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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 7327967" data-attributes="member: 42582">[MENTION=1282]darkbard[/MENTION]I follow the parcel system obsessively closely in terms of totals, although not in terms of actual parcels - I mix and match the actual awards to reflect the overall totals for a level, and I carry surpluses or deficits over from level to level on a (paper) record that I use for that purpose.This means that, now the party is at 30th level, there is an upper cap on the amount of loot available, though it hasn't been reached yet.Given how many artefacts are in my game, I also factor those into my totals. I've had to assign a value to the 7th part of the Rod of 7 Parts (I can't remember it off the top of my head). Their Thundercloud Tower also counted against the totals.Why do I do it this way? No good reason I can think of, other than wanting to start with the rules as presented and then just sticking to it. (I use the XP rules too, on the same (lack of) princiiple.)In my Dark Sun game, if/when it kicks off again, I will not use XP and not use parcels. For levelling, we'll use consensus (and I would plan to skip some levels rather than play all the way through again - once seems enough for that); for items, we'll use inherent bonuses, which then makes keeping traclk of parcels completely unnecessary, I think.In the main game, we haven't used inherent bonuses - and nor do we use Expertise feats. My experience is that higher level foes don't cause big problems (admittedly I don't use a lot of soldiers, which - even if the AC issues is put to one side - seem to be a bit boring sometimes; I like controlers!). The one time we had a really big gap (26th(?) level PCs vs Torog) I used an escalation die, which corresponded to the fact that the PCs had destroyed the Soul Abattoir and so Torog's power was ebbing away. But even with an 8-sided escalation die, they finished him in (I think) round 3, so it probably wasn't needed.And that example reminds me of one important factor the players use to deal with above-level foes - zones of autodamage. That was what helped kill Torog and Lolth.</blockquote>

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