[DF] Dragonlance

[maximara]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Eh, you just gate things by total xp, not level. The real problem is that RPGs can handle balance issues with a GM, and MMOs can't, so they need to balance everything through the character creation system, and the difficulty of balancing depends on how many interactions you're looking at. For example, let's say a level-based system grants a character 6 choices between two powers, and you have two classes. That means you have a total of 128 possible combinations. Now, merge those two and eliminate the level-gating so you have a character with 6 total powers out of 24. That's 134,596 possible combinations.

The thing with relying on the GM to handle balance issues is you can have adventures where the GM has to constantly play "nanny" to keep the party from becoming a bloody smear.

Take, Queen of the Demonweb Pits (Q1) for example. The very idea that a Level 10–14 party could take on what amounts to a goddess is jaw dropping unreal.

Lolth is insane enough with just the stats in the book: AC -10 (yes negative 10; AC 10 is very roughly akin to Dodge 8)/ - 2; 88 HP; had what amounts to a Toxic attack and a Binding attack. Magic resist of 70% (roughly between MR 11 and 12 based on the percentage); "able to heal herself at will, up to thrice/day"; "not affected by weapons which are not magical, silver does her no harm (unless enchanted to at least +1), and cold, electrical and gas attack forms cause only one-half damage." Then there were all the Clerical (35 at 16 level) and Magic-User (25 at 14th level) spells she could cast. And she had psionic abilities of 266 on top of all that. ("minor devotions of body equilibrium, clairvoyance, domination, and the major sciences of dimension walking, mind bar, molecular rearrangement, and probability travel". All at 16th level of ability/experience)

Throw in the powers form Dieties and Demigods and even a level 20 party that faced her would be lucky to survive the encounter even if they were at full strength (which given what else was there they wouldn't be).