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<blockquote data-quote="jgsugden" data-source="post: 8917573" data-attributes="member: 2629">Party composition (especially with regards to what strengths the party has versus what weaknesses), player skill, environment, etc... all have a massive impact on determining how difficult an encounter will be for the PCs.&nbsp; To that end, any simple system designed to be a universal guide to balanced encounter building that provides any level of precise guidance is going to fail.For example, 2 Manticores (CR 3 each) against 5 4th level PCs is a hard encounter.&nbsp; In a dungeon, most 4th level parties will have an easy time with this combat.&nbsp; In a closed environment, they're about as tough as many CR 2 beaters.However, if you put those Manticores out hunting on a massive plain and the PCs in question have no ranged attacks that can go beyond 80, that Hard encounter can be impossible.&nbsp; The Manticores fly faster than PCs move, they get 48 ranged attacks without possibility of counterattack (6 per turn at +5 for ~7.7, or about 23 damage actually dealt per round with AC 17 being typical) and then can close in for melee combat to finish off the remaining PCs if there are any still standing.&nbsp; While not brain trusts, they should be smart and wise enough to kill off healers first if they see healing magic.&nbsp; This hard encounter rises to a likely TPK against that group.To that end: A simple encounter design system is best, but you need to supplement it by thinking through likely first rounds of combat to make sure the PCs are well situated ... if you can to balance for the party.&nbsp; Which I don't.&nbsp; I create a world and let the PCs explore it.&nbsp; They have to be careful about encountering something beyond what they can handle.&nbsp; I put those threats in the world and they need to use their scouting, intelligence and guile to make sure they don't get in over their head.&nbsp; Their PCs live in a world with fearsome monsters - and the risk that they might encounter one before they are ready for it if they are not careful gives the setting more weight, realism and thrills.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="jgsugden, post: 8917573, member: 2629"] Party composition (especially with regards to what strengths the party has versus what weaknesses), player skill, environment, etc... all have a massive impact on determining how difficult an encounter will be for the PCs. To that end, any simple system designed to be a universal guide to balanced encounter building that provides any level of precise guidance is going to fail. For example, 2 Manticores (CR 3 each) against 5 4th level PCs is a hard encounter. In a dungeon, most 4th level parties will have an easy time with this combat. In a closed environment, they're about as tough as many CR 2 beaters. However, if you put those Manticores out hunting on a massive plain and the PCs in question have no ranged attacks that can go beyond 80, that Hard encounter can be impossible. The Manticores fly faster than PCs move, they get 48 ranged attacks without possibility of counterattack (6 per turn at +5 for ~7.7, or about 23 damage actually dealt per round with AC 17 being typical) and [I]then[/I] can close in for melee combat to finish off the remaining PCs if there are any still standing. While not brain trusts, they should be smart and wise enough to kill off healers first if they see healing magic. This hard encounter rises to a likely TPK against that group. To that end: A simple encounter design system is best, but you need to supplement it by thinking through likely first rounds of combat to make sure the PCs are well situated ... [I]if[/I] you can to balance for the party. Which I don't. I create a world and let the PCs explore it. They have to be careful about encountering something beyond what they can handle. I put those threats in the world and they need to use their scouting, intelligence and guile to make sure they don't get in over their head. Their PCs live in a world with fearsome monsters - and the risk that they might encounter one before they are ready for it if they are not careful gives the setting more weight, realism and thrills. [/QUOTE]

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