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<blockquote data-quote="Remathilis" data-source="post: 4776261" data-attributes="member: 7635">Isn't the inherent question: what level/power is Smaug when the PCs meet him and when is that determined?One way to do it is to state &quot;a powerful dragon lives in mountain X.&quot; and leave it at that. How powerful? In relation to a commoner, a wyrmling is powerful. A great wyrm is powerful to epic demigod PCs. You leave it vague so that whenever the PCs decide to investigate Smaug, he will be suitable powerful for them to face. That doesn't change the fact that &quot;a powerful dragon&quot; is in them there hills. Only how powerful. The other is to decide at the time of world-building Smaug is a ancient red dragon (with stats appropriate) and remains so no matter at what point the PCs meet him. A first level PC might sneak in, see the dragon, and then run (or more likely be noticed by the dragon's blindsense and barbecued by his breath weapon before he could run). Tailored vs. Status Quo. Both can handle sandboxes (here is a map. X is here, Y is there, and Z hides over there) but one is balanced so that the PCs can explore it and face level appropriate challenges and treasure, the other is a game of DM-may-I. (&quot;DM, may I explore the lost city of Wyrmgate?&quot; &quot;You may, but its full of EL +9 monsters.&quot; &quot;Thank you. I'll go hunt orcs in the lowlands instead.&quot;)</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Remathilis, post: 4776261, member: 7635"] Isn't the inherent question: what level/power is Smaug when the PCs meet him and when is that determined? One way to do it is to state "a powerful dragon lives in mountain X." and leave it at that. How powerful? In relation to a commoner, a wyrmling is powerful. A great wyrm is powerful to epic demigod PCs. You leave it vague so that whenever the PCs decide to investigate Smaug, he will be suitable powerful for them to face. That doesn't change the fact that "a powerful dragon" is in them there hills. Only how powerful. The other is to decide at the time of world-building Smaug is a ancient red dragon (with stats appropriate) and remains so no matter at what point the PCs meet him. A first level PC might sneak in, see the dragon, and then run (or more likely be noticed by the dragon's blindsense and barbecued by his breath weapon before he could run). Tailored vs. Status Quo. Both can handle sandboxes (here is a map. X is here, Y is there, and Z hides over there) but one is balanced so that the PCs can explore it and face level appropriate challenges and treasure, the other is a game of DM-may-I. ("DM, may I explore the lost city of Wyrmgate?" "You may, but its full of EL +9 monsters." "Thank you. I'll go hunt orcs in the lowlands instead.") [/QUOTE]

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