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Message: <blockquote data-quote="painandgreed" data-source="post: 2909434" data-attributes="member: 24969">Why? It worked. Somebody else falling into a pit trap lets you know exactly where it is. At the levels that the ToH is for, even tranportation was not an issue with teleport, flying carpets, or mirrors of mental prowness. The tomb has been there for ever, so there's no real hurry in exploring it. Setting up camp outside the Tomb and spending several weeks using even just summoned monsters and invisible stalkers to scout the dungeon could get past many of the dangers and save some lives.On to other topics.I don't think this is an edition war. The issues with balance have been around since 1E (and probably before) and certainly, DMing styles vary so widely from game to game in 3E, that there is no single way the game is played. There are various styles of play, and some are now more encouraged by 3E than they were in previous editions. In this case, the questions is of being able to excel or fail with reguards to the preceived in game balance. Even in 1E, there were DMs that would nerf spells, abilites, or items because they felt they made the characters too powerful. The real trouble comes when said character went trought extra trouble to obtain those items or spent time and effort to come up with new ways of using them. Admitedly, in some cases, they probably do need to be nerfed or otherwise thought out. However, if it is done every time the character gets an edge, then you send the players the message that what ever they do does not matter. If they take that risk and are not allowed to benefit from that risk, then they will stop taking risks. Many DMs do not want them to take those risks because it would upset the game if the players came out ahead. Not all DMs, but some. For that matter, not all players are going to want to take that risk, but some will. On the other end of things, there are players who will try and play it more conservative and safe, only to have the DM alter things to be a proper challenge for the group. (This would most commonly be my play style. I'm more than willing to fight creatures weaker than myself, gain less treasure, and advance more slowly for the safer adventure. Of course, no matter how much I plan ahead, scout out the targets, set my ambitions low, once we get there, often the situation changes so it is once again a challenge that matches our appropriate level.) Such blancing of play is a form of railroading itself, because the actions of the players don't mean anything. If the DM insists that players are always going to be kept at the recommended value of equipment, then there is no reason to actually try.  If we fall behind, it will be made up and if we get ahead, we'll be cut back, so why bother? Likewise with the current expereince system and 3E nerfing of spells. They effectivly say that there is now way for a player to take a heroic risk and succeed and take away ability to take such risks. When disentigrate actually disentigrated something rather than just do an appropriate amount of damage for a spell of its level, players (or enemies) might judge either due to RP or game tactics, that a 5% chance of success with a failed save verus "impossible" odds was worth it. It was possible to take large but decisive risks for greater reward (although as stated above, there were plenty of 1E DMs that after witnessing such wins and being forced to aknowledge them, would plot on how to steal those gains away). Today it is stilll possible to take such risks, but everything has been averaged out to long term statistics that present a much smaller chance of success and even go so far as to say that if it happens, something is wrong.Play and DMing styles vary greatly from person to person and group to group no matter what edition, but many of the design decisions made in the creation of 3E has narrowed the optimum style of play in ways that many are not comfortable with.</blockquote>

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