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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Wulf Ratbane" data-source="post: 5241199" data-attributes="member: 94">They are tough. When I finished my run as DM (which took up most of our local playtest campaign) I handed the reins over to a "newbie" DM. He found it frustrating at first trying to challenge Trailblazer PCs. Here's the advice I gave him:1) For a published module, if you need to bump the challenge, the easiest tweak is just to add more of the low-level monsters in any encounter. If the encounter calls for 6 goblins and a hobgoblin leader, use 9-12 goblins.2) Turn the mid-level monsters into Elites. If there are worgs in the group above, make them Elite. Ditto for the leader.3) Know how to run a Solo. Burn those Action Points for extra actions. Don't be afraid to give yourself bonus APs if the encounter needs them for dramatic tension.4) Know the difference between dramatic tension and screwing the players.5) Read the Encounter Budgeting section very carefully. Trailblazer PCs need to be hit harder. Adjust budgets and XP awards/advancement as indicated!6) The players want combat to feel like a roller-coaster: As close as possible to the feeling of death without actually killing you. If the sensation of risk is not genuine, the ride will suck. But actually dying really really sucks. (This is a very delicate balance that only experience can teach.)7) If the PCs are spending APs, you (the DM) are "winning."8) Convert the sense of risk away from "My PC is going to die!" to "We're ALL going to die!" While it's true that Trailblazer makes it very unlikely that you will kill any individual player, pull no punches and keep the threat of a TPK on the table at all times:9) Remember that every PC who drops makes it exponentially more likely that the entire party will lose. Just because the fighter might only be "mostly dead" at -60 hit points (yes, this happened in our game... yes, he lived...) doesn't mean the party won't crap their pants when he drops.10) Don't let the PCs abuse the 10 minute rest. The heart of that rule is simply this: The PCs get to rest when you want them to-- it just doesn't have to take a day to do it anymore. 11) Ask questions here when you need help!</blockquote>

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