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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kerrick" data-source="post: 4602101" data-attributes="member: 4722">Yeah, like I said, I dropped that idea.I see your point, but is one level all that big a difference? Let's use a concrete example here to see. We'll take a L5 wizard and a L5 fighter vs. a minotaur (WotC CR 4, UK CR 6, so I think it's close enough).The fighter has BAB +5, 17 Str (+3), a +1 longsword, WF, and WS. He gets one attack/round at +10 (counting all the bonuses); he can hit the minotaur's AC (14) 80% of the time (barring a nat 1), dealing 1d8+6 points of damage per hit (10.5 damage on average, or 15 on a crit).The mage can cast magic missile (auto hit) for 5d4+5 points of damage, or 17 damage on average. Or he could toss out a lightning bolt (we'll assume minimum DC, so 14 vs. +5 Ref save, or 55% chance of full damage) for 5d6 damage (17 damage, or 8 even on a successful save).At L6, the fighter gets a second attack. He now hits 85% of the time with his first attack and 35% of the time with his second, for an average damage output of 21 per round (or 25 on a single crit, or 30 on two crits).The mage can still cast magic missile or lightning bolt (6d6 this time, for 20.5 damage).If we go with my idea of delaying the second iterative until L7, the fighter's damage output at L6 would be roughly half that of the wizard's; at L7, the wizard would have a 7d6 lightning bolt that deals 24 avg damage. Whether or not the fighter gets that second attack, he'll still lag behind the wizard in damage output at L7.At L14 (normal progression), the fighter would have three attacks at +14, +9, and +4. He's still using that longsword, which is +3 now; his Strength is 20, and he's got GWF and GWS too. His total AB is now +25; his damage is 1d8+12, or 49.5 if all three attacks hit.The mage can toss off a 14d6 DBF (49.5 damage, or 24 on a successful save). Or he could do an empowered cone of cold for 22d6 (77.5).Let's put them up against a purple worm (UK CR 15). It's got AC 19, so the fighter chances of hitting are: 75%, 50%, and 25%. The wizard's chance of dealing full damage with his DBF: DC 20 vs. +8 Ref = 60%.The funny thing is, I didn't plan any of this out beforehand - I was pulling numbers out of my head as I wrote it here. I find it rather interesting that they balance out so well in terms of pure damage output, but I think the wizard will have the edge regardless, because his attacks have a better overall chance of success (and even if they fail, they often still deal some damage). I think we'd have to playtest it to see if delayed iteratives would actually improve anything.</blockquote>

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