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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 9006496" data-attributes="member: 6801845">During my session 0 with players I ask what level of lethality they generally want and build encounters around that.  I don't need any mechanical restrictions,  no "points" to balance things out.  I just build encounters that fit the desires of the group. I would dislike a game that forces the GM's hand to be "fair". I also don't need it.However,  death and even TPKs are never off the table.  If those first level PCs go charging off to fight that ancient red dragon, they're going to be dragon chow.  If they do prep work ahead of time, they'll know (or should know) what they're getting themselves into.  So, yes, I balance encounters. But if the PCs rush in blindly that balance may simply be a reasonable way for them to realize before its too late that they're in over there heads and options to bravely run away.As a player I don't want to know things about the threats I face by some game mechanism.  Hopefully I'll get a clue ahead of time or an escape route. But adventuring is a dangerous profession and while I probably wouldn't want [USER=22779]@Hussar[/USER] levels of lethality, I want to keep at least the illusion that if I charge blindly into the night that I may be rushing to my doom.</blockquote>