Tiers Excerpt (merged)

[Gargazon]

You can always grind AA until they raise the level cap.

Seriously, I would be VERY surprised if there isn't a 'divine' or 'immortal' tier planned for PHB 2, or PHB 3 at the latest. One of the points of fixing "the math" was to make the game playable across all levels, and the high level monsters we've seen have roughly the same number of combat options as the low level ones.

As gods are level 37 solo monsters (apparently) I don't think this will be the case.

Besides, what would be the BBEG at level 40?........

 

[Jack99]

You can always grind AA until they raise the level cap.

*cringes violently* at the deja-vu..

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I find it slightly odd that at-will powers don't scale at 11th level as well. 2d4+int seems a tad useless, at higher levels. /shrug

Maybe the ability increases to your "At-Will-Attack-Ability" can compete with HP and other damage increases till then. (Oh, and don't forget the bonus from weapons and implements)

 

[Jack99]

Okay, we're all a bit trigger-happy, here, eh?

Wife keeps telling me that, I guess she might be right after all...

 

[Imban]

Except that you have no idea how they are actually implemented so any whining is completely premature.

*notes the reference to retraining feats*

*waits for the inevitable 4e is becoming a MMORPG with its respeccing whine to begin*

Retraining a feat at every level is fine by me, because it lets people need to plan ahead less when they're playing their characters in D&D.

But that's about all I want them to add along those lines, since the problem with applying the respeccing in some MMORPGs to P&P play is that, broadly speaking, easy and liberal respeccing makes every character the same. The difference between a sword-and-board fighter and a 2H hammer fighter is just a matter of going to town and switching some points around. Especially in a P&P game where I'm probably also not differentiated by the level I've grinded to and the high-end boss gear I have, making all members of a given class interchangable is kind of lame.

 

[Jack99]

Maybe the ability increases to your "At-Will-Attack-Ability" can compete with HP and other damage increases till then. (Oh, and don't forget the bonus from weapons and implements)

It's possible. I thought about it, but since most things follow a fairly linear progression, why would it need scale at 21st but not at 11th. I guess that if it scales a bit on the low side (on purpose), in order not to make it too powerful, it will be so far off at 21st, that a scaling is needed.

Ah well, not something I am worried about, merely trying to find excuses to up my post-count.
(Hong, I am coming for you!)

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

As gods are level 37 solo monsters (apparently) I don't think this will be the case.

Besides, what would be the BBEG at level 40?........

Well, if they wanted to, they could certainly find something.

But I don't think they will focus much onto it. 3E had epic levels, and how much supplemental material did exist for that? How many epic adventures where published? It might also be notable that the 3.0 Epic Level handbook was integrated in the 3.5 DMG. Maybe they determined the market is just not big enough, and introduced it as a small boon for the few that like it, as a motivation to go 3.5...

WoW and D&D have one important difference - WoW needs only a handful of "Storytellers" to create higher level challenges that all players will be able to use.
D&D needs one at every table...

 

[Lizard]

As gods are level 37 solo monsters (apparently) I don't think this will be the case.

Besides, what would be the BBEG at level 40?........

Antimatter dragons.
Cthulhu, and his big brother.
Pantheons as encounters. ("We need 2 greater gods, 2 lesser gods, and 4 demigod minions.")
Unicron.

 

[Lizard]

On the other hand, monsters at the paragon tier have more ways to thwart these new capabilities, including their own flight, damage resistance, and blindsight.

Does this mean there are no heroic-tier flying monsters?

 

[HeinorNY]

It appears as if they improve at 21st level. I think I saw an example of this in a previous preview/scoop, and the description of starting higher level PCs mentions "don't forget to increase damage at 21st level", too.

Deft Strike
Rogue Attack 1
A final lunge brings you into an advantageous position.

At-Will [ ] Martial, Weapon
Standard Action
Melee or Ranged weapon
Requirement: You must be wielding a crossbow, a light blade, or a sling.
Target: One creature
Special: You can move 2 squares before the attack.
Attack: Dexterity vs. AC

Hit: 1[W] + Dexterity modifier damage.
Increase damage to 2[W] + Dexterity modifier at 21st level.