 bad guys in stead of 8, or that there are 8 bad guys in stead of 4. Whatever it takes to "keep the adventure on track to end when the DM wanted it to when 8pm rolls around and it's time to end the session".Some groups may enjoy the heck outta that style of play. I am not one of them. Nor are my players...assuming I still HAVE players... stupid Covid... mumble mumble mumble... <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f621.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=">:(" title="Mad    >:("  data-smilie="4"data-shortname=">:(" />Bottom Line: Just run the game and run the monsters and NPC's as they would logically behave in the campaign situation. There is no time limit on D&D... if it takes a group a year and a half of weekly play to 'beat' Temple of Elemental Evil...so be it. If it takes them 3 months of weekly play...so be it. Trying to manipulate the Players and the Adventure to some set timeline is...well, THAT is weird to me. Just...REALLY weird! <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f635.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt="o_O" title="Er... what?    o_O"  data-smilie="12"data-shortname="o_O" />^_^Paul L. Ming</blockquote>

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