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Message: <blockquote data-quote="WheresMyD20" data-source="post: 6925664" data-attributes="member: 60772">I played for quite a while in a long-running high-level 1e campaign.  Here are some observations:1) Magic-Users are definitely not overpowered at high level.  Magic Resistance is common among high level monsters and saving throws are very easy to make at high level.  On top of that, even magic-users with high constitution are extremely fragile when it comes to hit points.  I found that fighters are not only useful in combat, they're necessary.2) High-level bards are basically just druids with less spellcasting ability and more hit points.  Speaking of clerics, I found that they are far more useful than either druids or bards at high level.3) Thieves are not a combat-oriented class.  Multi-class or dual-class a thief with a fighter if you want to be able to fight effectively.4) Single-class thieves are not terribly useful at high levels.  The thief class in general works much better as part of a multi-class or dual-class with either fighter or magic-user.  The Fighter/Magic-User/Thief triple-class, however, is spread too thin to be effective at high levels.  The xp requirements for a triple-class are very high after name level and a triple-class character will lag way too far behind a single-class character.5) The design of 1e is such that the classes are like positions on a sports team.  Clerics, fighters, magic-users, and thieves all play a role on the team that can't be filled by any of the other three classes.  Saying one is over- or under-powered compared to the other three is kinda missing the point.  It's like saying a forward is over-powered compared to a goalkeeper.  It's a bit nonsensical since you need both on the team and they fill different roles.6) Sub-classes are usually less powerful than their associated base class.  Paladins and rangers are the exception.  They're a bit more powerful than plain fighters at high levels, but they have steeper xp requirements (which have a bigger impact after name level) and role-playing restrictions to deal with.7) Unearthed Arcana should be handled with care.  The new races and classes are problematic.  The new spells and magic items are, for the most part, fine.  The book is still worth having.  However, the DM should carefully cherry pick the parts he'll allow in his campaign if he's going to use the book.</blockquote>

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