Survivabiliy

[Stoat]

Prior to 3.X, I'm going with Dwarf Fighter/Cleric. Good offense and defense, cleric spells for survivability and nice dwarven bonuses to saves. You won't hit lvl 20 though.

In 3.0/3.5, I'm sticking with Dwarf Cleric. Now you can hit level 20.

4E seems to spread the survivability around more. The defenders I've seen are hard as nails, but get the hell beaten out of them because it's their job. The strikers fold up like wet dollar bill if they get pinned down, but they have lots of options to keep that from happening. Controllers and leaders sorta seem to be in the middle of the pack.

 

[Stormonu]

You'd think Barbarians with their d12 hit points and Rage would be high on survivability, but from my play experience they are often among the first to die.

Clerics seem to have the best survivability rates - decent armor, fair fighting skill, good hit points and an armload of spells to fill in any gaps.

Rogues seem to be the most vulnerable for reasons mentioned above - low AC, moderate fighting skill, low/modest HP and having to get too close and personal to deal attention-attracting damage.

Low level, wizards are definately squishy. While in theory they're uber-powerful, in actual game play I've seen about 1 in 10 wizards survive to 5th level or higher. Especially a high mortality rate among the arrogant players of said wizards.

 

[shadzar]

Im my games the bard is least likely to die. He is left at the tavern to sing and dance, while the others go off on adventures...

Most likely to die is the rogue.

It is more thematic, than systemic reasons.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I dont think DMM is broken. Rather instead I think Persist is broken, and that Nightsticks if allowed should be limited to 1/day. I have myselh been using, albeit I matched mine to Wounding Spell so I could use it on my highest lvl spells. Persist is IMC, and everyone knos CoDzilla, but no one has built one.

One of the big contributors to CoDzilla is the astonishing incense of meditation. My 10th level druid burnt one of those, loaded up on call lightning and flame strikes and was an unstoppable damage machine in 3.5e.

 

[pemerton]

Plane Sailing, I just looked that up on d20SRD - astonishing indeed!

I don't remember the incense being so strong in AD&D, but maybe my memory is failing me. What did it do in 1st ed?

 

[shadzar]

I don't remember the incense being so strong in AD&D, but maybe my memory is failing me. What did it do in 1st ed?

The same thing in 1st and 2nd edition, but you get more than just one when found....

 

[Plane Sailing]

Death toll in my 4e game (PHB 1 only)

* Dragonborn, 1st level Paladin. Killed by kobold minions.
* Tiefling, 1st level Warlord (tactical), killed by Irontooth, elite goblin beserker.
* Fredrick, 1st level Cleric,killed by kobold skirmishers.
* Elf, 2nd level Ranger (archer), digested by ochre jelly.
* Syisiphus. Eladrin, 3rd level Warlock (fey), eaten by a ghoul.
* Amano. Tiefling, 3rd level Warlord (tactical), killed by ongoing necrotic damage from Kalarel.
* Flagon. Halfling, 3rd level Rogue (brutal), killed by ongoing necrotic damage from Kalarel.
* Fawkes. Human 4th level Warlock (star). Killed by ongoing poison damage from a young green dragon.
* Arkus. Dwarf 4th level Cleric. Killed by friendly fire (unconscious next to flaming sphere).
* Varis. Half-elf paladin, 4th level Paladin. Killed by Duergar skirmishers.
* Liesel. Eladrin 4th level Fighter (2h). Killed by drowning while unconscious.
* Flagon. Halfling, 5th level rogue, killed by poison needle trap.
* Morthos. Tiefling 5th Wizard. Dissolved by gelatinous cube.
* Arkus. Dragonborn 6th level fighter (sword and board). Killed when alone by carnage demons.
* Mari. Killed by friendly fire from clerics guardian power while unconcious

 

[Plane Sailing]

Apparently I'm an equal opportunity DM!

 

[Sorrowdusk]

Low level, wizards are definately squishy. While in theory they're uber-powerful, in actual game play I've seen about 1 in 10 wizards survive to 5th level or higher. Especially a high mortality rate among the arrogant players of said wizards.

Interesting. In that case, you'd think higher lvl PC wizards would definitely be the minority in the campaign world.

One of the big contributors to CoDzilla is the astonishing incense of meditation. My 10th level druid burnt one of those, loaded up on call lightning and flame strikes and was an unstoppable damage machine in 3.5e.

IMO that item is just insane. IMC like Candles of Invocation I would not allow my PCs to purchase it or wish for it, and put it up there with minor artifacts.

Death toll in my 4e game (PHB 1 only)

* Dragonborn, 1st level Paladin. Killed by kobold minions.
* Tiefling, 1st level Warlord (tactical), killed by Irontooth, elite goblin beserker.
* Fredrick, 1st level Cleric,killed by kobold skirmishers.
* Elf, 2nd level Ranger (archer), digested by ochre jelly.
* Syisiphus. Eladrin, 3rd level Warlock (fey), eaten by a ghoul.
* Amano. Tiefling, 3rd level Warlord (tactical), killed by ongoing necrotic damage from Kalarel.
* Flagon. Halfling, 3rd level Rogue (brutal), killed by ongoing necrotic damage from Kalarel.
* Fawkes. Human 4th level Warlock (star). Killed by ongoing poison damage from a young green dragon.
* Arkus. Dwarf 4th level Cleric. Killed by friendly fire (unconscious next to flaming sphere).
* Varis. Half-elf paladin, 4th level Paladin. Killed by Duergar skirmishers.
* Liesel. Eladrin 4th level Fighter (2h). Killed by drowning while unconscious.
* Flagon. Halfling, 5th level rogue, killed by poison needle trap.
* Morthos. Tiefling 5th Wizard. Dissolved by gelatinous cube.
* Arkus. Dragonborn 6th level fighter (sword and board). Killed when alone by carnage demons.
* Mari. Killed by friendly fire from clerics guardian power while unconcious

Flagon, NO! It seems like ongoing damage gets a lot of people, as does ocassional friendly fire.

OH and...

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[haakon1]

Interesting. In that case, you'd think higher lvl PC wizards would definitely be the minority in the campaign world.

Gary's AD&D tables for NPC's had high-level Wizards as much rarer than Fighter, Thieves, and Clerics, IIRC. Partially, that's about campaign feel -- lots of noble Fighters and shifty Thieves about, and you need a goodly number of Bishops to support all that multi-theism. But it might also be a reflection of observed survivability under the rules.