Pathfinder 2E How is PF2e at higher levels?

[Staffan]

They still come in half the levels that there are character levels, which is the source of the problem; that's inevitably going to produce uneven jumps.

Jumping every other level is one thing, but some jumps are bigger than others. Getting 3rd level spells is one of those big jumps, as that's when you're getting useful AOEs and stuff (even if they do the same damage for the spell slot, there's a big difference between burning hands and fireball).

 

[Thomas Shey]

Jumping every other level is one thing, but some jumps are bigger than others. Getting 3rd level spells is one of those big jumps, as that's when you're getting useful AOEs and stuff (even if they do the same damage for the spell slot, there's a big difference between burning hands and fireball).

Even there, though, you'd have to change or eliminate a lot of spells that land at those levels. Level three spells has been a big jump in every incarnation of D&D and its offshoots that uses the traditional setup for example, and things like Fireball and Lightning Bolt aren't a minor part of it.

 

[GrahamWills]

I've played in multiple 1-20 campaigns, and PF2 is excellent at keeping the game feeling like you are getting more and powerful (because you are) without also making it more work on the players. There are more things you can do, but it's not the PITA to manage that even systems I love (like DND4E) are.

• I'd never ever want to play 3.5 or PF1 beyond 13 or so
• I'd only play 4E at high levels with a GM who was well above average
• I'd play 13th Age at high levels with a GM who was above average
• I'd play PF2 at high levels just as happily as at low levels

I've played a warrior priest and a dedicated investigator 1-20, and the party I was in had a mix of rogues, fighters, wizards and all the usual suspects. Your experience at level 20 will not be significantly different than at level 5 in terms of workload and nuisance.

 

[Thomas Shey]

Out of curiosity, Graham, what's your definition of "high level" with 13A? 8-10?

 

[GrahamWills]

Out of curiosity, Graham, what's your definition of "high level" with 13A? 8-10?

Yep, pretty much

 

[Thomas Shey]

I was curious, because I agreed with the rest of yours, but I only know 13th Age by reading/theoretically.

 

[Andvari]

My party is only level 4 so far, but I'm already working on the follow-up campaign, at which point I expect them to be level 8. Looking over the spells a little, I noticed Paizo have done a few things to address the issue of potential game-breakers.

For one, some spells are listed as Uncommon. These tend to be spells that mean a change in game style (raise dead can be denied to make a permadeath game) or to allow certain types of adventures (zone of truth can be denied for a murder mystery).

Secondly, some spells that might cause GMs headaches have been moved up a level. Fly for example is a 4th level spell instead of 3rd. (Higher level creatures are more likely to have options against flying opponents)

Some spells have been restricted in some other way of what they can do or how easily they can be pulled off. Plane Shift takes 10 minutes to cast, so you can't use it to immediately escape combat. And some spells for locking down creatures have the Incapacitation trait to protect high level opponents.

Lastly, some "usualy suspect " spells appear to have been outright removed. No magic jar, for example.