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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Scott Christian" data-source="post: 9027757" data-attributes="member: 6901101">I agree with this. Different tables play differently. Which makes the shield spell even less likely to be broken, because for many tables, it could be cast for but a fraction of their overall combat rounds. And vice-a-versa, it could last for all the combat rounds of another table. But because it is broke at one table, doesn't mean it breaks the game's combat mechanics.You are correct. You can become very hard to hit for less than four rounds. Or, as a wizard, can become as hard to hit as your average paladin or fighter or cleric. Again, how does that break the game's combat mechanics? How does it disable the DM from creating encounters that challenge the PCs? I did know that, but thank you for making sure. Always best to know we're on the same page. And yes, it does help against those spells. That actually makes it useful. You are correct, the AC attack is by far the most common. No argument from me about that. As per my examples, the wizard can still easily get hit were the attacks to target them. If they don't, to quote you, so what? Target the wizard once. Make them throw a shield spell up (because if they don't they lose half their hp). Next round target them once, make them use another resource. If you do manage to hit - the wizard is in trouble. If you don't, to quote you, so what? The wizard still is being an awesome spellcaster. They are looking cool. They are actually being effective at defending themselves instead of always having to hide, turn invisible, run, climb up a rope and hide, etc. And forgive me, but I have to snicker at the bolded part you wrote. I have never relied on the ridiculous guidelines set by the DMG. I follow the story. Sometimes there are no time constraints, and the group fights once, and rests, even if not needed. That's ok. If they feel safe doing it, good for them. Other times, the story compels the PCs to take greater risks. As a player in our last session, we were compelled via story to continue, and we almost died because of it. But, it was heroic and fun and had a nice story driven tension. As far as CRs, I have sympathy for new DMs. It must be tough. But personally, my friends and I have never had any difficulty calculating the amount of risk to the PCs. We don't fudge rolls. We don't alter hit points at the last second. And we don't change things in the middle of the fight. PCs can run. PCs can die. It's just 90% of the time it goes their way. So, as much as I have sympathy for new DMs trying to figure out the system, I don't have much sympathy for a seasoned DM that should be able to almost intuitively come to a conclusion that their party can't handle a fight. It's not nearly as difficult as people seem to make it out to be.</blockquote>

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