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<blockquote data-quote="ValhallaGH" data-source="post: 5053676" data-attributes="member: 41187">Divorcing monster design from HD requires a complete rewrite of the monster system.&nbsp; Which means, among other things, that people using TB can't use their dozen (or more) d20 monster books, instantly negating one of the advantages of playing a 3.x derivative system.&nbsp; That's a failure as a business product tapping into the d20 market.Separating monster abilities from HD is possible (though the ripple effects are large, going into skills and numerous spells) and might be worthwhile from a game play perspective.&nbsp; That doesn't make it appropriate for the scope of Trailblazer.&nbsp; And maintaining scope focus is key to any project.[tangent]&nbsp; That's how you assign PL as a Game Master of M&amp;M (2E).&nbsp; You build the challenge as it should be built then look at the skills, saves, abilities, save DCs, attack bonuses, and defenses, then compare it to the PL chart to find what PL it is.Then compare it to the level of challenge you want it to be (i.e. compare to the PCs), and decide how else to modify the encounter to get the desired challenge.The only reasons to assign PL first is if you want to grant X power points per PL (which is how PCs are generally handled, so a lot of people mistakenly believe that's how it has to work) or because you want something to be in a specific challenge / power category and you assign that so that you remember how badass it is supposed to be.A PL 7 dude is so cool that it is difficult for most folks to comprehend his amazing ability.&nbsp; A PL 10 dude is a powerful demi-god that can challenge most anything, or is a low-power god.&nbsp; A PL 15 is equivalent to a high-power deity, master of all he surveys.&nbsp; A PL 20 is equivalent to a over-god that could reshape all of reality at his whim and dictates terms to the High Gods.&nbsp; (Cthulhu was defeated by a fishing trawler; he's PL 8, PL 12 tops.)&nbsp; [/tangent]</blockquote>

[QUOTE="ValhallaGH, post: 5053676, member: 41187"] Divorcing monster design from HD requires a complete rewrite of the monster system. Which means, among other things, that people using TB can't use their dozen (or more) d20 monster books, instantly negating one of the advantages of playing a 3.x derivative system. That's a failure as a business product tapping into the d20 market. Separating monster abilities from HD is possible (though the ripple effects are large, going into skills and numerous spells) and might be worthwhile from a game play perspective. That doesn't make it appropriate for the scope of Trailblazer. And maintaining scope focus is key to any project. [tangent] That's [B]how[/B] you assign PL as a Game Master of M&M (2E). You build the challenge as it should be built then look at the skills, saves, abilities, save DCs, attack bonuses, and defenses, then compare it to the PL chart to find what PL it is. Then compare it to the level of challenge you [I]want[/I] it to be (i.e. compare to the PCs), and decide how else to modify the encounter to get the desired challenge. The [B]only[/B] reasons to assign PL first is if you want to grant X power points per PL (which is how PCs are generally handled, so a lot of people mistakenly believe that's how it has to work) or because you want something to be in a specific challenge / power category and you assign that so that you remember how badass it is supposed to be. A PL 7 dude is so cool that it is difficult for most folks to comprehend his amazing ability. A PL 10 dude is a powerful demi-god that can challenge most anything, or is a low-power god. A PL 15 is equivalent to a high-power deity, master of all he surveys. A PL 20 is equivalent to a over-god that could reshape all of reality at his whim and dictates terms to the High Gods. (Cthulhu was defeated by a fishing trawler; he's PL 8, PL 12 tops.) [/tangent] [/QUOTE]

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