D&D 4E 4E: Testing the Sweet Spot

[Mindseye]

One of the designer's stated goals of 4E was to broaden the "sweet spot", so the game would be as fun at higher levels as it is at the lower ones.


One of my players and I have talked about statting up a party at different level intervals and having a appropriate level challenge from the MM.....maybe 1st, 5th, 11th, 15th, 21st.

Anyone else have any thoughts on testing this? I know that over time, we'll run games across the spectrum of levels, but it seemed like it might be fun. It actually encouraged me yesterday to see the info on building higher level characters...seems like that might be a little easier.

 

[neceros]

I guarantee people will be doing this. It'll be hard without the resources to do it before launch, however.

 

[Mindseye]

I guarantee people will be doing this. It'll be hard without the resources to do it before launch, however.

Yep.......I'm definitley thinking about trying this the week after release.

 

[Gundark]

I'd be interested in seeing this too. Keep us informed

 

[Stilvan]

Neat idea - almost worth formally organizing something in advance, so everyone can compare results meaningfully.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

I think the sweet spot is also created from the illusion of the how the world challenges your character. I don't think its just a numbers phenomenon but that is definitely a contributing factor. I am very doubtful that epic level play will be able to maintain the sweet spot, but I will give it a fair testing before passing personal judgment.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Good idea. If I were you, I'd play it not as just a series of combats, but as an accelerated campaign. Like a fantasy novel that couldn't quite become a trilogy, so the publisher forced all the content into one book.

Start off at 1st level, and when the characters get enough XP to advance 2nd, instead jump directly to 5th. And so on, making big jumps all the way to 21.

Two reasons for this:

1. It gives you multiple encounters over the course of the level, and you spend about as much time "in" each level as you normally would. It gives you the real feel of what it's like to be at 1st, 5th, 11th, and so on.

2. The multiple encounters and narrative will give some context for your power & feat choices, again more closely modeling normal organic progression.