Does 3E/3.5 dictate a certain style of play?

[molonel]

To be totally honest I don't think there was a single class that had 20 levels but its been a while so I might be wrong. But I can tell you in all honesty that in ADnD single classing was the norm in my experience multiclassing was rare and usually done due to lack of a certain class in the party.

Translation: none?

There's some water spurting up between your toes in that-there boat, my friend. You might want to stop knocking holes in the bottom of it.

 

[Crothian]

To be totally honest I don't think there was a single class that had 20 levels but its been a while so I might be wrong.

The table may not have gone up to level 20, but they all ended with +X XP for each additional level. So, they all had as many levels as one needed.

 

[MerricB]

In my Age of Worms campaign, the PCs are:

Human Fighter 18
Aasimar Paladin 17
Human Wizard 18
Human Cleric 18
Elf Rogue 18
Human Druid 18

Cheers!

 

[Arnwyn]

then "your experience" is greatly inadequate for this discussion and that is the root of the matter.

I think this is exactly the problem. No wonder Shadeydm has so many issues with 3.x!

 

[Umbran]

I agree, insofar as any game that has a mechanical component that, by embracing and exploiting it, provides a means to do better within the frame work of the game, that is to say, to be more successful within the game, will engender that behavior in many of its players (though the reasons to do so might not be direct).

Yep.

Now, here's the kicker - 3.xe can really only be said to encourage said behavior if we see a notable number of people engaging in this behavior who otherwise would not have done so. Or, at the very least, a notable increase the amount or degree of the behavior.

It is not enough to show that it is done. You gotta show that, in a different system, they wouldn't even try. Otherwise what we have is a system that enables success at the behavior, but that doesn't encourage it.

They are two separate criticisms. One is, "The game turns my players into munchkins." The other is, "The game makes my munchkin players too good."

 

[Psion]

This is low magic? I've known 10th level AD&D characters who would love to have such an item.

We have DMs that tend stingy in these eras too.

A few data points for you.

Quasqueton's analyses of treasure hauls in classic 1e modules show what some of the standards-setting adventures thought the treasure levels should be. Those pretty much matched my experience. Well, for the more toned down games at least. The more monty haul games of the day made the GDQ series look like scrounging for loose change.

Another anecdote: veteran "old school" game designer Jim Ward was criticized in his early d20 adventure submissions for busting the treasure by level guidelines. In a later book, he laments the standard, and provides low, medium, and high treasure guidelines. The low treasure guidelines are the ones that conformed to the 3e treasure guidelines.

 

[molonel]

Rogue is my favorite class for single-class play. The broad skill list means that you can play a confidence man (charisma-based skills), a technician (open locks, search, disable device), a scout (hide, spot, move silently, listen) or a combat rogue that focuses on tumbling in and flanking, and spends feats on the TWF tree.

After rogue, probably wizard or cleric is my favorite.

 

[MerricB]

The table may not have gone up to level 20, but they all ended with +X XP for each additional level. So, they all had as many levels as one needed.

Cleric: No limit. XP table to level 11, with "+225,000 XP for each level beyond 11th", but spell table to 29th.
Druid: Maximum level of 14th (changed in UA)
Fighter: No limit. XP Table to level 11, "To Hit" table to level 17.
Paladin : No limit. XP Table to level 11. Spell table to level 20.
Ranger: No limit. XP Table to level 12. Spell table to level 17.
Magic-User: No limit. XP Table to level 18. Spell table to level 29.
Illusionist: No limit. XP table to level 12. Spell table to level 26.
Thief: No limit. XP table to level 12. Thief Ability table to level 17. "To Hit" table to level 21.
Assassin. Maximum level of 15th.
Monk: Maximum level of 17.

Cheers!

 

[Crothian]

Cheers!

Thanks!! I don't have the book handy so couldn't post specifics.

 

[molonel]

Monk: Maximum level of 17.

Ah yes! The Grandmaster of Flowers!