Modified Rolls - Balance in RPGs

Ever feel like you're in a fight that there's no chance you can win? Maybe it's the dice betraying you or maybe it was a hint that you weren't supposed to pick that fight (yet or maybe ever).  Balance in RPGs is an expectation that both players and GM need to communicate clearly during a session or campaign.  Sometimes imbalanced encounters function as "gates" to areas you shouldn't explore yet, other times they're purposefully overwhelming but provide alternate win conditions or survival is the victory itself.  Some games have designed "balance" in bestiaries, stat blocks, or just vague power levels, while others are entirely narrative and the concept of balance is part of the conversation. 

 

Key takeaway from this episode: Games don't need to be balanced, but obstacles do need to be appropriately communicated so the goal is clear to the players.

 

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Music in the episode:

Endless Space by WinnieTheMoog
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9772-endless-space
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist website: https://linktr.ee/taigasoundprod

Rock Guitar Intro 13 by TaigaSoundProd
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9744-rock-guitar-intro-13
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist website: https://linktr.ee/taigasoundprod

The March Of The Final Battle by MusicLFiles
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/8117-the-march-of-the-final-battle
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist website: https://cemmusicproject.wixsite.com/musiclibraryfiles