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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Bullgrit" data-source="post: 5705435" data-attributes="member: 31216">Here's something to consider:Are we seeing that the Tomb *is* actually ruthlessly lethal? We've seen some traps/tricks that aren't lethal at all -- the idiot mist, the stripping arch, the sex change arch, the weakness gas, the false crypt cave in, etc.We've seen some traps/tricks that can be lethal if the damage builds up -- the zapping secret doors, the spear false doors, the exploding altar, plus the combats, etc.We've seen some traps that can be lethal if a victim fails an arguably easy saving throw -- poison spike pit traps, etc.And we've seen a few traps that can be lethal depending on DM interpretation:- the tilting corridor into the fire -- the victim(s) can potentially retreat after they discover the danger and before it's too late.- the green slime tapestry -- the victim(s) have to be holding the tapestry at the right moment, (and even then there's a 25% chance of the trap not happening).- this juggernaut -- does it keep moving forward, or does it retreat?And we've seen at least one trap that definitely is lethal -- the great green devil sphere of annihilation.Now, I'm not saying the Tomb can not be deadly, that it's just a cake walk. Many PCs can and have died in the Tomb. But from what I'm seeing so far, it looks more like how "ruthless" the Tomb is relies more on how ruthless the DM wants to interpret the text, and wants the Tomb to be.Take this juggernaut, for instance. The text is so vague that different competent DMs can come to very different interpretations of how the trap works. If one DM wants this trap to be ruthlessly lethal, he can rule the juggernaut keeps moving forward, and a TPK can result. If another DM doesn't feel especially ruthless, he can rule the juggernaut returns to its room after each roll out, and there might not be any death at all from this trap. Neither of these interpretations are definitely wrong, by the text as written. And then there's ruling on where the sleep gas is, and where/when it is triggered. What I'm seeing, so far, with the Tomb of Horrors, is that its ruthlessness is very dependent on the individual DM. This a good thing because each home group's play experience in the Tomb can be very different, depending on the DM's (and Players') personal style. This is a benefit for hobby games.This is a bad thing because each tournament table group's play experience in the Tomb can be very different, depending on the DM's (and Players') personal style. This is a detriment to organized/judged/scored games.Bullgrit</blockquote>

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