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<blockquote data-quote="robertsconley" data-source="post: 3684370" data-attributes="member: 13383">Certainly you could do it that way. But it is not realistic and because it not realistic it is harder to play in sandbox mode. By harder I mean you have to do more as a GM to convey how things work in your world. I am not saying anything wrong with it. There are advantages to that approach.For sentient beings I use the natural social to organize my levels. A dungeon is low level because it is a guard outpost in a cavern with only regular warriors, sergeants and maybe a captain. A high level dungeon is high level because it is the primary seat of the Great Evil Lord Divolic. For animals/monster I use a basic ecology layout where the top predators are fewer in number and more scattered than their prey. And each regions has a unique mix of creatures from low to high CR. Doing this more realistically means that when a region is infested with a really high CR set of creatures it is not instant death. Sure if you pitch a tent and stay a week or two you will get hit and likely die. But if you happen to flee into the region and then leave it within a day or so. The chances are not likely that you are not going to encounter there really bad stuff. (Still a chance, there is always a chance) This is dependent on the size of the region. For example I had players wander into Dearthwood the forest supposedly infested with the dreaded Orcs. For newcomers, they first go &quot;Gee I wonder what the big deal this is a piece of cake.&quot; Then within two days or so they will encounter a hunting pary and usually vanquish it. &quot;Oh this is still a piece of cake.&quot; Then a couple of days later they will invariably run into a scouting party. Then more scouts, and then raiding bands out looking for them. And it gets worse as the Orcs zero in on the PC's location. Finally, stumbling out of the woods the PCs go &quot;I understand now.&quot;</blockquote>

[QUOTE="robertsconley, post: 3684370, member: 13383"] Certainly you could do it that way. But it is not realistic and because it not realistic it is harder to play in sandbox mode. By harder I mean you have to do more as a GM to convey how things work in your world. I am not saying anything wrong with it. There are advantages to that approach. For sentient beings I use the natural social to organize my levels. A dungeon is low level because it is a guard outpost in a cavern with only regular warriors, sergeants and maybe a captain. A high level dungeon is high level because it is the primary seat of the Great Evil Lord Divolic. For animals/monster I use a basic ecology layout where the top predators are fewer in number and more scattered than their prey. And each regions has a unique mix of creatures from low to high CR. Doing this more realistically means that when a region is infested with a really high CR set of creatures it is not instant death. Sure if you pitch a tent and stay a week or two you will get hit and likely die. But if you happen to flee into the region and then leave it within a day or so. The chances are not likely that you are not going to encounter there really bad stuff. (Still a chance, there is always a chance) This is dependent on the size of the region. For example I had players wander into Dearthwood the forest supposedly infested with the dreaded Orcs. For newcomers, they first go "Gee I wonder what the big deal this is a piece of cake." Then within two days or so they will encounter a hunting pary and usually vanquish it. "Oh this is still a piece of cake." Then a couple of days later they will invariably run into a scouting party. Then more scouts, and then raiding bands out looking for them. And it gets worse as the Orcs zero in on the PC's location. Finally, stumbling out of the woods the PCs go "I understand now." [/QUOTE]

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