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<blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 4002220" data-attributes="member: 42582">Two responses:1) I think it is also true that tactical options will change (and probably become more complex) over time in 4e as well. It's just that this complexity won't be represented in the BAB vs AC mathematics; rather, it will be in the distribution of different abilities over different sorts of action types and recovery conditions. In saying all this, I think I am agreeing with Cadfan above.2) To relegate campaign flavour to (mere?) aesthetics, when talking about a fantasy RPG, seems to miss the point of play for a lot of players. With levelling, the ingame adventure environment will change considerably, and the metagame thematic content will develop as well I imagine. Which, therefore leads to a third point:I think this is right. As Magus Coeruleus said above, it is easiest to keep any given monster's stats constant - which thus allows us to compare the strength of monsters by comparing their stats - and then represent the PCs increased ability to deal with different monsters by having their BAB, AC, saves, etc grow over time.And to finish with a slightly tangential point:I think that the opposite will be true: that the campaign's progress (eg the passage of time) will have to be adapted to the growth in PC power level. If this is not done, and if the old simulationist methods are retained, then the game will produce absurdities such as PCs levelling from 1 to 30 in a year of gametime. The references in W&amp;M to the use of the points of light in the PoL setting as safe havens suggests to me that the designers are aware of the need for a metagame-driven treatment of the ingame passage of time.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="pemerton, post: 4002220, member: 42582"] Two responses: 1) I think it is also true that tactical options will change (and probably become more complex) over time in 4e as well. It's just that this complexity won't be represented in the BAB vs AC mathematics; rather, it will be in the distribution of different abilities over different sorts of action types and recovery conditions. In saying all this, I think I am agreeing with Cadfan above. 2) To relegate campaign flavour to (mere?) aesthetics, when talking about a fantasy RPG, seems to miss the point of play for a lot of players. With levelling, the ingame adventure environment will change considerably, and the metagame thematic content will develop as well I imagine. Which, therefore leads to a third point: I think this is right. As Magus Coeruleus said above, it is easiest to keep any given monster's stats constant - which thus allows us to compare the strength of monsters by comparing their stats - and then represent the PCs increased ability to deal with different monsters by having their BAB, AC, saves, etc grow over time. And to finish with a slightly tangential point: I think that the opposite will be true: that the campaign's progress (eg the passage of time) will have to be adapted to the growth in PC power level. If this is not done, and if the old simulationist methods are retained, then the game will produce absurdities such as PCs levelling from 1 to 30 in a year of gametime. The references in W&M to the use of the points of light in the PoL setting as safe havens suggests to me that the designers are aware of the need for a metagame-driven treatment of the ingame passage of time. [/QUOTE]

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