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 My advice is never fudge a die roll.  Instead if you find your PCs are breezing through encounters realize you are either not building tough enough encounters to challenge the group or not using good enough monster tactics to challenge the group.  Either reevaluate your encounter tactics to play creatures with a decent intelligence more intelligently or just up your standard encounter level by 1.  So if they are breezing through your encounters that are designed as the same level as the PCs are.  Make the encounters PC level +1 and continue adjusting until you find the right challenge level.  PCs that find the DM is fudging critical hits against the PCs will not be too happy with said DM.  PCs that find the DM is removing the challenge from fudging away critical hits will also not perceive any real threat, and probably get more upset at the DM if he ever does TPK the party.  On the side of monster tactics if you find you are not challenging the PCs because of poor tactics quit having your intelligent monsters just stand there and swing at the defender.  Make your ranged monsters attack any "squishy" target in range without cover instead of plunking arrows at the defender.  Start using positioning to get combat advantage.  Use your encounter powers.  The PCs will generally appreciate being challenged by the challenge put infront of them.  I'm not saying you can't use "easy" encounters just realize if the PCs are breezing through encounters it is probably something you are doing other than just rolling poorly.

On the book choices I don't have the essentials player's books, but I do recommend both the monster vault and the Monster Vault: Threats to the Nentir Vale.  The nentir vale book has the monsters listed in groups that can definately be used together as well as fluff that you can use to build a campaign with.  It is my favorite of the monster books between MM1, MM2, MM3, MV, and MV:TttNV.  Oh and monster tokens come with both since I assume you do not have a collection of miniatures.  I almost like the tokens better than miniatures for non BBEG monsters.   

Jan 15, 2012 -- 11:43AM, Rakashamano wrote:

Is 5e really that far out? I'm in the same boat this guy is in but i assumed it would be sooner. I guess I'll check out this red box and subscribe.

Yeah, maybe August of 2013 at the earliest, so the Essentials books are a pretty good bet. The boxed set parts will mostly be useful with any future game (IE maps and counters and whatnot, those are always handy, as are dungeon tiles).

So Heroes of the Fallen Lands/Forgotten Kingdoms are good for player books. DM kit has a good adventure and other bits and pieces plus advice and such. Monster Vault is great. Having a Rules Compendium is handy, but not vital, you can skip that for now.

You COULD buy earlier books if you're interested enough, but frankly you can use DDI Compendium/Character Builder and pretty much have all that information. Some of the 'DM Side' supplements are fun, like the Draconomicons and Open Grave, but not at all needed. They mostly have a lot of good fun info and ideas for making your own campaigns and adventures. I especially liked Demonomicon, many fun nasty things in there, and MM3 has plenty of good monsters with some fun lore (but they are all in the Compendium and Monster Builder too).

Jan 15, 2012 -- 1:27AM, TheBozz wrote:

 My advice is never fudge a die roll.  Instead if you find your PCs are breezing through encounters realize you are either not building tough enough encounters to challenge the group or not using good enough monster tactics to challenge the group.  Either reevaluate your encounter tactics to play creatures with a decent intelligence more intelligently or just up your standard encounter level by 1.  So if they are breezing through your encounters that are designed as the same level as the PCs are.  Make the encounters PC level +1 and continue adjusting until you find the right challenge level.  PCs that find the DM is fudging critical hits against the PCs will not be too happy with said DM.  PCs that find the DM is removing the challenge from fudging away critical hits will also not perceive any real threat, and probably get more upset at the DM if he ever does TPK the party.  On the side of monster tactics if you find you are not challenging the PCs because of poor tactics quit having your intelligent monsters just stand there and swing at the defender.  Make your ranged monsters attack any "squishy" target in range without cover instead of plunking arrows at the defender.  Start using positioning to get combat advantage.  Use your encounter powers.  The PCs will generally appreciate being challenged by the challenge put infront of them.  I'm not saying you can't use "easy" encounters just realize if the PCs are breezing through encounters it is probably something you are doing other than just rolling poorly.  

This is fair enough criticism for what I typed.  I should have made it clear that fudging is something you should only rarely do.  In extreme circumstances saving a TPK of a group that is at a critical juncture of quest is something that a DM should do if possible if he can do it with stealth.  Lose a PC or two?  Possible, have all but a couple PCs go unconcious?  Sure.  Allow a TPK of fairly inexperienced group of newbies because they are just learning and made some poor choices?  To be avoided if possible.  And if your limited help isn't enough, go back and have everyone reroll new characters.

My main point with that was on occassion be willing not to be boxed in and refuse to help a well run (or learning) group of PCs get past a bout of bad luck, or your own lack of experience running a game.  If it's not the party's fault don't punish them for it.  Try and let them have fun,  if they are being stupid, let them reroll a new character.  Yes some encounters will be easy, others harder.  Luck does play a roll, but you dont always have to let an unfortunate choice of an encounter by the DM leave a bad taste in the player's mouth.  At critical times a DM can choose to "save" the party or fudge things to make it interesting enough to add a real threat of PC death.  At least he can if the players really believe that they are ones responsible for saving themselves.  And let's face it ultimately they are.  If they are playing like a idiot and ignoring good advice they deserve their fate.  Thoughtful, coachable players will usually bail themselves out, IF given a chance to do so.