Solo and Elite PCs

[S'mon]

I'd want it to be balanced though - adding levels just means that enemies never hit you, and you've got powers that may unbalance the adventure e.g. paragon flight, and so on.

There would have to be the same sense of danger that you get with a decent, balanced encounter.

I don't believe there is any serious problem in 4e with unbalancing powers. At +9 levels monsters may struggle to hit certain high defenses, eg a Knight's AC or a Rogue's Reflex defense. They can probably still hit the lower defenses ok, by which I mean on a ca 15-17, as opposed to needing a 20. It's really only when you get into '20 to hit' territory that encounters become trivial for a solo PC; 5 monsters attacking with 19-20 to hit, 17-20 with a flank/CA, can still threaten the lone PC. I accept that 9 levels is pushing it, though.

Edit: For small PC groups, I find that in practice the following conversion works about right.

4 PCs: Treat as 1 level lower.
3 PCs: Treat as 2 levels lower.
2 PCs: Treat as 3-4 levels lower.
1 PC: Treat as 6-7 levels lower.

Eg: I have 3 5th level PCs. I can run an adventure written for 5 3rd level PCs.

 

[Will Doyle]

For small PC groups, I find that in practice the following conversion works about right.

4 PCs: Treat as 1 level lower.
3 PCs: Treat as 2 levels lower.
2 PCs: Treat as 3-4 levels lower.
1 PC: Treat as 6-7 levels lower.

Eg: I have 3 5th level PCs. I can run an adventure written for 5 3rd level PCs.

I guess you're right about power balance: there could still be some challenge there.

Bumping characters up a few levels probably works for making them "elites" within a party, but for a solo character I think it's going to be too much of a grind. A solo, 7th level character still doesn't have the per-round damage output of a 1st level five-character party, and with monsters missing much more often, combats could drag.

 

[S'mon]

I guess you're right about power balance: there could still be some challenge there.

Bumping characters up a few levels probably works for making them "elites" within a party, but for a solo character I think it's going to be too much of a grind. A solo, 7th level character still doesn't have the per-round damage output of a 1st level five-character party, and with monsters missing much more often, combats could drag.

I agree - but since June I've always halved all monster hp, which solves the grind problem nicely. A 7th level Defender makes a nice 'one man army' vs EL 1-3 encounters.

 

[pippenainteasy]

Beats suck