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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Stalker0" data-source="post: 8622638" data-attributes="member: 5889">My goal is a DM is to ensure that all of my players feel "cool and special" periodically. Not every moment, some sessions it might be player A, next session player B gets the gold star, but over time all of the players get to have their moment. Now that moment can mean different things to different players, and that is a key reason why the DM is so important. Winning a combat maybe player A's favorite thing, whereas player B couldn't care less. However, player B likes to be supportive, and the moment when their buff made the difference, or their healing saved another's life...that to them is their moment.To me, balance is around two general concepts:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Hooks: Do the character classes, feats, abilities, xyz provide solid ways for me as the DM to highlight and make the player feel neat. Quick example, a fire resistant character fighting a bunch of fire dealing creatures....suddenly they are much more effective than normal and get to feel "cool and special". A monk's speed, cleric's ability to turn undead, rogue's super stealth... all are hooks that can be used in various encounters. When a concept lacks good hooks, as a DM I have to struggle to highlight the character, which is a balance concern. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The "Constant Pull": When concepts are relatively equal balancewise, then as a DM I find I can sprinkle my attention around all of the players, again using their hooks to highlight them (or hit their weaknesses to provide interesting challenge). When balance is off, you start to focus on a single character. If I feel I constantly have to work to make one character shine...then that suggests the concept is not shining enough on its own. Likewise if I start having to organize all of my combats or encounters around a single character....that suggests the concept is out of balance.</li> </ul></blockquote>

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