The worst overestimation of party strength I've ever seen was from a novice DM with whom I once played. He had long been a player but wanted a go at DMing.
Now, we had 2e Skills and Powers and Combat and Tactics, so needlessly to say we could've wiped the floor with the average 1st level party. I can't remember exactly what we were, but I think that there was a Fighter, a Fire Elementalist (from Tome and Blood- played by myself) and a couple of others.
First Encounter: An ogre. Well, normally this would scare a 1st level party and perhaps a casualty. We slaughtered it. So the DM decided to up the stake.
Second Encounter: Two ogres and an ogre mage. We virtually turned white. His first question: 'How much damage does a Cone of Cold do?'
The campaign ended soon afterwards.
Now, we had 2e Skills and Powers and Combat and Tactics, so needlessly to say we could've wiped the floor with the average 1st level party. I can't remember exactly what we were, but I think that there was a Fighter, a Fire Elementalist (from Tome and Blood- played by myself) and a couple of others.
First Encounter: An ogre. Well, normally this would scare a 1st level party and perhaps a casualty. We slaughtered it. So the DM decided to up the stake.
Second Encounter: Two ogres and an ogre mage. We virtually turned white. His first question: 'How much damage does a Cone of Cold do?'
The campaign ended soon afterwards.