Shadowdark Unless I am wrong

[Scribe]

A Str 18 10th-level fighter is at +10/+10 before any other talents or magic items. All I’m saying is, if you like some suspense in your game, you might want to keep an eye on those bonuses.

I mean, yes, but level 10, end game, fighting Archdevils and the like and the Fighter...is meant to hit stuff, its baked right in, which is where you get +6 right there.

I dont know, at that point I'm looking to either punch a God or go out in a blaze of glory, the game is won.

/shrug

 

[Mannahnin]

A Str 18 10th-level fighter is at +10/+10 before any other talents or magic items. All I’m saying is, if you like some suspense in your game, you might want to keep an eye on those bonuses.

+10 / +6. No Strength bonus to damage, if you recall.

+3 weapons are the top of the range, can appear on a roll of 00 on the level 7-9 treasure chart and twice as often on the level 10+ chart.

An 8th+ level Fighter with a magic weapon is going to be hitting very reliably, but remember that average HP for a 10th level Fighter are also 45 plus Con bonus (once only, not every level), and the top end monsters are going to be hitting back for big damage.

If we take for example a Fire Dragon, it's got AC 18, HP 80, and 2 attacks at +11 to hit for 2d12 each or fire breath for 6d10 DC15 Dex to avoid. That's still scary AF even with a magic weapon. I think the suspense is still there, and the lower HP compared to, e.g., 5E mean there's less of a padded punching bag effect. Each hit these combatants are going to be taking a meaningful share of their target's HP away, and the fight probably won't drag out all that long.

 

[Bill Zebub]

A Str 18 10th-level fighter is at +10/+10 before any other talents or magic items. All I’m saying is, if you like some suspense in your game, you might want to keep an eye on those bonuses.

And will still do zero damage to a monster that requires magic to hit.

Shadowdark is, imo, perfectly suited to interesting magic items, in place of straight bonuses.

 

[Greg Benage]

If we take for example a Fire Dragon, it's got AC 18, HP 80, and 2 attacks at +11 to hit for 2d12 each or fire breath for 6d10 DC15 Dex to avoid. That's still scary AF even with a magic weapon.

It’s funny you used this as an example, because it’s exactly what killed my 10th-level fighter.

I had a +3 bastard sword and +2 from talents, so +15. Mechanically, it felt like it strained the system—not everything can be AC 18, not that it mattered to my fighter. I did not mean to suggest that it made me feel invulnerable—that was absolutely never a problem!

Again: Keep an eye on the bonuses. All I’m sayin’. I agree that special abilities are more fun anyway.

 

[Mannahnin]

Gotcha. Yeah, I figure at 10th level both Fighters and casters are going to be straining the system some, though the monsters (and caster mishaps) can still be deadly.

It actually doesn't bother me that at that level it's difficult for a Fighter (assuming he'd got a weapon mastery weapon) to miss. Especially since they don't get multiple attacks. That feels appropriate for a top-end warrior.