ClaytonCross
Kinder reader Inflection wanted
Have you played any level-less RPGs? Their are lots around, some are almost as old as D&D.
I actually have, oddly some of them still worked on a mechanic of skill improvement like Shadow run and world of darkness and others still don't have "character upgrades" in the form of improving skill or added abilities rely on money as a means of buying gear and equipment which still act as form of prize and power creep improvement. The one true exception I can think of at the moment might be paranoia but like paranoia or perhaps degradation games where you start at the equivalent of a D&D level 20 and work backwards to one ... these games tend to be almost purely survival based with the winner being the last man standing so as a result tend to be shorter games that you play in one or two sessions. I am not discounting them or D&D just saying that character progression as a reward will tend players to progress as best they can which ultimately drives power gaming (not exclusively but at least as a part of it). For example, I have solo played RPG computer games many times as much as for the story as the heroic moment but I am not going to pretend I don't like getting upgrades as I go. I do like D&D and leveling style games. I also, like survival games and when survival game becomes trivial to survive I generally stop playing because their is no story to drive me on. Story can be just as much a drive but I would never expect a group to play D&D and not want to level... ever... though I could see it possible if given an "escape the" campaign. I would just be done when we actually escape. Kind of like a critical role one shot where everyone just plans on playing something different next session.