Randomthoughts
Adventurer
Hey, everyone. I've been lurking on the boards for a few months, but decided to finally join in the discussion.
I really like 4e (warts and all). After many years playing other non-D&D systems, I returned to D&D to run a Dark Sun campaign. I just finished a 6-session story arc and am taking a break while someone else runs Star Wars Saga Edition for a while.
Anyway, I asked my players how brutal they wanted the campaign (which raised questions about PC mortality), with the understanding that Dark Sun is pretty brutal. However, I find that campaign lethality is highly influenced by how I control the monsters. To that end, I asked the players how they felt if I used commonly-used PC tactics like focused fire.
In the end, the players were fine with PC death - and definitely wanted it as a possibility - but preferred that when it happened, it would be "meaningful". They certainly didn't want, say, a PC dying (not zero hp but actually dying) each adventure nor did they care for NPCs using focused fire each and every encounter.
I typically run monsters using some type of "AI". So zombies mindlessly rush toward the closest living thing while tembos pounce on the first target that moves, etc. PCs would encounter more effective tactics against intelligent (and combat-savvy) foes. I've never used coup de grace vs an unconscious PC (unless the monster calls for it...just haven't used one that did).
Fortunately, I find that killing a PC is a pretty difficult thing to do in 4e (in a party that actually helps each other and has some sense of tactics). But if I wanted to, in a meta game sense, I'm pretty sure I could actually kill a PC or two each adventure.
So, how do you make combat "fair" for PCs? Do you use some type of AI? Or do you go all out, using effective tactics like a player would?
I really like 4e (warts and all). After many years playing other non-D&D systems, I returned to D&D to run a Dark Sun campaign. I just finished a 6-session story arc and am taking a break while someone else runs Star Wars Saga Edition for a while.
Anyway, I asked my players how brutal they wanted the campaign (which raised questions about PC mortality), with the understanding that Dark Sun is pretty brutal. However, I find that campaign lethality is highly influenced by how I control the monsters. To that end, I asked the players how they felt if I used commonly-used PC tactics like focused fire.
In the end, the players were fine with PC death - and definitely wanted it as a possibility - but preferred that when it happened, it would be "meaningful". They certainly didn't want, say, a PC dying (not zero hp but actually dying) each adventure nor did they care for NPCs using focused fire each and every encounter.
I typically run monsters using some type of "AI". So zombies mindlessly rush toward the closest living thing while tembos pounce on the first target that moves, etc. PCs would encounter more effective tactics against intelligent (and combat-savvy) foes. I've never used coup de grace vs an unconscious PC (unless the monster calls for it...just haven't used one that did).
Fortunately, I find that killing a PC is a pretty difficult thing to do in 4e (in a party that actually helps each other and has some sense of tactics). But if I wanted to, in a meta game sense, I'm pretty sure I could actually kill a PC or two each adventure.
So, how do you make combat "fair" for PCs? Do you use some type of AI? Or do you go all out, using effective tactics like a player would?