I read in a thread here that in real life nobody is above 5th level, then it directed the viewer to a webpage with a discussion of said topic... trouble is, I can't find that thread again! HELP, anyone...?
In real life nobody over 5th level?
Sat, 2007-08-18 11:22
#1
In real life nobody over 5th level?
Sat, 2007-08-18 14:32
#3
In real life nobody over 5th level?
This makes me wonder if i ever get bexond the 1st level. 
Sat, 2007-08-18 16:40
#4
In real life nobody over 5th level?
I read this article a while back and it totally changed my perception of the game. He largely makes complete sense.
Basically I give my players the elite statline to play with (maybe a little more if they complain like the odd +1) and we play from 1st to 5th. One rule is they have to think about their character and actually develop them as oppose to playing stereotypes and aiming for 20th as fast as the local monster population can handle.
I usually find im losing interest in a character about 5th level anyway. As soon as the fun monsters start dying easy (Orcs, Goblins, Trolls and the like) and we have to move on to monsters with funny names, everyone in the group sort of looks about and says "Shall we start again?" It was more fun to struggle than to wade through enemies while randomly rolling dice that you know are going to hit before you even see them.
If there is one thing ive learned from World of Darkness (Yes, ive turned traitor and am running a HUGELY successful Vampire the Requiem/Werewolf the Forsaken game) its that roleplaying should take precedent over dice. If a PC is beaten half to death with his own arm, the player is ALWAYS amused when his character makes a final heroic surge and grabs the severed limb from his assailant and beats the berk to death.
Oooh im all wanting to DM a game now 
Hell, if anyone wants me to DM a PbEM or something for them then let me know. Actually, if anyone else out there wants in on my WoD game then let me know too. Im all inspired now. Its good to have a good group of players.
Anyway, enough from me. Im off to bed.
Chaos Blessings
Barkin Wilder
P.S Clueless, where are you??? I feel all neglected and unloved. Gimme something to do!
Hugz
B
Sun, 2007-08-19 10:07
#5
re
I would not mind playing in a pbm, but I don't play 3.+, so wouldn't have the slightest idea how to make a character. (aside from rolling up stats, I'm not even sure what the "best" stats are for each class these days)
And I have to agree that I always have more fun with low level characters ... because, as you say, they have to struggle more - earn their bread and bed.
But, if you take the 5 level cap to be serious, then that means any creature above 5hit die ... and there are quite a few ... are legendary beasts which typically require armies, or at least large malitia, to face. So that Ankheg terrorizing the area is a serious threat, not just an irritating nasty ... and players will gain legendary reputations for facing down a few of those threats. The locals won't just be paying lip service to the fear they have of that Worg, they'll be really and trully terrified ... after all, the town guard was almost anihilated last time it came to the edge of town and now they have to settle for letting it take what livestock and citizens it gets hold of, while they devise plans for getting to safety as quickly as possible ... but the town is starving and people are dieing ... what is to be done?
Have you looked at the Deliria system? Though it is designed for modern faerie tales, it would easily adapt to a fantasy game and does an excellent job of maintaining that feel of mortality in its characters. Yes, the magic system does allow the potential for legendary type invocations, but it requires time and focus ... making for a very traditional earth fantasy feel.
Sun, 2007-08-19 12:57
#6
In real life nobody over 5th level?
Mh, that worg remindes me of the beast of Gévaudan. 
I wouldn't say it's a 'cap' at level 5 (if I got that term right), or at least there is a serious issue with multi-class. I'm currently having an argument with a friend wether Miyamoto Musashi could be statted as a Ranger 3/Fighter 2/Expert (he also was a great artist) 2+.
Sun, 2007-08-19 13:12
#7
re
Why Ranger 3? Is it just for the double wielding? I know he wandered about alot, but 3rd level ranger seems a bit high.
And reading the article, it does seem to assume that yes, lvl 5 is the 'cap' for most people - including those who multiclass. Truly heroic, more than human, types can achieve higher levels, but that is a rare type of thing reserved for pcs and legends. (heck, it only puts Gadalf at level 9, if I recall)
Sun, 2007-08-19 14:40
#8
In real life nobody over 5th level?
He said 10, not 9 . You can easily duplicate Darth Vader in less than 10 levels too--Psion(Telepath) 5 (for crisis of breath and the like) and ftr 5-ish for the rest of the combat abilities. plus a template for his life suppourt suit.
Sun, 2007-08-19 15:36
#9
In real life nobody over 5th level?
Why Ranger 3? Is it just for the double wielding? I know he wandered about alot, but 3rd level ranger seems a bit high.
He didn't actually invent the 2-swords-style, but he systemized it so it became a school of its own. Also, the skill points.
Sun, 2007-08-19 19:06
#10
In real life nobody over 5th level?
P.S Clueless, where are you??? I feel all neglected and unloved. Gimme something to do!
B
I was at Gencon accepting our award!! Hm.
Something to do... something to do... how about: Feedback me on the gatetown threads so I know if they're going in the right direction for an Outlands release! (I'll find more once I'm settled back in.)
Mon, 2007-08-20 19:09
#11
Jack of Tears
Thank you, Jack Of Tears!... that is indeed the page I was looking for! Incidentally, in a lot of other RPGs other than D&D, characters inprove in terms of spells, powers, skills, etc... but NOT in terms of "hit points/hit dice"! No matter how powerful they otherwise become, they can take only the amount of damage as they started with (a good example is White Wolf's "World of Darkness" games, where even creatures like dragons have only 15 Health Levels!!! But player characters have only 7 or 8 such levels, and so armor or spells is the only protection, or if you're great at dodging blows...)
Tue, 2007-08-21 20:07
#12
In real life nobody over 5th level?
ALthough I have never played a pnp rpg in my life, beyond paranoia and very little of it, I agree because baldurs gate1 was more fun to get through, however, if the difficulty is maxed out. BG2:SOA is actually a lot harder than the first one. Surprised me to death! But I rather love getting my character to those god like levels though! Just because its fun to kill balors n' such as though they were goblins!!! But I'm inclined to agree..
Wed, 2007-08-22 22:24
#13
In real life nobody over 5th level?
by the time you reach level 5 you are assumed to have been exposed to high powered magic and stuff to begin with (at least in my games) so no matter how "plain joe" you are in the beginning, you are bound to become a legend-killer by the time you get past 7th level (and you ought to be out of this world of orcs and trolls, and battling out barriaurs or gith or something, anyway)
Is this the page you're looking for?
http://www.thealexandrian.net/creations/misc/d&d-calibrating.html