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*Pathfinder & Starfinder
High-Level Play: Nightmare for DMs?
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<blockquote data-quote="rushlight" data-source="post: 1683616" data-attributes="member: 3801"><p>Having run my current campaign from pre-first level (starting when the PCs were children) up to 21st level (at the current day) and making plans for the future, I've experienced a shift in game play. </p><p> </p><p>D&D at low levels (1st to around 9th) is almost a totally different game than at mid-levels (say around 10th to 16th) - which is again different from high levels. A DM needs to understand how the dynamics of high level play differ from low levels (assuming the all of the core rules are kept intact). At high levels, the DM needs to have a firm understanding of what his players can do. Know every spell. Design your scenarios so that the PCs <strong>require</strong> those abilities. Not only will your players enjoy using their hard-earned powers, but you won't be caught off guard. </p><p> </p><p>Crossing over a 100ft wide chasm is a difficult challenge for a 2nd level party. It's trivial for an 18th level party. You can replace that chasm with a magical barrier than can only be passed by a dragon. And don't <em>tell</em> the players about the properties of the barrier. Let them thump against it for a while. Then smart players will seek the solution - but there's not really any information that can be found. Perhaps they'll use a divination to reveal the barrier. Next, they have to figure out how to get a dragon to fly them across - or find a spell to allow a PC to turn into a dragon...</p><p> </p><p>Also, CRs at higher levels can be a bit wonky, and unreliable. To compensate, I've implemented the Action Point system from UA. Basically, it gives the PCs a number of points per level to add additional dice to d20 rolls when things look grim. Then, I can use encounters that may be more powerful than the PCs usually might face - with the knowledge that the APs will be there to balance things out.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="rushlight, post: 1683616, member: 3801"] Having run my current campaign from pre-first level (starting when the PCs were children) up to 21st level (at the current day) and making plans for the future, I've experienced a shift in game play. D&D at low levels (1st to around 9th) is almost a totally different game than at mid-levels (say around 10th to 16th) - which is again different from high levels. A DM needs to understand how the dynamics of high level play differ from low levels (assuming the all of the core rules are kept intact). At high levels, the DM needs to have a firm understanding of what his players can do. Know every spell. Design your scenarios so that the PCs [b]require[/b] those abilities. Not only will your players enjoy using their hard-earned powers, but you won't be caught off guard. Crossing over a 100ft wide chasm is a difficult challenge for a 2nd level party. It's trivial for an 18th level party. You can replace that chasm with a magical barrier than can only be passed by a dragon. And don't [i]tell[/i] the players about the properties of the barrier. Let them thump against it for a while. Then smart players will seek the solution - but there's not really any information that can be found. Perhaps they'll use a divination to reveal the barrier. Next, they have to figure out how to get a dragon to fly them across - or find a spell to allow a PC to turn into a dragon... Also, CRs at higher levels can be a bit wonky, and unreliable. To compensate, I've implemented the Action Point system from UA. Basically, it gives the PCs a number of points per level to add additional dice to d20 rolls when things look grim. Then, I can use encounters that may be more powerful than the PCs usually might face - with the knowledge that the APs will be there to balance things out. [/QUOTE]
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