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General Tabletop Discussion
*Dungeons & Dragons
Is WotC ever going to release something high level? Even as UA test material?
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<blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 7134773" data-attributes="member: 12731"><p>The final chapter of the AL adventure Assault on Maerimydra is a good high-level offering. </p><p></p><p>So more of that, <strong>in print</strong>. In official hardback modules. If WotC doesn't think an adventure campaign "from zero to hero" will sell, fair enough, they can release a level 15-20 module as a testbed. </p><p></p><p><u><em>This module should then contain significant rules support that the base PHB game lacks.</em></u> </p><p></p><p>Things you need at high level. First and foremost, a significant <strong>upgrade to the basic monster building blocks</strong>. Since it's no longer low levels, stop assuming DMs are newbies that can't handle monsters with tricks up their sleeves. Give any monster intended to be used as a solo or soloish creature more hit points and more attacks (more damage output). Ensure battlefield mobility to withstand trivial kiting tactics. Also provide each monster with at least one trick up their sleeve so they stand a chance against regular high-level PC powers. Be more generous with skill and save proficiencies. </p><p></p><p>Experiment more by <strong>giving monsters similar abilities to classed</strong> adventurers. Take a simple thing like Reckless Attack and damage resistance from Rage - its such a devastatingly powerful ability you feel all weird when you realize only the PC hero gets it, but no NPCs. So any Icewind Dale Barbarian you meet is essentially a wuss, regardless of level? And Action Surge? It's so fundamental to the Fighter concept that any trained "champion" fighter needs to have it, or you feel like playing the game on carebear setting for being the special snowflake that gets it. </p><p></p><p>Since <strong>high-level heroes meet epic-level foes</strong>, we need to expand the current magic rules framework. having a level 20 or level 25 Wizard be unable to concentrate on more than one spell at a time breaks my suspension of belief, to be frank. Perhaps add way for "archmages" to utilize metamagic. The combat system and magic combat in particular works alright when you add numbers, but I absolutely require D&D to support the notion that a single Epic Archmage is more dangerous than three CR 17 Mages, and currently there is no way for the Epic Archmage to compete with three level 9 spells cast in the same round. </p><p></p><p>Reconsider many of the <strong>current class features</strong> from early teens up to 19. They are mostly unimpressive at that level. That doesn't mean they're useless, only that they should have been handed out at levels 6-10. Some capstone abilities are decidedly meh. The entire list of lvl 15-20 class features needs to be revised. </p><p></p><p><strong>Fix saving throws.</strong> At high level the system breaks down, or to be more specific: the system can't handle DCs above 20, since it produces characters with weak saves around +0, and for them DC 21+ is an automatic failure. This is decidedly unheroic and unfun and un-D&D. Perhaps simplest patch is to use proficiency bonus as a floor() value, that is your saving throw can never have a bonus lower than your proficiency bonus. Use proficiency whenever your actual saving throw bonus is lower.</p><p></p><p>You asked, so here are five things that would make high level play a much more solid and enjoyable experience <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CapnZapp, post: 7134773, member: 12731"] The final chapter of the AL adventure Assault on Maerimydra is a good high-level offering. So more of that, [B]in print[/B]. In official hardback modules. If WotC doesn't think an adventure campaign "from zero to hero" will sell, fair enough, they can release a level 15-20 module as a testbed. [U][I]This module should then contain significant rules support that the base PHB game lacks.[/I][/U] Things you need at high level. First and foremost, a significant [B]upgrade to the basic monster building blocks[/B]. Since it's no longer low levels, stop assuming DMs are newbies that can't handle monsters with tricks up their sleeves. Give any monster intended to be used as a solo or soloish creature more hit points and more attacks (more damage output). Ensure battlefield mobility to withstand trivial kiting tactics. Also provide each monster with at least one trick up their sleeve so they stand a chance against regular high-level PC powers. Be more generous with skill and save proficiencies. Experiment more by [B]giving monsters similar abilities to classed[/B] adventurers. Take a simple thing like Reckless Attack and damage resistance from Rage - its such a devastatingly powerful ability you feel all weird when you realize only the PC hero gets it, but no NPCs. So any Icewind Dale Barbarian you meet is essentially a wuss, regardless of level? And Action Surge? It's so fundamental to the Fighter concept that any trained "champion" fighter needs to have it, or you feel like playing the game on carebear setting for being the special snowflake that gets it. Since [B]high-level heroes meet epic-level foes[/B], we need to expand the current magic rules framework. having a level 20 or level 25 Wizard be unable to concentrate on more than one spell at a time breaks my suspension of belief, to be frank. Perhaps add way for "archmages" to utilize metamagic. The combat system and magic combat in particular works alright when you add numbers, but I absolutely require D&D to support the notion that a single Epic Archmage is more dangerous than three CR 17 Mages, and currently there is no way for the Epic Archmage to compete with three level 9 spells cast in the same round. Reconsider many of the [B]current class features[/B] from early teens up to 19. They are mostly unimpressive at that level. That doesn't mean they're useless, only that they should have been handed out at levels 6-10. Some capstone abilities are decidedly meh. The entire list of lvl 15-20 class features needs to be revised. [B]Fix saving throws.[/B] At high level the system breaks down, or to be more specific: the system can't handle DCs above 20, since it produces characters with weak saves around +0, and for them DC 21+ is an automatic failure. This is decidedly unheroic and unfun and un-D&D. Perhaps simplest patch is to use proficiency bonus as a floor() value, that is your saving throw can never have a bonus lower than your proficiency bonus. Use proficiency whenever your actual saving throw bonus is lower. You asked, so here are five things that would make high level play a much more solid and enjoyable experience :) [/QUOTE]
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Community
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Is WotC ever going to release something high level? Even as UA test material?
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