Why are they stopping at level 30?
- Thread starter Emirikol
- Start date
Xethreau
Josh Gentry - Author, Wanderer
In the epic tier of play, which is levels 21-30, it is assumed, from my understanding, that characters are working on the most memorable deeds, and as they reach the higher end of that spectrum, the are working towards retirement. Of course, a character can retire long before this point.
Remember this edition's epic rules? My guess is to prevent that.
Remember this edition's epic rules? My guess is to prevent that.
Blacksmithking
First Post
Emirikol said:
It's just a stopping point. Unbounded systems or rules are difficult to balance.
Celebrim
Legend
Emirikol said:
Because they want to save the supplement for levels 31-60 for 2009.
OK, that's not entirely tongue in cheek, but its enough in there that I don't want anyone to think that I'm threadcrapping, so here is a fuller explanation.
1) The new 'fixed math' seems to be based on 1/2 character level. Since d20 breaks down when the modifier gets close to 20, anything above +15 (30th level) is going to be problimatic to balance because the random factor is increasingly irrelevant.
2) There are only so many rules that they can cram into a single supplement. Even if they wanted a game up to level 60, from what I can understand of the current rules that would involve doubling the number of options to give detailed 'trans-epic' character development rules.
3) It is the nature of any gaming system that blanks in the system will draw rules like honey draws flies. DM fiat is generally unsatisfying to everyone, including DMs. That's one of the reason 'rules light' systems don't survive. They eventually become rules heavy systems as players or developers begin to look at the unexplored options and begin to detail things previously ignored or left to fiat.
4) The other reason that 'rules light' systems don't survive is that they have a hard cap on thier profitability.
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They have to stop somewhere. The only way to have an indefinite progression would be to have a system that is based entirely on progressions that can be extended forever. This would preclude the use of interesting powers and would be utterly boring (at least from my point of view). I am happy that they chose this route rather than what they have done in 3e with the horrid Epic rules, which were completely and arbitrarily disjointed from normal rules, yet seemed to lack in flavor.
Of course, that does not mean that WotC cannot eventually come up with a supplement enabling 'divine-level' play, but that would not be for all groups and would give a fundamentally different feel to the game. I would buy such a book (unless it got truly terrible reviews), but many would not and as such it has no place in the core game.
Of course, that does not mean that WotC cannot eventually come up with a supplement enabling 'divine-level' play, but that would not be for all groups and would give a fundamentally different feel to the game. I would buy such a book (unless it got truly terrible reviews), but many would not and as such it has no place in the core game.
Remathilis
Legend
36 seemed too arbitrary?
Guild Goodknife
Explorer
Also there's just so much space in the phb. 
frankthedm
First Post
1. Ryuken makes a fine point
2. By making a cut off point, one can now determine HOW strong Gods, demigods, should be in regards to mortals.
3. By having a default cut off point, it can help avoid a campaign fading away as players give up on it because the game has changed so greatly. By saying the game stops at point "x" and making sure the system BUILDS to that point,you reduce chances a campaign of D&D 'fades away'.
2. By making a cut off point, one can now determine HOW strong Gods, demigods, should be in regards to mortals.
3. By having a default cut off point, it can help avoid a campaign fading away as players give up on it because the game has changed so greatly. By saying the game stops at point "x" and making sure the system BUILDS to that point,you reduce chances a campaign of D&D 'fades away'.
WayneLigon
Adventurer
I think Monte Cook talks about this in Arcana Evolved, where the classes go to 25th.
It's just a number to stop at, and prevents things from becoming unweildy. I'd really rather they stopped earlier, myself; I think all 'epic' play should be the province of a seperate book. I don't even like having it in the SRD.
It's just a number to stop at, and prevents things from becoming unweildy. I'd really rather they stopped earlier, myself; I think all 'epic' play should be the province of a seperate book. I don't even like having it in the SRD.
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