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<blockquote data-quote="Shadowdweller00" data-source="post: 6960602" data-attributes="member: 6778479">Yeah, I don't often have problems with ranged attackers overpowering encounters either.&nbsp; Short encounter distance is a major component of this, but the fact of the matter is that there are a thousand and one reasons WHY many encounters occur at comparatively short distances:- Ground vegetation that completely obscures crouching or crawling enemies.- Large obstacles such as boulders, ravines, outcroppings that can provide total cover as melee combatants move closer.- Large structures such as haystacks, wagons, buildings with doors, multispace towers, ruins, obelisks- Many predators in the real world rely to varying degrees on ambush tactics.&nbsp; Many have long since adapted to the fact that if they are seen from far away, prey animals can simply avoid their general area.&nbsp; To overcome this, many predators hunt in conditions where they cannot be seen at all (total obscurement or cover in game terms).&nbsp; For example - hunting at night, lurking in murky water, dropping down from trees.&nbsp; It seems silly not to apply this principle to monsters.- Many warlike humanoids that favor melee attacks KNOW they are vulnerable to ranged weapons and plan accordingly.&nbsp; Example:&nbsp; A group of gnolls construct a barricade across the road.&nbsp; Since they realize that the barricade is visible from far away, the gnolls crouch down behind total cover and wait for prey to come close and investigate.&nbsp; Many also possess darkvision for a reason.- Very few PCs can see more than 60 feet away in dark conditions.&nbsp; Even completely discounting terrain features than provide cover or concealment,- The way I run stealth and perception in my games is such that even failing a stealth check doesn't necessarily allow the enemy to pinpoint a PC or monster's location or identify what exactly is causing the sound/glimmer/smell/shadow.&nbsp; Though it prevents surprise and may give a strong clue.&nbsp; PCs and NPCs have a much better chance to actually directly see something hiding from very short distances.&nbsp; Example:&nbsp; &quot;You hear rustling and breaking branches from somewhere to your left.&quot;&nbsp; &quot;The branches of the large tree over here seem to be moving&quot;&nbsp; &quot;You catch a momentary glimpse of a giant shape in the water around here&quot;.&nbsp; &quot;You catch the sound of whispered voices somewhere nearby.&quot;&nbsp; I do this for several reasons - not only for balance, but because it results in a much more dramatic narrative.&nbsp; - I throw in the occasional red herring, so the PCs don't waste all their limited resources blasting at every single noise or perceptual oddity they come across.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Shadowdweller00, post: 6960602, member: 6778479"] Yeah, I don't often have problems with ranged attackers overpowering encounters either. Short encounter distance is a major component of this, but the fact of the matter is that there are a thousand and one reasons WHY many encounters occur at comparatively short distances: - Ground vegetation that completely obscures crouching or crawling enemies. - Large obstacles such as boulders, ravines, outcroppings that can provide total cover as melee combatants move closer. - Large structures such as haystacks, wagons, buildings with doors, multispace towers, ruins, obelisks - Many predators in the real world rely to varying degrees on ambush tactics. Many have long since adapted to the fact that if they are seen from far away, prey animals can simply avoid their general area. To overcome this, many predators hunt in conditions where they cannot be seen at all (total obscurement or cover in game terms). For example - hunting at night, lurking in murky water, dropping down from trees. It seems silly not to apply this principle to monsters. - Many warlike humanoids that favor melee attacks KNOW they are vulnerable to ranged weapons and plan accordingly. Example: A group of gnolls construct a barricade across the road. Since they realize that the barricade is visible from far away, the gnolls crouch down behind total cover and wait for prey to come close and investigate. Many also possess darkvision for a reason. - Very few PCs can see more than 60 feet away in dark conditions. Even completely discounting terrain features than provide cover or concealment, - The way I run stealth and perception in my games is such that even failing a stealth check doesn't necessarily allow the enemy to pinpoint a PC or monster's location or identify what exactly is causing the sound/glimmer/smell/shadow. Though it prevents surprise and may give a strong clue. PCs and NPCs have a much better chance to actually directly see something hiding from very short distances. Example: "You hear rustling and breaking branches from somewhere to your left." "The branches of the large tree over here seem to be moving" "You catch a momentary glimpse of a giant shape in the water around here". "You catch the sound of whispered voices somewhere nearby." I do this for several reasons - not only for balance, but because it results in a much more dramatic narrative. - I throw in the occasional red herring, so the PCs don't waste all their limited resources blasting at every single noise or perceptual oddity they come across. [/QUOTE]

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