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Message: <blockquote data-quote="KarinsDad" data-source="post: 4725799" data-attributes="member: 2011">I won't go into other defenses or into PC to hit since that has been done a lot, but I'll illustrate PC AC vs. monster to hit here. Comparing Light to Heavy armor at various levels, the armors get the following total boosts (not counting half levels, assuming acquiring +1 better magic armor at levels 3, 8, 13, 18, 23, and 28): Light: 3 +1, 8 +3, 13 +4, 14 +5, 18 +6, 21 +7, 23 +8, 28 +10Heavy: 3 +1, 8 +3, 13 +5, 18 +7, 23 +9, 28 +12Heavy: 3 +1, 8 +2, 13 +3, 18 +7, 23 +8, 28 +12Monster: 3 +1, 5+2, 7+3, 9+4, 11+5, 13+6, 15+7, 17+8, 19+9, 21+10, 23+11, 25 +12, 27 +13, 29 +14The first Heavy here is the WotC corrected PHB II (or AV), the second Heavy here is the original PHB. The original PHB was terrible for Heavy armor by level 13 (the monster is +6, the PC is +3).Monster to hit gains go up by +13 over 26 levels (over PC half level bonus). Light armor goes up by +10 in 27 levels, Heavy by +12. This does not take into account feats, powers, paragon path abilities, etc.In response to your question, the concept is that monster hit points gain significantly at higher levels. When both the PC to hit drops percentage-wise to monster hit points and the PC damage drops percentage of monster hit points-wise, it takes longer to wipe out a monster. That makes the encounter last much longer.The same is true conversely for AC here. If the AC does not keep up with the monster to hit (and obviously, it is very difficult to gain a +4 to AC for all classes by high Epic, a few classes can manage it), the PCs are behind the 8 ball in both offense and in defense. This means that they waste more actions and resources healing or giving additional saves or whatever than attacking which makes an encounter last even longer.No doubt. PCs have more powers and synergies at higher levels to partially make up for this. But then again, so do monsters. At first level, a standard monster has similar hit points to a PC. At high level, a standard monster often has double as many hit points as a PC. Higher level Solos have 5 times as many hit points as PCs at first level. They can have 8 to 10 times as many hits points at high level. Many monsters have auras at high level. Very few monsters have auras at low level, etc. When the chance to hit decreases and the chance to get hit increases as one goes up levels, these extra monster hit points allow the monsters to last a long time. The PC synergy bonuses do not make up for this.</blockquote>

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