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Similarities 4E PF2?
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<blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 7636550" data-attributes="member: 12731"><p>Sure, when you put it that way.</p><p></p><p>But let me ask you: which is more fun</p><p>a) a combat encounter that might take a long time to resolve but never feels dangerous and never could pose a threat</p><p>b) a combat encounter which inadvertently turns out to be impossibly hard; monster AC you can't hit, special attacks you can't defend against</p><p>or c) a combat encounter that's challenging but not too challenging, so you actually have a reason to deploy your abilities in smart ways and are encouraged to actually team-work to make the sum of your party greater than its parts</p><p></p><p>In other words, are we maybe talking about different things?</p><p></p><p>Giving the DM accurate tools is one thing. Either you control the environment so you can predict the party's status at any given point (control rest and healing), or assume a fully rested party for any given encounter (the encounter-based balancing approach).</p><p></p><p>But that's separate from setting up frustration by always keeping the heroes on the verge of failing - that's the issue of pacing the challenge.</p><p></p><p>Indeed, if every encounter tests the heroes to the max, yes you'll get the sensation of "one single mistake and we're done for" (cue the Fantasy F*cking Vietnam role-playing joke).</p><p></p><p>But if anything, accurate balancing makes it *easier* to vary the challenge, not harder.</p><p></p><p>Remember all of that takes place behind the DM screen. As a player you shouldn't deny the DM good tools just because you want to live in a bubble of illusion the great game you're in came together just by accident.</p><p></p><p>All that means is you prefer to play with a master DM who has internalized all the DM know-how.</p><p></p><p>That does not bring new gamers into the hobby. In fact, it would mark you out as a grumpy old grognard, and their time is... well not now [emoji39]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CapnZapp, post: 7636550, member: 12731"] Sure, when you put it that way. But let me ask you: which is more fun a) a combat encounter that might take a long time to resolve but never feels dangerous and never could pose a threat b) a combat encounter which inadvertently turns out to be impossibly hard; monster AC you can't hit, special attacks you can't defend against or c) a combat encounter that's challenging but not too challenging, so you actually have a reason to deploy your abilities in smart ways and are encouraged to actually team-work to make the sum of your party greater than its parts In other words, are we maybe talking about different things? Giving the DM accurate tools is one thing. Either you control the environment so you can predict the party's status at any given point (control rest and healing), or assume a fully rested party for any given encounter (the encounter-based balancing approach). But that's separate from setting up frustration by always keeping the heroes on the verge of failing - that's the issue of pacing the challenge. Indeed, if every encounter tests the heroes to the max, yes you'll get the sensation of "one single mistake and we're done for" (cue the Fantasy F*cking Vietnam role-playing joke). But if anything, accurate balancing makes it *easier* to vary the challenge, not harder. Remember all of that takes place behind the DM screen. As a player you shouldn't deny the DM good tools just because you want to live in a bubble of illusion the great game you're in came together just by accident. All that means is you prefer to play with a master DM who has internalized all the DM know-how. That does not bring new gamers into the hobby. In fact, it would mark you out as a grumpy old grognard, and their time is... well not now [emoji39] [/QUOTE]
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