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<blockquote data-quote="dkyle" data-source="post: 5964200" data-attributes="member: 70707">OK, so they're not expected by level anymore.&nbsp; Fine.&nbsp; But this doesn't preclude including them in the balanced encounter design rules.So now the DM has to do the game designer's job, and figure out how to balance the game whenever he wants to include magic items?&nbsp; That does not sound like a good thing.The ability of the DM and players to fix the game does not excuse WotC selling a sloppy, imbalanced game.My ability to fix my computer does not excuse Dell sending me a broken one.My ability to fix my car does not excuse Honda selling me a broken one.In what way?&nbsp; How does having well balanced encounter design rules available to the DM &quot;lose&quot; something?&nbsp; Whatever &quot;thing&quot; the DM wants from their play experience isn't removed by having good rules.&nbsp; A DM that wants something else can always do that.&nbsp; A DM can always, when they gain sufficient system mastery, houserule and adjust as needed, to deviate from the well-balanced rules.&nbsp; Well-balanced rules simply give a solid baseline to start from.&nbsp; Without that, a DM must have high level system mastery to do anything well, just to make the system work at all, not just houserule and adjust the system.&nbsp; That is not a good thing.The comparison is to the expected party power level assumed by the encounter building rules.&nbsp; Obviously, if you deviate from the rules in one place, that can change how other rules work, and effect the balance of the game.&nbsp; But that rebalancing task should only happen because you chose to change things.&nbsp; Not simply because you want to include magic items in your campaign.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="dkyle, post: 5964200, member: 70707"] OK, so they're not expected by level anymore. Fine. But this doesn't preclude including them in the balanced encounter design rules. So now the DM has to do the game designer's job, and figure out how to balance the game whenever he wants to include magic items? That does not sound like a good thing. The ability of the DM and players to fix the game does not excuse WotC selling a sloppy, imbalanced game. My ability to fix my computer does not excuse Dell sending me a broken one. My ability to fix my car does not excuse Honda selling me a broken one. In what way? How does having well balanced encounter design rules available to the DM "lose" something? Whatever "thing" the DM wants from their play experience isn't removed by having good rules. A DM that wants something else can always do that. A DM can always, when they gain sufficient system mastery, houserule and adjust as needed, to deviate from the well-balanced rules. Well-balanced rules simply give a solid baseline to start from. Without that, a DM must have high level system mastery to do [i]anything[/i] well, just to make the system work at all, not just houserule and adjust the system. That is not a good thing. The comparison is to the expected party power level assumed by the encounter building rules. Obviously, if you deviate from the rules in one place, that can change how other rules work, and effect the balance of the game. But that rebalancing task should only happen because you chose to change things. Not simply because you want to include magic items in your campaign. [/QUOTE]

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