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Opinion: better or worse encounter format?
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<blockquote data-quote="N'raac" data-source="post: 5729383" data-attributes="member: 6681948"><p>I doubt that particular phrasing is any more fair a statement of anyone's position than suggesting some GM's 'value the story they're telling' over 'keeping things fair for the players', or even that he reserves the cool stuff for his favoured NPC's'.</p><p> </p><p>I don't think it is unfair for players to say "hey, that NPC Ranger can do some really cool stuf- how does MY ranger get to do that?" and expect an answer other than "he can't - only an NPC gets to do that!". The answer for making the character a Troll is "He can - at this cost". </p><p> </p><p>Not every ability of the opposition need be something the PC's can duplicate (how many can dissolve metal like a Black Pudding?), much less accomplish at their level (1 against 4 to 6 is hardly fair unless the '1' gets some advantage) or can accomplish easily (maybe that ability requires 4 Monk levels and an unbending devotion to the Rightful Ruler of Ber - lose that devotion and, just like an evil Paladin, you lose the ability - or maybe it comes from a Theme Feat only available to those loyal to Chryssiller - since this game focuses on Risur, you can't have it, so the full rules aren't really that important).</p><p> </p><p>I don't expect the abilities the NPC's or adversaries have are overpowered for their own level, even if the precise rule must sometimes be left as an exercise for the reader (or even fodder for a future publication - maybe a Zeitgeist sequel or prequel set in Ber or Chryssiler).</p><p> </p><p>At the same time, if a Wizard wants to research a spell to allow a party member to match that ability, whether for one encounter or for one action, and the answer is that it's a 7th level spell for you but possessed by a L2 opponent, that L2 opponent seems like he might be unreasonably overpowered.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="N'raac, post: 5729383, member: 6681948"] I doubt that particular phrasing is any more fair a statement of anyone's position than suggesting some GM's 'value the story they're telling' over 'keeping things fair for the players', or even that he reserves the cool stuff for his favoured NPC's'. I don't think it is unfair for players to say "hey, that NPC Ranger can do some really cool stuf- how does MY ranger get to do that?" and expect an answer other than "he can't - only an NPC gets to do that!". The answer for making the character a Troll is "He can - at this cost". Not every ability of the opposition need be something the PC's can duplicate (how many can dissolve metal like a Black Pudding?), much less accomplish at their level (1 against 4 to 6 is hardly fair unless the '1' gets some advantage) or can accomplish easily (maybe that ability requires 4 Monk levels and an unbending devotion to the Rightful Ruler of Ber - lose that devotion and, just like an evil Paladin, you lose the ability - or maybe it comes from a Theme Feat only available to those loyal to Chryssiller - since this game focuses on Risur, you can't have it, so the full rules aren't really that important). I don't expect the abilities the NPC's or adversaries have are overpowered for their own level, even if the precise rule must sometimes be left as an exercise for the reader (or even fodder for a future publication - maybe a Zeitgeist sequel or prequel set in Ber or Chryssiler). At the same time, if a Wizard wants to research a spell to allow a party member to match that ability, whether for one encounter or for one action, and the answer is that it's a 7th level spell for you but possessed by a L2 opponent, that L2 opponent seems like he might be unreasonably overpowered. [/QUOTE]
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