even those were not really treadmills.
at level 1 you would fight 2 level 2 orcs and 1 level 5 orc
at levels 2-7 you would continue in some version of more low level or double up the level 5.
around level 8 you could fight 16 (4x4) orc minions that were scaled to level 8 but one hit kill and had a simplfied version of that level 2 orc... so you were not treadmilling you went from a long drawn out battle against 2 level 2 and 1 level 5 that might even kill a PC to walking through 16 similar to that level 2 as if they were cardboard (1 hit 1 kill)
later at level 12 you might face 2 level 5 and 1 level 10 orc or you might face an elite level 12 orc with 18 of those level 8 minnions with them...
again it isn't a treadmill you got better. you are doing more. you are accomplishing more.
