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<blockquote data-quote="Gentlegamer" data-source="post: 5045301" data-attributes="member: 2425">Obviously our hypothetical encounter is lacking important context and detail. A good DM gives clues that can be picked up on by the players; part of &quot;superior play&quot; is interpreting and reacting to these clues appropriately. There is no real game in placing the characters in no-chance, insta-kill situations; however, I would suggest that many times if the situation seems that way it is because the players missed some clues or didn't consider other alternatives for &quot;resolving&quot; the matter, at least in regard to their characters' lives.As an aside, isn't there a rather powerful surprise encounter with a comparatively powerful dragon at the moathouse in Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil?Well, for example, if you're a 5th level party exploring the 15th dungeon level, you ought to be kicking yourself for ignoring the advice your meta-game knowledge suggests be followed. <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&nbsp; &nbsp; :)"&nbsp; data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />I don't know what levels Bilbo and Smaug were, but their encounter suggests alternatives to instant TPK for player characters and a dragon of disparate power level.As noted, our hypothetical encounter with a powerful dragon is lacking in greater context, but if the party knows they are going on an expedition against one, perhaps (for example) they should first embark on a side quest to obtain an arrow of dragon slaying first. Just in case. <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&nbsp; &nbsp; :)"&nbsp; data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Players who have fun being challenged will flock to the &quot;tough&quot; DM. The others will schedule games of Candyland, at least until their skill improves at keeping the game &quot;balanced&quot; to their taste, regardless of potential bait the DM dangles out there. <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&nbsp; &nbsp; :)"&nbsp; data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />I'm glad you see my point. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue&nbsp; &nbsp; :p"&nbsp; data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />Do you want a game where victory through combat is always the &quot;reasonably safe&quot; fallback option? Why or why not?</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Gentlegamer, post: 5045301, member: 2425"] Obviously our hypothetical encounter is lacking important context and detail. A good DM gives clues that can be picked up on by the players; part of "superior play" is interpreting and reacting to these clues appropriately. There is no real game in placing the characters in no-chance, insta-kill situations; however, I would suggest that many times if the situation seems that way it is because the players missed some clues or didn't consider other alternatives for "resolving" the matter, at least in regard to their characters' lives. As an aside, isn't there a rather powerful surprise encounter with a comparatively powerful dragon at the moathouse in [I]Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil[/I]? Well, for example, if you're a 5th level party exploring the 15th dungeon level, you ought to be kicking yourself for ignoring the advice your meta-game knowledge suggests be followed. :) I don't know what levels Bilbo and Smaug were, but their encounter suggests alternatives to instant TPK for player characters and a dragon of disparate power level. As noted, our hypothetical encounter with a powerful dragon is lacking in greater context, but if the party knows they are going on an expedition against one, perhaps (for example) they should first embark on a side quest to obtain an [I]arrow of dragon slaying[/I] first. Just in case. :) Players who have fun being challenged will flock to the "tough" DM. The others will schedule games of [I]Candyland[/I], at least until their skill improves at keeping the game "balanced" to their taste, regardless of potential bait the DM dangles out there. :) I'm glad you see my point. :p Do you want a game where victory through combat is always the "reasonably safe" fallback option? Why or why not? [/QUOTE]

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