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<blockquote data-quote="Lylandra" data-source="post: 7724866" data-attributes="member: 6816692"><p>I can give you a bit insight on this. You are basically right. This is how zoning works and it feels usually like progress. Sometimes you could even see a dragon from a nearby high level zone patrolling at the borders of your level 15-20 zone and you get utterly terrified. And yes, you'll generally encounter high level threats (like dragons or big demons or Liches) only in high level zones. Unless you are in a dungeon where one of these creepers can be a mid level boss. NPC enemies can appear everywhere though, so you'll likely encounter orcs or murlocs or furbolg from level 10 to level 110. </p><p></p><p>What can make this level experience a bit awkward is expansion scaling. Every expansion offers a new threat, so you'll start a bit "smaller" at the beginning of every expansion story, but end much higher at the end. This also means that once you go back "in time" to revisit the old threats, you'll most likely oneshot the Lich King who has been the big bad 4 expansions ago. But that's because he's not really there anymore (as you already defeated him in the past... or so.)</p><p></p><p>Also, you will get more abilities and greater influence as you progress. Right now, you acquire a legendary artifact at the beginning of the new story and gain new powers as you empower the weapon. And the levels at which you'll get your class abilities change every expansion. Again, this can lead to awkward situations for characters who are neither max level nor starting new (like having some abilities removed from your table only to regain them later). </p><p></p><p>From a narrative perspective, the player characters "ended" as powerful warriors who were part of elite teams (guilds) in the original game. They were really not on par with the most powerful humanoid NPC out there . The enemies they faced were mostly dragons, undead sergeants of the Lich King or proxies of the Old Gods (some Cthuluesque beings). Then they traveled the planes to fight Illidan's ragtag team who had concquered Outland (some of the more powerful NPC). And they faced a pit lord. And helped out some powerful NPC and their armies in a timey wimey rehash of the demonic Legion Invasion. Then they fought back the Lich King and one weakened Old God, plus his titan watcher wardens, and killed the maddened dragon aspect of magic. Then the apocalypse happened (sort of) when Deathwing, the most powerful (and crazy) dragon aspect returned. The heroes fought his minions and worshippers, rescued one major powerful NPC and killed the aspect in a 2 stage fight. Then Mists happened which resulted basically in a civil war because some bad leadership decisions and a power hungry Warchief. The rest were basically powerful corrupted emotion-beings and one ancient wannabe tyrant who got the powers of the titans.</p><p>After that, the player characters really gained a leadership position when they were hurled to an alternative universe version of the orc's planet of the past (yep, it is that ridiculous^^) and had to manage a base of their own. They were promoted commander of the alliance/horde forces and fought the "new horde" threat and their demonic masters, including one of the two demonic leaders. And right now, the power position continues as you became basically the leader of your own class' "coven", working together with the other covens to push back the 3rd demonic invasion of your planet and bring the fight to the demon's home turf to maybe finish them off for ever. Which is something an entire army of light enfused beings has tried to do for millennia. Oh and you found aforementioned artifact along the way. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>But the DC for a given non-opposed task should stay the same? Jumping over a canyon doesn't suddenly bacome harder just because you gained a level. What does increase is the NPC's opposing skill level when they are at the same level of a PC. But then again, seducing a dragon should be harder than seducing a waiter <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p>An organic game world will always include threats that are too hard or too easy for the players. My level 2 PCs wouldn't have dared to attack the ancient red dragon who devastated their city. But they managed to kill him once they came back at level 16. Also, their reputation is now able to intimidate lesser goons who don't want to be killed in a single stroke.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lylandra, post: 7724866, member: 6816692"] I can give you a bit insight on this. You are basically right. This is how zoning works and it feels usually like progress. Sometimes you could even see a dragon from a nearby high level zone patrolling at the borders of your level 15-20 zone and you get utterly terrified. And yes, you'll generally encounter high level threats (like dragons or big demons or Liches) only in high level zones. Unless you are in a dungeon where one of these creepers can be a mid level boss. NPC enemies can appear everywhere though, so you'll likely encounter orcs or murlocs or furbolg from level 10 to level 110. What can make this level experience a bit awkward is expansion scaling. Every expansion offers a new threat, so you'll start a bit "smaller" at the beginning of every expansion story, but end much higher at the end. This also means that once you go back "in time" to revisit the old threats, you'll most likely oneshot the Lich King who has been the big bad 4 expansions ago. But that's because he's not really there anymore (as you already defeated him in the past... or so.) Also, you will get more abilities and greater influence as you progress. Right now, you acquire a legendary artifact at the beginning of the new story and gain new powers as you empower the weapon. And the levels at which you'll get your class abilities change every expansion. Again, this can lead to awkward situations for characters who are neither max level nor starting new (like having some abilities removed from your table only to regain them later). From a narrative perspective, the player characters "ended" as powerful warriors who were part of elite teams (guilds) in the original game. They were really not on par with the most powerful humanoid NPC out there . The enemies they faced were mostly dragons, undead sergeants of the Lich King or proxies of the Old Gods (some Cthuluesque beings). Then they traveled the planes to fight Illidan's ragtag team who had concquered Outland (some of the more powerful NPC). And they faced a pit lord. And helped out some powerful NPC and their armies in a timey wimey rehash of the demonic Legion Invasion. Then they fought back the Lich King and one weakened Old God, plus his titan watcher wardens, and killed the maddened dragon aspect of magic. Then the apocalypse happened (sort of) when Deathwing, the most powerful (and crazy) dragon aspect returned. The heroes fought his minions and worshippers, rescued one major powerful NPC and killed the aspect in a 2 stage fight. Then Mists happened which resulted basically in a civil war because some bad leadership decisions and a power hungry Warchief. The rest were basically powerful corrupted emotion-beings and one ancient wannabe tyrant who got the powers of the titans. After that, the player characters really gained a leadership position when they were hurled to an alternative universe version of the orc's planet of the past (yep, it is that ridiculous^^) and had to manage a base of their own. They were promoted commander of the alliance/horde forces and fought the "new horde" threat and their demonic masters, including one of the two demonic leaders. And right now, the power position continues as you became basically the leader of your own class' "coven", working together with the other covens to push back the 3rd demonic invasion of your planet and bring the fight to the demon's home turf to maybe finish them off for ever. Which is something an entire army of light enfused beings has tried to do for millennia. Oh and you found aforementioned artifact along the way. But the DC for a given non-opposed task should stay the same? Jumping over a canyon doesn't suddenly bacome harder just because you gained a level. What does increase is the NPC's opposing skill level when they are at the same level of a PC. But then again, seducing a dragon should be harder than seducing a waiter ;) An organic game world will always include threats that are too hard or too easy for the players. My level 2 PCs wouldn't have dared to attack the ancient red dragon who devastated their city. But they managed to kill him once they came back at level 16. Also, their reputation is now able to intimidate lesser goons who don't want to be killed in a single stroke. [/QUOTE]
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