To anyone who bought the EPIC LEVEL HANDBOOK

[Schmoe]

Schmoe would be very interested to hear any specific comments Regdar has about the ELH, including criticisms and analyses.

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Re: Re: Concerning Edena, and concerning the ELH

But then, there are people who will call you a munchkin if...
- you use classes like Archmage or Spellfire wielder
- you use classes like Alienist, Summoner, or Elemental Savant.
- you use classes like Weapon Master
- you play 3rd edition
- you play any version of D&D

Yeah, and it's gotten to the point that you could almost add another one:

- you play the game differently from them

It's just geeks calling geeks geeks.

 

[KDLadage]

Speaking as someone who roleplayed a character from 3rd-level to 117th, fairly - though requiring many years to do so. I think I must be one of the few here qualified to say that it can be done (Edena probably the only other in this thread?).

That is possible. The highest level characters I ever played (and honestly rose through the XP ranks from first up) were:

• Nicorin 'Silent' James -- Thief 53/Illusionist 19
• Wanda Alvinale James -- Magic-User 36/Cleric 22
• Strinidire of Elfwood -- Ranger 31

Side notes: I ran all three of these characters simultaniously in the same campaign. Silent James and Wanda were married early in thier careers; Strinidire was the Best Man at that wedding. When it came time to retire the characters, we did it in style.

James eventually became "King" over a small nation. He managed to piss off a Diety or two and was cursed to walk the lands after with his alignment randomly changing each full moon (+/- 3 days; at the DMs whim). He was on a bit of a Chaotic-Evil bender when Strinidire (the lcoal lord) attempted to subdue him. James ended up killing him, and immediately shifted to Lawful Good. Seeing that he had just slain his best friend, he killed himself.

Wanda was driven mad by the loss of her husband, and was eventually brought down by the Mages Guilds of six seperate nations.

It was a fun end to a long career.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hi KDLadage mate!

That is possible. The highest level characters I ever played (and honestly rose through the XP ranks from first up) were:

• Nicorin 'Silent' James -- Thief 53/Illusionist 19
• Wanda Alvinale James -- Magic-User 36/Cleric 22
• Strinidire of Elfwood -- Ranger 31

.[/i]

I knew there would be others, I just wasn't aware they were in this particular thread.

 

[Buddha the DM]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Concerning Edena, and concerning the ELH

Actually, a 2nd edition thief would require 300 million xps or so to get to 160th level.

The 12,720,000 xp that I quoted for 160th Level is for 3rd Ed not 2nd.

 

[drowdude]

Speaking as someone who roleplayed a character from 3rd-level to 117th, fairly - though requiring many years to do so. I think I must be one of the few here qualified to say that it can be done (Edena probably the only other in this thread?).

Now... I have played a character to advanced levels as well...

Garic Everhate, my second character. I played him from 1st level to 53rd level (total) over the course of a decade.

Did I earn every single XP, not exactly... at some points I trained with significantly more powerful characters to earn a level or 2, or on 2 occasions we skipped over a certain span of time and advanced him a bit to represent the things he had done during that time "off-stage".


We all know that Edena outright cheated his way to such levels. So it just begs the question, "How fairly?"

 

[Upper_Krust]

Hi drowdude!

We all know that Edena outright cheated his way to such levels. So it just begs the question, "How fairly?"

Has Edena said he cheated!? If not, I would give him the benefit of the doubt! Innocent until proven guilty after all!

I know I didn't cheat, and I made it over 100th-level. I also explained that the higher you ascend the faster levelling becomes. I also know that Edena has been gaming longer than me (if not perhaps a greater time spent gaming*).

*We played five days a week for the first 4-5 years, with a number of marathon sessions during holidays!

 

[William Ronald]

To me, the term munchkin implies power that is not earned. I have seen characters who did not earn their power who were only 10th level (with weapons which were weaker versions of stuff from 1st Edition Deities and Demigods) to people who had weapons out of the cartoon show Thundarr the Barbarian (and took the sunsword directly from the sun.) It was not the power that offended me, but the fact that it seemed to be just given away.


I fear that Darkness is correct that the word munchkin will be used repeatedly. To me, the key thing about gaming is the issue of fun.

Personally, I prefer to have power to be hard won, much like myth, legend, and good literature. However, I think it is kind of silly for people to set themselves up as an authority on gaming.

Indeed, gamers attacking other gamers seems pretty silly to me.
We tend to be viewed poorly by the mass media, and have ridiculous stereotypes foisted on us in entertainment.

Getting back to the issue of epic level characters, I think a DM has to chose the feel of an epic level campaign. If you want heroic fantasy with a mythic feel you will probably use the rules differently than someone recreating an anime setting.

Also, remember a DM can always say NO.

Upper Krust, I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt. If I want something for myself, I would be hypocritical in not giving it to others.

 

[drowdude]

Hi drowdude!

Yo!

Has Edena said he cheated!? If not, I would give him the benefit of the doubt! Innocent until proven guilty after all!

Did you read all the posts? I am sure you can draw the proper conclusion for yourself (read that "Yes! He freaking cheated").

I know I didn't cheat, and I made it over 100th-level. I also explained that the higher you ascend the faster levelling becomes. I also know that Edena has been gaming longer than me (if not perhaps a greater time spent gaming*).

*We played five days a week for the first 4-5 years, with a number of marathon sessions during holidays!

Thats kewl. Sounds like it was alot of fun then.

 

[S'mon]

Hello all!



Speaking as someone who roleplayed a character from 3rd-level to 117th, fairly - though requiring many years to do so. I think I must be one of the few here qualified to say that it can be done (Edena probably the only other in this thread?).

[/COLOR]

Hi Craig - I have to say that as a GM, I'd regard Edena's approach to levelling (playing eg a 2nd level PC to 3rd level and adding a level to the 21st level version, a massive XP-multiplyer) as archetypal 'munchkinism' - rules-breaking to get unearned power. By contrast Thrin's levels were earned in actual deity-level play, against deity-level foes. In my book there's a big difference.