Quote Originally Posted by MrStabby View Post
That's a reasonable stance to take. The only thing I would add is that the DM is a also a player and a lot of DMs will create encounters of the type they like to run.

I know when I DM I like challenging fights. I like abilities on enemies that I feel will be memorable - I certainly think this motivation would lead me to create the kind of encounter you don't like.
Yes and -- I think when I run encounters that are that '1d3 kobolds in an empty field' style in a 5E D&D game, my players instinctively attempt to get through them with as few resources as possible. They'll avoid using leveled spells or 1/SR resources. It's just cantrips and weapon attacks unless I specifically tell them they won't have any more encounters. Partly that's because I've trained them to expect big lethal encounters later, but also partly I think I'm just reinforcing a natural tendency this group of people already had (and partly it's carryover from many years of 3E where there are no short rests). So if I want to give the players the chance to use their features and show off their abilities and how creatively they can use them, I have to design a battle in a space with three vertical layers, three types of environmental hazards and a wide variety of enemy types and threats, because that's the only thing that'll provoke them to actually use their abilities to the fullest.