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I am making a game with the basic RPG elements: levels, xp, items, currency, stats, spells and monsters. The only different thing is that the player doesn't have hitpoints, you can't die. It's a simple game where you basically just kill and farm monsters.

Now a problem I'm facing right now is "content restriction". I don't want my players to skip the low-level monsters simply because they can't die by the high-level ones. So how can I achieve this?

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    \$\begingroup\$ You can make level 2 monsters 50% resistant to damage and level 3 ones 100% resistant \$\endgroup\$ – Lighthink Aug 16 '14 at 14:24
  • \$\begingroup\$ I agree with Lighthink just make it so that the player can only inflict damage on 1-2 levels higher than themselves \$\endgroup\$ – That Homeless Guy Aug 16 '14 at 14:28
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    \$\begingroup\$ This is an interesting question. But as you've phrased it, it's almost entirely opinion-oriented (and thus inappropriate for this site), since your question already lists reasonable answers and asks which one you should use (which doesn't really have an objective answer). The question of how each of those methods might impact the gameplay is potentially on-topic, but should really be one question for each type of restriction. \$\endgroup\$ – Josh Aug 16 '14 at 18:05
  • \$\begingroup\$ (I think the most direct way to make this question on-topic for this site is to remove the list of suggested restrictions from the question itself and make the question entirely about ways to deal with gating players that cannot die.) \$\endgroup\$ – Josh Aug 16 '14 at 18:06
  • \$\begingroup\$ Giving monsters health regen would apply the kind of limits you want without being as hardline as a level-based restriction. \$\endgroup\$ – Will Feb 14 '17 at 1:27
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I think you should use something more natural.. give the players goals (quests) they need to accomplish in order to proceed. The goals will implicitly require the players to kill monsters in order to progress to higher level areas. So yes organically restrict higher level zones by making the player progress to them by completing quests.

Another option I suggest is to make monsters run away if they don't get killed quickly enough so players will know a high level monsters is not a likely target and focus on lower levels until they are able to take it down quickly. This will give a sense of urgency to battle which is missing when the play cannot lose.

Give players new weapons and tools that make higher level monsters more attractive. Make the best XP - per - second area a same level area. The players can kill higher level monsters but it will lower their xp - per - second. Later give them a weapon that makes higher level an easier and more profitable target because they can farm more xp that way.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I really like that run-away mechanic =) \$\endgroup\$ – Patrick Hughes Aug 18 '14 at 1:22
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I dont think the question should be "How to force players" but rather, "how to make very appealing to players" to kill low level monsters. The more natural and logical way it is, the better.

You could take example of the pokemon series (I personally think, its one of the best RPGs ever made). You couldnt die. You would be just moved to nearest center (that is similar).

You wanted to kill low level monsters to advance your pokemons and thus allowing take down the big boss and gain badge (story goal motivation). You wanted to "catch them all" including the low level ones (collection motivation). And lastly you needed a skill to advance (cut, swim...). Those are hard limitation (unlock restriction motivation), plus you could visit previously inaccessible areas for big rewards, you can go as far as make visible big shiny swords across a obstacle.
To break it down: you want to kill small ones, to kill the big one and get "key" to next area, all appearing natural and very RPG. You could hide it just as you suggested - give boss hp regen as dps check.

So, actually best is combination - hard restriction between big zones (acts) while soft ones inside it (gaining strength to kill final boss and unlock new act, collections, sets,...).

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  • \$\begingroup\$ They don't call it dying but it's effectively similar to the dying mechanic in other games. Your pokemon "faint" when they run out of hit points, When all of them faint you "black out" lose money (in the earlier games it was a lot of money, enough to encourage reloading your last save) and get sent back to the previous (not nearest) pokemon center. \$\endgroup\$ – Peter Green Oct 6 '17 at 16:49
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You say you have spells. If they gain these through levels, you can provide skill barriers in the world that require higher level spells to overcome.

To borrow a trope, build in several "repair broken bridge" spells.

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