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<blockquote data-quote="TKDB" data-source="post: 5875017" data-attributes="member: 6690697"><p>I don't have too much experience behind the DM screen, but from my experiences both as a player and as a DM, I will say that tactics are HUGE. Arrange things so that the PCs have to fight on the enemy's terms, preferably giving the enemies a surprise round to throw debilitating debuffs at the PCs. If the PCs are so incredibly strong, it stands to reason that their reputation would have spread, and their enemies would be keeping tabs on them. Assume that intelligent baddies are more or less aware of the PCs' actions, intentions, strengths, and weaknesses, and have them use that information to their advantage.</p><p></p><p>I would also suggest trying to err on the side of making encounters a bit too hard. It's a lot easier to conveniently "forget" a bonus or ability here and there if the players prove to struggle a bit too much than it is to try to make the encounter more challenging if it becomes apparent that the players are shredding your beasties like tissue paper. If your players notice the change and call you out on it, you can even claim it was a planned part of the encounter, that the creature some kind of short-term buff that wore off or that the damage the PCs had done weakened the enemy or something.</p><p></p><p>Finally, with regard to your rules lawyer's complaints, it's important to note that players can have a tendency to underestimate their own abilities and chances of success. I know I personally am very much guilty of this -- as soon as things start to look the least bit tough, I start to panic and fret that we're in way over our heads and a TPK is just around the corner, even when in reality we might be doing not merely just fine, but extraordinarily well compared to what the DM had planned. Ultimately, what's really important is that the players <em>feel</em> challenged. Not to say that you shouldn't try to make the encounters actually <em>be</em> a challenge, but rather that even if they're not very challenging, as long as the players feel like they're up against a serious threat then you're still more or less on the right track.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="TKDB, post: 5875017, member: 6690697"] I don't have too much experience behind the DM screen, but from my experiences both as a player and as a DM, I will say that tactics are HUGE. Arrange things so that the PCs have to fight on the enemy's terms, preferably giving the enemies a surprise round to throw debilitating debuffs at the PCs. If the PCs are so incredibly strong, it stands to reason that their reputation would have spread, and their enemies would be keeping tabs on them. Assume that intelligent baddies are more or less aware of the PCs' actions, intentions, strengths, and weaknesses, and have them use that information to their advantage. I would also suggest trying to err on the side of making encounters a bit too hard. It's a lot easier to conveniently "forget" a bonus or ability here and there if the players prove to struggle a bit too much than it is to try to make the encounter more challenging if it becomes apparent that the players are shredding your beasties like tissue paper. If your players notice the change and call you out on it, you can even claim it was a planned part of the encounter, that the creature some kind of short-term buff that wore off or that the damage the PCs had done weakened the enemy or something. Finally, with regard to your rules lawyer's complaints, it's important to note that players can have a tendency to underestimate their own abilities and chances of success. I know I personally am very much guilty of this -- as soon as things start to look the least bit tough, I start to panic and fret that we're in way over our heads and a TPK is just around the corner, even when in reality we might be doing not merely just fine, but extraordinarily well compared to what the DM had planned. Ultimately, what's really important is that the players [I]feel[/I] challenged. Not to say that you shouldn't try to make the encounters actually [I]be[/I] a challenge, but rather that even if they're not very challenging, as long as the players feel like they're up against a serious threat then you're still more or less on the right track. [/QUOTE]
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