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<blockquote data-quote="CleverNickName" data-source="post: 7596772" data-attributes="member: 50987">I think it's shorthand for &quot;challenge the numbers written on the character sheet.&quot;Say, if I needed to challenge our 10th level Barbarian (half-orc berserker, melee build, low Int and Cha), I would set up an adventure specifically tailored to her strengths and weaknesses as they appear on the character sheet.&nbsp; The dungeon would have small rooms and tight quarters, it would feature at least one type of monster with an &quot;aura&quot; effect on adjacent foes, and I'd maybe sprinkle in a few spellcasters or fiends that can use mind-control or illusion magic.&nbsp; I'd mix it up with a magical trap that targets Intelligence, and maybe include a social encounter with an NPC or two.&nbsp; Then, after what would no doubt be frustrating couple of hours for our Barbarian, I'd make sure that the final boss monster is the perfect opponent for her: fun to fight in melee, all alone in a giant arena, with a variety of healing abilities to keep it upright and dangerous well into Round 10, when the rest of the party has tired out but the barbarian is still swinging.&nbsp; You know...give that 10th level barbarian a chance to shine while the rest of the party looks on in awe.There's a difference between &quot;challenging the character&quot; and &quot;sabotage,&quot; though.&nbsp; The goal isn't to humiliate the barbarian for hours and then finally throw her a bone; that's just bad DMing.&nbsp;&nbsp; No, the goal is to frustrate the player just enough to goad them into a frenzy, make them crave action.&nbsp; Then when she finally gets to that boss battle, the player should be roaring with glee as she finally gets to take the spotlight and save the day.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="CleverNickName, post: 7596772, member: 50987"] I think it's shorthand for "challenge the numbers written on the character sheet." Say, if I needed to challenge our 10th level Barbarian (half-orc berserker, melee build, low Int and Cha), I would set up an adventure specifically tailored to her strengths and weaknesses as they appear on the character sheet. The dungeon would have small rooms and tight quarters, it would feature at least one type of monster with an "aura" effect on adjacent foes, and I'd maybe sprinkle in a few spellcasters or fiends that can use mind-control or illusion magic. I'd mix it up with a magical trap that targets Intelligence, and maybe include a social encounter with an NPC or two. Then, after what would no doubt be frustrating couple of hours for our Barbarian, I'd make sure that the final boss monster is the [I]perfect[/I] opponent for her: fun to fight in melee, all alone in a giant arena, with a variety of healing abilities to keep it upright and dangerous well into Round 10, when the rest of the party has tired out but the barbarian is still swinging. You know...give that 10th level barbarian a chance to shine while the rest of the party looks on in awe. There's a difference between "challenging the character" and "sabotage," though. The goal isn't to humiliate the barbarian for hours and then finally throw her a bone; that's just bad DMing. No, the goal is to frustrate the player just enough to goad them into a frenzy, make them crave action. Then when she finally gets to that boss battle, the player should be roaring with glee as she finally gets to take the spotlight and save the day. [/QUOTE]

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