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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Imaro" data-source="post: 5575999" data-attributes="member: 48965">I agree, which is why I think permeton's particular playstyle emerges either consciously or subconsciously through many of the choices he makes in running 4e.  4e has a lever for setting the difficulty of a challenge... set it low and now all of a sudden, PC's aren't punished for sub-optimal builds and 4e is so much more forgiving and open to thematic play... set it at the high end of what they can handle and suddenly sub-optimal tactics and builds will get you killed with a quickness.  Yet, IMO, default 4e just says hey this is the lever for creating the difficulty for your challenge based play, you decide the difficulty and the fluff for why it is that hard or easy. Whether that's... conflict-via-combat driven thematic play, using traditional fantasy tropes or optimal tactical play through a meatgrinder dungeon. The only thing 4e is supporting mechanically is the challenge. Edit: I misworded above, I don't agree 4e is easier to DM for these outcomes... I think it gives a set of tools (with their own particular tradeoffs) that some people find easier to use in order to adjust the level of difficulty, just like others prefer Pathfinder/3.x's CR and EL... or even DM fiat.</blockquote>