Pardon my intrusion. The thread is already well self-explaining and many usefula and insightful posts has been made.
Let me just add, to Charles, that AFAIK in novels it does not works like that. Take the Silmarillion. Do Beren and Luthien confront an average or young wolf?
No: they are confronted by the foulest of wolves
(Sauron , then Charcaroth IIRC) and they need the help
of Huan to fight them and in the end the power of the
Silmarils.
Low level characters are opposed by mundane and average samples of opposition (well, if a rookie hero is so smart as to challenge an average True Dragon I suppose any sensible Narrator can let him be simply Sneered to Instant Disintegration without a second thought).
Experienced heroes (like the heroes some of our campaigns are enjoying) don't bother to confront ordinary wolves or ordinary horses. They choose as opponents the World Champion of Wolves (TM) and fight him on an equal level.
So I think that AR is in the end correct in any
campaign. Just pick the level of opposition,
preparation by the adversary, support by meta-villains
(as Morgoth who pumps up a normal puppy) in order to
provide a Decent Nemesis for the Respectable Hero.
Ciao,
Gian
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