Low to High Level campaigns

[Alynnalizza]

Greetings again,

With the recent talk about low-magic campaigns and their like, I've seen alot of reference to the fact that 3.0/3.5 are two completely different beasts the higher you go in levels.
As someone who as played sice the 'basic set', I've generally ran games to about 12th or 13th level before tiring as DM. However, I have not ran a 3.0 game to that level, yet, am planning on going to about 17th level this time around. So my question is: Where do you generally see a shift in the style of the game?
I know all games are different, but if I can get a feel for when the game is going to change in flavor, I might be able to spend that extra time trying to better prepare. As this is a two-player game currently, without a sorceror/wizard/ or cleric, does the variation in the game at higher levels become non-existant, or do the creatures really need to have magic be hurled at them to defeat them.

Thanks,
Alynnalizza

 

[Galethorn]

Well, in my experience--mostly as a player, rather than DM, since most of the games I've run haven't gone for many levels in a row--this is my overall breakdown of the levels vs. campaign style...

1-4: Generally on a smallish scale, involves an awful lot of care on the part of both PCs and DM to avoid either a TPK or a monty haul.
5-12: This is the level where PCs come into their own; they can survive more, and begin to have serious offensive capabilities, both because of warriors getting iterative attacks and spellcasters getting 'the big guns'.
12-16: Things start getting notably item- and spell-centric, and initiative starts becoming more important than HP or attack bonus.
17-20: Everything goes crazy. Nuff said.
21+: It literally turns into a game of 'who can win initiative'.

Now, that's all in my experience as a player, with the kinds of DMs who are great at pre-written adventures, but haven't taken the slightest glance at any part of the DMG other than the final chapter. If you're better than that (which I'm sure you are, having taken the time to ask a question about DMing), I don't think things would get terribly out of hand.

 

[Alynnalizza]

Thank you. I will definetly take your experience to note. I think the 12-16 levels are the ones I most worried about. I guess this is what they mean by trial by fire. Thanks again.