Adventure Scale

[Baileyborough]

So I was chatting to a friend about the new playtest packet, and he made a really good point (I think). I'm just going to quote him here

"Having 'pick Dwarf Locks' as one of the hardest things you can do in the game is great, too - it's not 'outwit an abyssal lord' or 'run up a length of thread' or 'push over acolossus.' It speaks of a smaller world which players might be able to make an impact in and stay close to believability... although this is only up to fifth level. But this sort of street-level stuff, 'Holy he's got DWARVEN LOCKS on his back door how are we going to get in' affair is right up my alley."

I agree with this by the way. But what do you think? Do you think their claims of flatter math is a sign they're thinking of toning it back overall? Do you like that idea?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

still easy for a rogue given enough time.

 

[DogBackward]

"Holy he's got DWARVEN LOCKS on his back door how are we going to get in?"

"A dwarven lock? Good think I have a dwarven lockpick..."
"Uh... Mugg? That's a warhammer."
"Yes, yes it is."

 

[Advilaar]

Yes, a smart rogue player with really good tools could still get past. But, you have to think out of the box like a real thief. A slim saw would be good to just saw the hinges off whatever hinge there is, given enough time.

Of course, there is also the warhammer

 

[Baileyborough]

Okay, just to clarify, I was more getting at small scale adventures being better, but ok.

 

[slobo777]

Okay, just to clarify, I was more getting at small scale adventures being better, but ok.

Yes, the hyperbole of high level D&D is one thing that caused me to wander to RuneQuest for many a year. That, and the matching short stories in White Dwarf gave RQ a kind of "street" feel that I completely fell for.

Edit: The story that made leave D&D for RQ was Lucky Eddi, White Dwarf 29, 1982

 

[Advilaar]

Okay, just to clarify, I was more getting at small scale adventures being better, but ok.

I hear ya.

I do think the flatter math is a bit better. Some of those DCs got pretty crazy. It got even crazier in 3.5. You ever seen the skills section of the 3.0 Epic Level handbook?

And, you are right. You should not need numbers in the 50s so to speak for mere mortals. A well made drarven lock is going to be hard. As in breaking into an ATM hard. The punk on the street will not have that skill level. A master crook, yes. But if the street kid manages to get the durn ATM to a safe location, he could probably eventually get it. That is, if it is not lo-jacked (wizard with Locate Object).

 

[arscott]

Great. So the high level wizard can teleport to other planes, and the high level theif can actually pick dwarven locks!

Am I bad for wanting feats of skill that are as impressive in their own way as the feats of magic that high level wizards and clerics can perform?

Or even DCs low enough that high level non-casters can reliably do the things they're supposed to be good at. If bounded accuracy means my 20th level theif can't pick that dwarven lock by rolling a three on the die, I'll be pretty upset.

 

[slobo777]

Great. So the high level wizard can teleport to other planes, and the high level theif can actually pick dwarven locks!

Am I bad for wanting feats of skill that are as impressive in their own way as the feats of magic that high level wizards and clerics can perform?

Personally I'd nerf the wizard high-level abilities rather than have super-heroics pop up in the game before level 10 (or at least some number high enough that I can fit my game to it).

Don't see that happening though, so I agree and I'd hope to see some nice options for non-spellcasters for exploration and problem-solving at higher level. We don't have high level stuff yet, so it's hard to tell where the designers will take this.

 

[Advilaar]

Personally I'd nerf the wizard high-level abilities rather than have super-heroics pop up in the game before level 10 (or at least some number high enough that I can fit my game to it).

Don't see that happening though, so I agree and I'd hope to see some nice options for non-spellcasters for exploration and problem-solving at higher level. We don't have high level stuff yet, so it's hard to tell where the designers will take this.

The talk is level cap back at 20, but optional rules with no cap like 2e or 3e.

Good, too. I thought the 30 cap was lame and should have had a demipower tier for those that like that playstyle.