While I'm all for optimized monsters and challenging BBEGs with access to the same tools the players have (I never said I wasn't, so this seems a needless strawman)...Originally Posted by tiercel
You say this as if player characters aren't supposed to be exceptional as well. That's why they get something better than the elite array, why they get actual class levels from the beginning to end of their career instead of crappy HD, why they tend to achieve their goals where others have failed, etc. A PC's character isn't just your average level 6 wizard, it's THE wizard of the campaign or module you're playing in. You're free to play differently, but the expectation remains. Just if you are going to play that way, do it with some class and not some nonsense fiat "rocks fall because muh CR" victory. Otherwise you're robbing yourself of a learning experience and players who have more to offer than just riding a railroad.
This is so asinine. The module creators (just like any DM) are susceptible to getting outplayed. That's life. The fact that they even feel the need to make this appeal shows their impotency, incredulity, and a lot of other "i" words I can think of. They could have done it honestly by giving Orcus divine ranks or epic spellcasting while strategically keeping enough XP out of the players' hands to prevent their own epic spellcasting. But no, they make a laughable attempt to encourage a DM to run what amounts to a fiat table. No dice, no fun, no tactics--just "I said so at the end of it all". The fact of the matter remains: they chose to keep his power at a certain level, and past level 17-18 there really is very little difference between one caster and another. And at those levels, combat typically hinges on a single round. You want to boo hoo about it? That's the d20 system, love it or hate it.Originally Posted by Level 15 Introduction