Addind ½lvl to your powers... not?!

[yesnomu]

And from my experience, epic characters rip through epic monsters like tissue paper. I could easily have used monsters a full level or more higher throughout my epic campaign without too much trouble.

 

[Herschel]

Lower level monsters become easier to hit and will hit you less often, and higher level monsters are harder to hit and will hit you more often. But yes, for even level monsters it's always about the same hit rate; however, if they didn't scale it like they do, a lv1 character and a lv30 character would have almost the same chance to hit a monster, and would have almost the same chance to be hit (assuming equal equipment and the same attacks).

What does getting hit have to do with anything. I thought Hit Points didn't do actual damage according to some. You have to block a good or a mediocre swing either way.

 

[MadLordOfMilk]

What does getting hit have to do with anything. I thought Hit Points didn't do actual damage according to some. You have to block a good or a mediocre swing either way.

Should a Lich Vestige (lv26 minion) and a Kobold Minion (lv1 minion) have the same chance to hit you and be hit? And if so, is it fine that a lv1 character kills a lv26 minion just as easily as a lv1 minion?

Should a lv1 enemy Wizard's spells have the same chance to hit a lv30 Wizard as a lv1 Wizard?

Ultimately yes you could remove the half-level bonuses if you wanted to, it'd just make levels mean less and everyone would be dealing with lower numbers. It's kinda nice to see that at level 30 your skills are all notably higher (15 to each before all the stat bonuses are added up too), and that you're getting +23 to hit instead of +7, etc. (note: numbers are just random examples I pulled out of thin air).

You could argue that it's just an illusion of progress, but everything about levelling is, really. Lv1 vs Lv1 and Lv30 vs Lv30 are both going to be about the same win chance. In a way, nothing about levelling actually matters, so you could get rid of the whole system altogether The only actual advantage gained is higher levels vs lower levels, which the 1/2-level bonuses help to enhance.

 

[WalterKovacs]

It would also be possible to reduce the system to a d2, where heads you hit, tails you miss.

 

[Nail]

It would also be possible to reduce the system to a d2, where heads you hit, tails you miss.

....in fact, let's just simplify combat the rest of the way: Heads, the PCs win; Tails, the PCs win eventually. <= Captures all of D&D variability.

 

[Herschel]

Should a Lich Vestige (lv26 minion) and a Kobold Minion (lv1 minion) have the same chance to hit you and be hit? And if so, is it fine that a lv1 character kills a lv26 minion just as easily as a lv1 minion?

Should a lv1 enemy Wizard's spells have the same chance to hit a lv30 Wizard as a lv1 Wizard?

Ultimately yes you could remove the half-level bonuses if you wanted to, it'd just make levels mean less and everyone would be dealing with lower numbers. It's kinda nice to see that at level 30 your skills are all notably higher (15 to each before all the stat bonuses are added up too), and that you're getting +23 to hit instead of +7, etc. (note: numbers are just random examples I pulled out of thin air).

You could argue that it's just an illusion of progress, but everything about levelling is, really. Lv1 vs Lv1 and Lv30 vs Lv30 are both going to be about the same win chance. In a way, nothing about levelling actually matters, so you could get rid of the whole system altogether The only actual advantage gained is higher levels vs lower levels, which the 1/2-level bonuses help to enhance.

I'm with you, just being a bit of a wiseacre using a few things thrown out in the other thread.

 

[Starfox]

....in fact, let's just simplify combat the rest of the way: Heads, the PCs win; Tails, the PCs win eventually. <= Captures all of D&D variability.

Lets make it even more clear;
Heads: You win
Tails: Toss again

 

[Rafe]

A coin toss isn't D&D enough. Use the Cheese Weasel!

 

[Turtlejay]

The whole key to this is that PC's and monsters don't use the same rules or progression or creation, so 1 =! 1 , more like 1 = a.

This makes it so that when your DM wants to throw a tough fight your way, he can look 3 or so levels above you and pick a monster that is tougher to hit. Without that, you are just as likely to hit that as one your level, or three levels lower.

Jay