Glyfair
Explorer
I have been reading a lot of discussion lately about certain problems people have in their D&D, things they want to change to make it fit their preferences with style, and even some discussions about what D&D is "about." Thinking about my experience in other RPGs (which is pretty extensive since I mostly left D&D in the early 80s not to return until 3E was announced), I realized that one of the most important concepts to define the D&D experience is levels.
In RPGs that aren't tied to a D&D level mechanic I find that advancing has less of a steep rise in power than you find in D&D. In pretty much all versions of D&D an 18th level character has little to worry about from a 3rd level character (perhaps the occasional failed saving throw from an attack unprepared for that brings instant death), and an 18th level party has nothing to fear from a 3rd level party if you follow the assumptions given (no 3rd level characters carrying the Wand of Orcus). The has a huge affect on the feel of the game.
One of my favorite game supplements for any game is Lands of Mystery for Justice, Inc.. Aaron Allston has a section that talks about mixing and matching different character power levels in a party. In a typical pulp adventure (especially in a Lost Worlds style game) a couple of characters stand out from the rest in overall ability. The rest have their areas they excel in, but they tend to be somewhat limited. He suggests that a couple of players play the "full power" characters (the strong jawed hero being the main example) and those who don't take a couple of supporting characters so they don't get the same sense of being left out.
That can work fine in a Hero System game because their doesn't tend to be too much difference in raw power between a 150 pt. character and a 75 pt. character. The 150 pt. character has just a bit more power and resilience, but a lot more versatility. In D&D this doesn't work. A low level character is truly window dressing in any D&D game coming even close to the typical game. If nothing else, the area of effect attacks like fireballs will having them dropping like flies. Even running 10 lower level characters won't make up for the difference in power level.
Take a look at a combat between a 3E 20th level wizard with his staff and a 1st level fighter with a full complement of weapons. The "weak , scholarly" wizard will probably have little trouble with the fighter. That's without even touching his real power, his awesome, world changing spells.
For those who immerse themselves in the world that level system defines how the world works. The high level character, even a 3E commoner, can ignore things that low level characters can't. In a non-war scenario (which tend to use other rules anyway) low level characters can't do much but hold the horses when adventuring in dangerous areas with even mid-level characters, unless it is dying. Many think the leaders of countries need to be high level characters, because otherwise they will fall to the first high level jackanape that decides they need to die.
Take a look at all of the things that people say that define the D&D experience as D&D and all of them really pale before the level mechanic and how it has been handled in all editions of D&D (some d20 stuff does play around with this, but nothing that is marketed as D&D).
D&D is "kill things & take their stuff"? I've seen plenty of D&D games where that isn't the assumption and they work.
The Vancian magic system is D&D? There have been plenty of alternate magic systems in D&D, and none of them really create anything more than a feeling of playing in a different sort of D&D.
The ease of coming back from the dead? I've seen games that have eliminated or tweaked this and they still feel and play mostly like D&D.
Change the level system? Now you are venturing into a game that feels very different.
Agree? Disagree? Comments?
In RPGs that aren't tied to a D&D level mechanic I find that advancing has less of a steep rise in power than you find in D&D. In pretty much all versions of D&D an 18th level character has little to worry about from a 3rd level character (perhaps the occasional failed saving throw from an attack unprepared for that brings instant death), and an 18th level party has nothing to fear from a 3rd level party if you follow the assumptions given (no 3rd level characters carrying the Wand of Orcus). The has a huge affect on the feel of the game.
One of my favorite game supplements for any game is Lands of Mystery for Justice, Inc.. Aaron Allston has a section that talks about mixing and matching different character power levels in a party. In a typical pulp adventure (especially in a Lost Worlds style game) a couple of characters stand out from the rest in overall ability. The rest have their areas they excel in, but they tend to be somewhat limited. He suggests that a couple of players play the "full power" characters (the strong jawed hero being the main example) and those who don't take a couple of supporting characters so they don't get the same sense of being left out.
That can work fine in a Hero System game because their doesn't tend to be too much difference in raw power between a 150 pt. character and a 75 pt. character. The 150 pt. character has just a bit more power and resilience, but a lot more versatility. In D&D this doesn't work. A low level character is truly window dressing in any D&D game coming even close to the typical game. If nothing else, the area of effect attacks like fireballs will having them dropping like flies. Even running 10 lower level characters won't make up for the difference in power level.
Take a look at a combat between a 3E 20th level wizard with his staff and a 1st level fighter with a full complement of weapons. The "weak , scholarly" wizard will probably have little trouble with the fighter. That's without even touching his real power, his awesome, world changing spells.
For those who immerse themselves in the world that level system defines how the world works. The high level character, even a 3E commoner, can ignore things that low level characters can't. In a non-war scenario (which tend to use other rules anyway) low level characters can't do much but hold the horses when adventuring in dangerous areas with even mid-level characters, unless it is dying. Many think the leaders of countries need to be high level characters, because otherwise they will fall to the first high level jackanape that decides they need to die.
Take a look at all of the things that people say that define the D&D experience as D&D and all of them really pale before the level mechanic and how it has been handled in all editions of D&D (some d20 stuff does play around with this, but nothing that is marketed as D&D).
D&D is "kill things & take their stuff"? I've seen plenty of D&D games where that isn't the assumption and they work.
The Vancian magic system is D&D? There have been plenty of alternate magic systems in D&D, and none of them really create anything more than a feeling of playing in a different sort of D&D.
The ease of coming back from the dead? I've seen games that have eliminated or tweaked this and they still feel and play mostly like D&D.
Change the level system? Now you are venturing into a game that feels very different.
Agree? Disagree? Comments?
