D&D 5E Why is level 5-10 the "sweet spot" in D&D

[Hussar]

By Super wizard, you mean Anomander Rake, who essentially has the power of a demi-god *and* is a dark elf AND a "were-dragon".

I love Anomander Rake. He is wise and compassionate yet willing to take hard decisions. Even better, while Drizzt launched hundreds of me-too clones, Rake has not since he is so ludicrously powerful that no DM would ever allow it. Perfect

That series is fascinating because it managed to make low level fighters struggling in the trenches be as interesting as the high muckymucks like Anomander

Yeah, the Malazan series (Stephen Erikson for those wondering at home) are very much in the Black Company ... err... company. You have incredibly powerful being rubbing shoulders with just normal guys.

Thing is, even in Gardens of the Moon they basically nail it on the head. The armies exist to protect the wizards. The wizards on both sides more or less stalemate themselves, so the remaining mundane forces duke it out until they can reach the enemy wizards, at which point, they win.

But, it is a fantastic series though.

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

By Super wizard, you mean Anomander Rake, who essentially has the power of a demi-god *and* is a dark elf AND a "were-dragon".

Yes, I did, but I wasn't sure if people would recognize the name.

 

[Ancalagon]

I think that some of the characters in that series honestly are beyond level 20 power. Anomander Rake is the kind of foe where level 20th characters "win" by driving him off without losing too many party members...

 

[discosoc]

Where would you say the powerful Wheel of Time characters fall? They have stuff like teleportation (Gateways/Traveling) and balefire is something like a super-disintegrate...

First, Wheel of Time is a very low-magic setting, when you think about it. Magic exists, but it's severely limited with a highly centralized power that's also sort of tied up with religion. Second, the crazy magic like teleportation is basically unique to a very few people in the world. You're basically looking at a setting where women are pretty much clerics and men were the mages that broke the world. It's not a perfect comparison, but the point remains that the setting uses magic in a way that's incredibly controlled. You wouldn't have some wizard running around gaining lightning bolt and teleport spells during the course of an "adventure" without it being a very major focus for the adventuring group.

And even then, you'll notice that the more powerful the "mage" character of the group gets, the more isolated his story becomes. It starts with a seasoned fighter, a cleric, a bard, and some farm kids, but as soon as magic starts really picking up, the group no longer functions like a D&D group.

And then there's stuff like "Gardens of the Moon" which starts with an army of mages fighting a super-wizard in a floating fortress...

Not familiar with that, but it sounds like a setting designed specifically with high-magic usage in mind. Or possibly magic as an analogue for a modern military. Regardless, I'm going to guess the "adventure" of that story wasn't one that's structured in a way that a D&D group could reproduce (probably has several "main" characters?).

 

[Votan]

Double post

 

[Votan]

Not familiar with that, but it sounds like a setting designed specifically with high-magic usage in mind. Or possibly magic as an analogue for a modern military. Regardless, I'm going to guess the "adventure" of that story wasn't one that's structured in a way that a D&D group could reproduce (probably has several "main" characters?).

Some of the sub-stories are so much like "party dynamics" that I suspect the Bridgeburners were actually PCs in somebodies game at some point. No other reasonable way to explain the gyrations to free them from military discipline to go forth and have epic adventures.

 

[Ancalagon]

Some of the sub-stories are so much like "party dynamics" that I suspect the Bridgeburners were actually PCs in somebodies game at some point. No other reasonable way to explain the gyrations to free them from military discipline to go forth and have epic adventures.

Actually, a lot of the book content comes from old RPGs, the author has mentioned it several times

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

First, Wheel of Time is a very low-magic setting, when you think about it. Magic exists, but it's severely limited with a highly centralized power that's also sort of tied up with religion. Second, the crazy magic like teleportation is basically unique to a very few people in the world.

Well, it's a setting where magic is rare, but individual magic-users can be extremely powerful.

EDIT: Also, there are other societies with channelers that the Aes Sedai don't know about. Their control isn't as absolute as all that.

And even then, you'll notice that the more powerful the "mage" character of the group gets, the more isolated his story becomes.

But a lot of the characters use high-level-equivalent magic, not just Rand.

 

[Khisanth the Ancient]

I think that some of the characters in that series honestly are beyond level 20 power. Anomander Rake is the kind of foe where level 20th characters "win" by driving him off without losing too many party members...

Oh, totally. In 5E he'd probably be an equal to Tiamat, about CR 30.