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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jupp" data-source="post: 3033503" data-attributes="member: 20804">Well, first off, it should never be the DM vs. the PCs. It should be the environment vs. the PCs. That means that the DM creates the locales, monsters and NPCs according to the players level. The players should have the possibility to get help, support and information within the limits of the environment. Thus far its a cooperative game where the DM gives the players things they can work with to solve/overcome encounters. But from that point on the DM should play within the limits of the environment to make the life of the PCs a hard one (depending on the actions taken by the players, this could shift to the positive or negative side of things). The DM plays villains or general encounters according to their level, intelligence and experience. The PC's should certainly not be held by the hand through a tough encounter just so the DM can continue with his plot. If the PCs mess up and get all killed, it was probably due to something stupid they did or because they did not prepare themselves properly. Having said that, I think the players should always be aware that there are things out there in the swamp that could come and get them, fast. BUT, they should (whenever possible) have a feeling that if they get into an encounter that there is the always a victorious way out of it (at least as long as it's about the ongoing campaign/adventure). Just putting Orcus in front of their way as a keyed encounter is propably not the best route <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />No, really, no. If the PCs should run themselves into the grave then that is the way they have chosen. I as a player would be p-off if I would have the feeling that the DM did take us by the hand through a campaign. There is no reward in it and it does not create any feeling of accomplishment once the campaign is over (if I want that kind of experience I'll go read a book). Though if the party would, or is about to, fail due to a mistake by the DM (non-scaled key encounter, mistakes on the rules, etc) then I could see the DM activating the "Wand of DM failure correction +5". Because it would suck for both the players and the DM if the party dies due to a misinterpretation of the rules or something like that.As said above. It should be environment vs. the players. And at least the key encounters to finish the goal of the adventure should be scaled to the parties level. There very well can be some monsters or encounters in the area that could be way over the head of the players, but they should not be part of the ongoing adventure. The players might even have a peek at those encounters/monsters, but if they (after all the "uuuh bad munstah!" and "scores of heroes have failed to take it down! *runs away screaming*) still want to try it, play it out to the fullest, knowing that it was their choice to do it, no excuse and no mercy. So, the environment (not the DM) should certainly try to "get" the PCs, but only to a certain limit that would create a feeling of menace and "constant" danger for the PCs. They should be reasonably impressed by the next dungeon so they start to plan ahead and prepare for it before they actually enter it. They should certainly not enter it carelessly (or unprepared), fully knowing that the DM "will sure try to keep us away from any harm because he wants to tell us that cool story".Just my 0.2 cents</blockquote>

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