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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Minigiant" data-source="post: 6238972" data-attributes="member: 63508">The key is picking the time of balance that matches your audience.For example, D&D balanced itself via various things. Earlier editions used "balance over the campaign" for some of it's balance. Fighters were better at low levels and became stronger in a steady fashion. Magic users were weak at lower levels but gain their strength at later levels. This is fine if your fans all run long multilevel campaigns from level 1 to level X but does not appeal to anyyone else.D&D also used "balance via race" as well if racial level limits on classes and class restrictions on the more powerful races. Humans did nothing special back thing. Their strength was the ability to be anything at any level.  This runs into the benefits and issues of "campaign balance" but also removes customization, for good or ill.Early D&D also used "balance via class probability" where some of the stronger classes had ability requirements just to pick them. This made them harder to get and less likely to see any problems. Bust customization.Multiple editions used "spotlight balance over the adventure". Everyone could attempt almost anything via DM adjudication but certain characters were so much better for dealing with some problems. Some were better or more efficient in combat. Others were better at climbing and hiding. etc. Agai it works great but it mostly puts the onus on DMs and adventure designers to maintain it (and the game designers to have system mastery to design the game for it to work).The there is the type that Zardnaar spoke about which is "encounter balance over the adventure" where you let every PC shine in every scene by giving them equal strength and resources and emphasizing something else. 4e cranked up this and used "balance via role availability" to make PC feel different.There were other balance methods that were loved and hated."Balance via magic item availability""Balance via wealth""Balance via spell risk""Balance via the meatgrinder" (dead men can't break games)And there are many more methods D&D has not tried.The key is figuring out which one your base likes, doing it well, explaining it to the DM, hiding it in play, then... selling all that to fans.</blockquote>

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