Comments on: Impossible to Beat http://dndnerd.com/impossible-to-beat Ramblings of a Nerd who likes to play D&D Thu, 09 Sep 2010 03:43:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Xaotik1 http://dndnerd.com/impossible-to-beat/comment-page-1#comment-13902 Xaotik1 Fri, 15 May 2009 20:22:05 +0000 http://dndnerd.com/?p=184#comment-13902 I beg to differ. Not every person they get in a fight with will be beatable, nor will they always succeed in everything they do. A character with a climb skill of 3 will NEVER be able to climb mount Everest, nor could a 6 year old defeat a trained soldier in hand to hand. Some things just don't turn out the way you want em to, regardless of how hard you try. Make them work for their rewards, they will appreciate them more. The players have to choose their battles wisely. At lower levels, characters should FREQUENTLY run into things they can't fight, and find traps they can't disarm, locks that they can't pick, etc. That's the whole incentive they have to gain levels in the first place. Otherwise why bother even having the level system to begin with? Tease them, taunt them, give them something to strive for. . . I don't care how many times you bash your fist against a 3 inch thick piece of armor plate,you will NEVER get through it that way. Use the impossible to force the to think of other ways to accomplish the same goal. Door won't open? Passwall the wall, con the doorman, knock politely and push in once someone who CAN open it does so. Can't climb that wall? Get a fly spell. Spider climb is nice. Hammer and a chisel takes a while, but usually works for making hand and foot holds. Force them to think and not just bash or use the simplest means to an end. If you are worried about injuring the players feelings, fine, be a softie and always let them win. . .of course, that is about as much fun and as challenging as using a q-tip to clean your ears, but hell, no hurt feelings. Personally, I find that the players have a LOT more fun when things are challenging. Ya, a few die here and there, but thus it is with the life of an adventurer. If you consistently throw yourself into danger, you can expect to eventually feel the sting of failure. I beg to differ. Not every person they get in a fight with will be beatable, nor will they always succeed in everything they do. A character with a climb skill of 3 will NEVER be able to climb mount Everest, nor could a 6 year old defeat a trained soldier in hand to hand. Some things just don’t turn out the way you want em to, regardless of how hard you try. Make them work for their rewards, they will appreciate them more.

The players have to choose their battles wisely. At lower levels, characters should FREQUENTLY run into things they can’t fight, and find traps they can’t disarm, locks that they can’t pick, etc. That’s the whole incentive they have to gain levels in the first place. Otherwise why bother even having the level system to begin with? Tease them, taunt them, give them something to strive for. . .

I don’t care how many times you bash your fist against a 3 inch thick piece of armor plate,you will NEVER get through it that way. Use the impossible to force the to think of other ways to accomplish the same goal. Door won’t open? Passwall the wall, con the doorman, knock politely and push in once someone who CAN open it does so. Can’t climb that wall? Get a fly spell. Spider climb is nice. Hammer and a chisel takes a while, but usually works for making hand and foot holds. Force them to think and not just bash or use the simplest means to an end.

If you are worried about injuring the players feelings, fine, be a softie and always let them win. . .of course, that is about as much fun and as challenging as using a q-tip to clean your ears, but hell, no hurt feelings. Personally, I find that the players have a LOT more fun when things are challenging. Ya, a few die here and there, but thus it is with the life of an adventurer. If you consistently throw yourself into danger, you can expect to eventually feel the sting of failure.

]]> By: Grizz http://dndnerd.com/impossible-to-beat/comment-page-1#comment-8175 Grizz Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:41:48 +0000 http://dndnerd.com/?p=184#comment-8175 PS. also make sure to roll the dice and pause before the second effect, so the players think it was chance they were unlucky, and you are not just scripting it. ;-) PS. also make sure to roll the dice and pause before the second effect, so the players think it was chance they were unlucky, and you are not just scripting it. ;-)

]]> By: Grizz http://dndnerd.com/impossible-to-beat/comment-page-1#comment-8174 Grizz Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:39:53 +0000 http://dndnerd.com/?p=184#comment-8174 You make some interesting points. Usually I will reward the player with natural resist by giving them something before hitting them with the effect again and crossing my fingers they do not repeat history. Such rewards could be with items: You managed to avoid my impossibly huge pit trap, and notice a bag of coins wedged near the wall you sprung to. After pocketing the bag you fall into an adjacent hole. Or you resist the 's sleep spell, and get a couple kills in before another one lands another sleep spell on you. (in this case the reward is bonus XP) You make some interesting points. Usually I will reward the player with natural resist by giving them something before hitting them with the effect again and crossing my fingers they do not repeat history.

Such rewards could be with items: You managed to avoid my impossibly huge pit trap, and notice a bag of coins wedged near the wall you sprung to. After pocketing the bag you fall into an adjacent hole.

Or you resist the ’s sleep spell, and get a couple kills in before another one lands another sleep spell on you. (in this case the reward is bonus XP)

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