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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Deset Gled" data-source="post: 9748424" data-attributes="member: 7808">I'd say D&D 3.Xe can be a very tall game. With feats, PrCs, synergies, and practically unbounded bonuses, it gave people the option to make extremely focused characters.As for the general concept of tall vs broad, I would add that the things I like best are spikes and holes.Spikes are secondary tall options.  They are choices that encourage characters to pick advancement options that are broad.  Something unrelated to their main focus, but give a notable bonus in another area.  An example of this is the 3.5e "Combat Expertise" feat chains that require a 13+ INT score.  Normally, INT would be a dump stat for fighter-types, and would be disincentivized in a game with a focus on tall advancement.  But these feats are a broad advancement choice with a power spike that give a fighter's mental stats much more value.  Other 3.5e examples would be skill synergies, or some class features like the Barbarian's Trap Sense.  Options with spikes are very important, because they help players make choices that aren't directly tall while still feeling like they are useful, and can use broad advancement to justify character progression towards a primary goal.Holes are intentional deficits in broad choices that encourage characters to pick advancement options that are tall.  They are basically dead areas one character can't advance into (where "can't" may just be "really hard" or "disproportionately expensive").  The most obvious holes are class-exclusive abilities, like earlier D&D editions where only magic users could cast spells and only thieves can open locks or disarm traps.  But other holes are much smaller, and can include things like banned spell schools, class specific feats, or alignment restrictions.  Holes in broad advancement are critical to party play.  They prevent one character that is broad from overshadowing or minimizing another character's tall points.  And they encourage teamwork and roleplaying by ensuring characters have unique abilities.</blockquote>

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