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I recently played in an adventure where the DM interpreted 'take AL damage' as rolling for damage as if it (an environmental effect) were a creature of the AL level using the creature damage table in the DMG.

I was under the impression when I run that 'take AL damage' as a result of a creature ability or environmental effect meant a character would take 4 damage for AL level 4, 6 for AL 6, 10 for AL 10, and so on...

I'm pretty sure the second interpretation is correct as the first is really brutal, but I thought I'd ask to see what most interprete this phrase to mean. Or perhaps get an official clarification. I didn't want to get into a big argument with the DM but he was taking what was what I believe to be hindering environmental effect and nearly wiping us off the map with it before we could do anything.

I agree with MwaO. 

If nothing else, LFR modules are written in a way that any information other than what could be found in the PHB are in the module -- they don't assume that the DM will have immediate access to a DMG to look something like that up.  If the intent was to use the sort of info that's in the DMG, it would actually be in the module itself.

In adventures where it says AL damage, AL is being used as a variable that means that value which is equal to the AL. In other words, if its AL 4, take 4 points. Your DM misinterpreted the intent.

Somebody Official.

Aug 1, 2012 -- 1:19PM, Sartredes wrote:

Thanks. I was pretty confident in that interpretation and would have used it when I run adventures. It's nice to be able to direct him to this, though.

Any chance you can say what adventure it was? I just want to know if I should add this to the "wording I've screwed up and need to not screw up again" list (I usually try to phrase it "take damage equal to the AL")...

A lot of the newer adventures use the AL mechanic, so it's a good idea to make sure your group understands it. (i.e. It will come up again.)

If a trap has an attack vs. reflex that is AL+3 and the PCs are playing at AL 12, then the trap attacks at +15 vs. reflex. Basically, whenever you see "AL" just replace it with the number of the AL the PCs are playing.