Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ringmaster 04-12-04, 11:37 AM	I've been playing in a campaign for a while in which the charcaters have progressed nicely to 13th level, and we've been rotating DMs. I have had an idea for a game that I wanted to run for a while, but although I am a seasoned storyteller, I do not have the intimate knowledge of D&D that these players have. The group finally conceded to letting me try my hand at running these characters, but I'm having trouble keeping the challenge level high enough in my combat scenarios. I have put a great deal of work into crafting a story with organic opponents, so I'm not interested in simply pumping up the abilities of the monster to silly levels, which I have nearly done already, or throwing "unique" creatures at them, of which the players are probably intimately familiar through their extensive reading. What I really need is a primer (or more) on effective combat as a DM. As a single player advancing a character through levels, it's fairly easy to master combat abilities, since there are a finite set of powers with which to become familiar. But as a DM, I have to change abilities and tactics during each combat session, and run more than one creature, possibly each one different. This becomes especially difficult when the characters are of such high level that every encounter becomes child's play. It's frustrating both as a DM who can't present a challenge and as a player who slices through these seemingly challenging creatures like butter. There must be some advice that well-worn DMs can provide to make sure that my 7th-level Cleric Umber Hulk doesn't die in the second round of combat, making it an encounter worthy of the treasure provided. While asking this question I'm reminded of one of the more interesting features of good cryptography - Even if your enemy knows the algorithm of your encryption, the nature of the algorithm should be such that this knowledge doesn't help him decrypt your secret messages. Likewise, helpful suggestions that address my problem will not include a gimmick that I can only use once or twice, because when the players learn it they will be wise to it. For example, genuine mix-n-match tactics that will keep the session interesting would not include "just give all of the opponents Rings of Blink (or the like)". For one thing, it's a cheesy gimmick that I wouldn't be able to use in my next encounter. For another, the players then end up with those items, which complicates future encounters even more. Maybe if I give you an example- I have an encounter planned for our next session that uses Black Pudding in the decrepit kitchen of an ancient prison. How can I make an encounter with Black Pudding in such a locale more tactically interesting? Is there some location-based tweak I can use to give my monster the edge? Is there a strategy I can use that might let my monster survive the inevitable 13th level magical onslaught? Any ideas? Please help!
Seeker95 04-12-04, 12:20 PM	Couple of suggestions. First, play your 7th level cleric umber hulk like a player character. This means playing for survival. Play to win. You've already stacked the deck against the umber hulk by making it 7th level against a 13th level party. At least let the NPC play the same game as the PCs. Second, use feats like Leadership to create a legitimate opponent. A 7th level cleric of any deity is going to want to represent that deity effectively. The umber hulk might have a cohort that also worships the same deity. The two of them together create a more memorable encounter. Third, related to the black pudding. If it is a monster food product in a kitchen, go with the imagery even further. Has the black pudding survived multiple encounters in the past? If so, perhaps it has been split into more than one, and these separated puddings have grown in size as they feasted upon the opponents that did not survive. A black pudding also dissolves metal very easily. Just as a rust monster, perhaps the budding goes for the most metal-wearing opponents first? And what happens if the metal equipment hanging from the ceiling begins to fall as the hooks upon which it is hung dissolves? The questions you are asking indicate that you have already given a great deal of thought to this. I suspect you will do fine. The DM is not the enemy of the players, but his NPCs are the enemies of the PCs. Play the NPCs as effectively as you would play a PC. Your players will thank you after they finally win.