Players: status quo or tailored?

[Quasqueton]

Players, do you prefer to play in status quo campaigns or tailored campaigns (as described in the DMG)?

Quasqueton

 

[TerraDave]

Care to remind everybody what the diference is?

 

[freebfrost]

Can you give a bit more detail on this one? Off-hand I'm not entirely sure what you mean (and I don't have my DMG at work).

 

[Quasqueton]

I don't have the DMG in front of me, so here is a simplified example:

A dragon lives in the cave north of the city. The dragon is CR 15 regardless of the level or presence of the PCs. -- Status quo.

A dragon lives in the cave north of the city. The dragon's CR depends on the level of the PCs. -- Tailored.

Quasqueton

 

[freebfrost]

Aha.

I voted for other simply because I use elements of both styles when I DM.

For example, that CR15 dragon is a great creature for low level parties. It is a perfect example of something too tough for them to defeat outright by might of arms, but makes a perfect encounter for roleplaying. Perhaps they need to parlay with the dragon or otherwise seek its help. Perhaps they need to "defeat" it by other means. At the very least, it is a reminder that sometimes it is best to not take the direct approach, or barring that, knowing when to run!

Now, I could see myself adjusting that encounter if the party decides to go attack it 5 years later when they are 18th level - after all the dragon probably has advanced a bit too, right?

So, depending on how the "feeling" of the encounter is for my group, I can go either way.

As for playing, I prefer it that way too.

 

[the Jester]

Status quo, please. Otherwise my suspension of disbelief takes a big hit.

 

[Mercule]

I very much prefer status quo as a player.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I said tailored simply because I think that is more important than status quo. A mix is preferable, but mostly tailored would make for more fun, IMO. It might make sense for the dragon to be a great wyrm, and for the local bandits to be led by an ogre barbarian 5 levels above me, and for all sorts of things. But, you still have to have the main adventures revolve around appropriately challenging encounters or you'll end up scared of your own shadow - not the adventures that I prefer, personally.

 

[Umbran]

Either or both, depending upon the feel of the specifc game.

 

[Crothian]

Status Quo, the players are not the center of the game and should not be tailored to as such