Number of Characters

So one assumption that has kind of changed over time is the number of characters in play. Originally a much larger number of players was expected. Convention games often had eight or more players assumed. In the rules the notion of hirelings and henchmen was spelled out so that one player might control several characters. Of course, this notion began to fade as the game became more story and less tactically oriented. So each player focused on playing a single character. And the reality was that many gaming groups were around four or five and not seven or eight.

So what assumptions were made using the model of many characters. One is "save or die" mechanics. When you have eight characters on the field and you lose one to a "save or die" then you have lost an eighth or your capability. When you have four characters you lose one fourth of your capability. And in this situation you also have a greater chance of losing some critical ability.

In a recent battle my players fought four medusa. This meant four fortitude saves every round. My players had good saves and every one of them has a +5 Resistence item, but regardless they would have all been turned to stone simply because the odds that they role in the low single digits at least once are pretty high. If there had been eight of them they would have been more insulated against a couple bad rolls, but on the other hand they would have required more medusae (plural of medusa?) to challenge them.