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General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
What's wrong with scaling (and levels, bonuses, advancement, etc)?
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<blockquote data-quote="RangerWickett" data-source="post: 5696014" data-attributes="member: 63"><p>I'm fine with characters growing in power. But I'm opposed to two things:</p><p></p><p>1. Having the whole world scale the same way, so that while numbers grow bigger, the play experience stays the same. If you're going to do that, just keep the numbers flat and leave the math simpler.</p><p></p><p>For instance, I'm a 1st level rogue, and I've got 30 HP, a monster has 30 HP, and I hit for about 12-15 damage per attack. Two or three hits, and the monster's done. A year later I'm an 11th level rogue. I've got 81 HP, a monster has 80 or 90 HP, and I hit for 30-40 damage per attack. Two or three hits, and the monster's done. </p><p></p><p>I'm still just shaving hit points off a monster with abstract swinging of my weapon. Why bother even increasing the numbers? Just give me something new to do.</p><p></p><p> </p><p>2. Also, scaling things is a sort of planned obsolescence. Remember at low level, when, like, a torch was maybe useful because you could set someone on fire, and fire hurt? Well, at high level I can be on fire all combat long, and shrug it off, because hit points scale. Hell, the torch probably wouldn't even hit me, because it's not a 17th level +4 torch, so my AC is too high thanks to my +4 full plate.</p><p></p><p>Oh, and what kind of lunatic is Drizzt for using the same two magic swords for the past century? He's had to have leveled, so those dinky old blades must be really dragging down his attack bonus.</p><p></p><p>Or even the idea that hey, he's a troll, and he's meant to fight 10th level PCs, so our 1st level heroes can't even scratch him because his defenses are too high. It'd be one thing if the logic was "He's a big sack of meat and 1st level characters probably won't deal enough damage to him before he kills them all," but making him somehow just diamond-hard doesn't feel appropriately real. Hell, I'd love it if you could cheat a bit, play a 1st level wizard, and put trolls to sleep because their Will defense sucks. But nope, their will defense might suck compared to other 10th level monsters, but it's tougher by far than the wisest 1st level cleric.</p><p></p><p> </p><p>Growing in power is nice, but I'd prefer people to get powerful in narratively plausible ways, instead of using the current scale. Dragons should have thick scales that reduce damage, but it's not hard to hit one, because they're bloody huge! So high level PCs ought to get powers like "chop through scales" or whatever.</p><p></p><p>Eh, I play 4e anyway, and I like it. I just wish I could throw a flask of burning oil at a frost demon and actually accomplish something, instead of having to buy a 500 gp high-level flask of oil.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="RangerWickett, post: 5696014, member: 63"] I'm fine with characters growing in power. But I'm opposed to two things: 1. Having the whole world scale the same way, so that while numbers grow bigger, the play experience stays the same. If you're going to do that, just keep the numbers flat and leave the math simpler. For instance, I'm a 1st level rogue, and I've got 30 HP, a monster has 30 HP, and I hit for about 12-15 damage per attack. Two or three hits, and the monster's done. A year later I'm an 11th level rogue. I've got 81 HP, a monster has 80 or 90 HP, and I hit for 30-40 damage per attack. Two or three hits, and the monster's done. I'm still just shaving hit points off a monster with abstract swinging of my weapon. Why bother even increasing the numbers? Just give me something new to do. 2. Also, scaling things is a sort of planned obsolescence. Remember at low level, when, like, a torch was maybe useful because you could set someone on fire, and fire hurt? Well, at high level I can be on fire all combat long, and shrug it off, because hit points scale. Hell, the torch probably wouldn't even hit me, because it's not a 17th level +4 torch, so my AC is too high thanks to my +4 full plate. Oh, and what kind of lunatic is Drizzt for using the same two magic swords for the past century? He's had to have leveled, so those dinky old blades must be really dragging down his attack bonus. Or even the idea that hey, he's a troll, and he's meant to fight 10th level PCs, so our 1st level heroes can't even scratch him because his defenses are too high. It'd be one thing if the logic was "He's a big sack of meat and 1st level characters probably won't deal enough damage to him before he kills them all," but making him somehow just diamond-hard doesn't feel appropriately real. Hell, I'd love it if you could cheat a bit, play a 1st level wizard, and put trolls to sleep because their Will defense sucks. But nope, their will defense might suck compared to other 10th level monsters, but it's tougher by far than the wisest 1st level cleric. Growing in power is nice, but I'd prefer people to get powerful in narratively plausible ways, instead of using the current scale. Dragons should have thick scales that reduce damage, but it's not hard to hit one, because they're bloody huge! So high level PCs ought to get powers like "chop through scales" or whatever. Eh, I play 4e anyway, and I like it. I just wish I could throw a flask of burning oil at a frost demon and actually accomplish something, instead of having to buy a 500 gp high-level flask of oil. [/QUOTE]
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What's wrong with scaling (and levels, bonuses, advancement, etc)?
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