Comments on: Howling Tower: Taking Players Outside Their Comfort Zones

By: Charles Lee Carrier

Charles Lee Carrier — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 18:07:55 +0000

In my game, I try to steer players away from using monsters as characters (I have a pretty “humanoid-centric” world) but I let them play any character class. Therefore I try to make sure to provide encounters that test the strengths and weaknesses of every class. SInce I let them be anything, it is my duty to be prepared for anything.

Of course, since I only have five players right now, I only have to be prepared for five flavors of “anything” at any given time.

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 02:53:45 +0000

Are players really worried about being "balanced" against the GM? I think players are worried about their character being balanced against the other characters. There is a very reasonable fear of ending up BMX Bandit to another player's Angel Summoner. Or the balance isn't about raw usefulness, but in interestingness: A fighter in earlier editoins of D&D was still important at higher levels, but round after round of "I attack again" isn't nearly as cool as the wizard dropping a massive spell. The issues of specialization and challenge seem different from what most players are talking about when they're unhappy with the "balance." When players don't like the challenge, or feel their specialization was unreasonably undercut, I tend to hear complaints not of balance, but of "fairness."

By: mike

mike — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 17:34:55 +0000

I agree, push the characters limits occasionally. One of the “drawbacks” of 3.5/pathfinder is the idea that enounters should be balanced. This leads to an expectation that the characters will always be able to handle things and boredom can soon set in. A little danger goes a long way.

By: François Laberge

François Laberge — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 16:09:01 +0000

I would add that a good way to slam new situation at your players is to give them good hints that the situation is comming. If the player start facing monsters with resistance they’ll figure that some might be immune to they best spell, if they receive info about a place where all the hallway are made of unstable rope they might discover the’ll need some balance or reflexe saves… Much of the problem of harmony (let’s keep the music playing) comes not because of the situation but because of how this situation is introduce.

By: Tom Coenen

Tom Coenen — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 09:29:28 +0000

Steve, At lower levels I give characters encounters they are specialized for.
When they reach higher levels I throw more challenging encounters their way.
At higher levels they should have enough options and power.