Reltzik
2010-03-20, 10:26 AM
There are basicly two views of high-level characters.
The first is that they're ordinary humans (or elves, dwarves, etc), maybe slightly tougher, but overall just very skilled, experienced, and well-equipped. In 3.5, this view kind of fell flat when you discovered how much better you survived a fall while helpless. 5d6 damage (falling 5 stories) is huge at 1st level, but run of the mill at 10th. It holds up a bit better in 4.0, or so I understand it, but still has its shortcomings.
The second is that they've moved into the realm of the superhuman (superelf, etc). These are guys (and gals) that could not only survive a direct hit by a balista bolt, but shrug it off, charge the balista, slaughter its crew in six seconds of power-attack cleaving, and sunder the balista itself for good measure.
I bring this up because of a campaign idea I'm currently playing around with. I'm embracing the second view -- high level characters are superpowered, and this is the result of unquantifiable Blessings of the Gods upon heroes and villains. Then I'm sending the borderline paragon PCs plane-hopping to track down a BBEG uber war criminal. The majority of the campaign will take place on the bizare, inexplicable world to which the BBEG has fled: modern day Earth. As a final catch, OUR world does not benefit from the blessings of the gods. All natives are level 1 NPC classes. (MAYBE level 2 for the most highly trained people.)
In short, I want to see the fighter wading through machine gun fire like it's a cloud of gnats and carving through a main battle tank's armor like it's butter to his hot, magical, adamantite greatsword, and then making a +20 intimidate check against the rest of the army (with significant circumstance modifier) for good measure.
This raises the question: How to stat the tank? And for that matter, the machine gun, the harrier jet, a standard soldier in full battle dress, ordinary police, nuclear blasts, etc?
Anyone care to give these a shot?
(I have yet to decide whether to run this as a 3.5 and 4.0. My understanding is that 4.0 is much more balanced at higher levels, but I'm also much less familiar with it.)
The first is that they're ordinary humans (or elves, dwarves, etc), maybe slightly tougher, but overall just very skilled, experienced, and well-equipped. In 3.5, this view kind of fell flat when you discovered how much better you survived a fall while helpless. 5d6 damage (falling 5 stories) is huge at 1st level, but run of the mill at 10th. It holds up a bit better in 4.0, or so I understand it, but still has its shortcomings.
The second is that they've moved into the realm of the superhuman (superelf, etc). These are guys (and gals) that could not only survive a direct hit by a balista bolt, but shrug it off, charge the balista, slaughter its crew in six seconds of power-attack cleaving, and sunder the balista itself for good measure.
I bring this up because of a campaign idea I'm currently playing around with. I'm embracing the second view -- high level characters are superpowered, and this is the result of unquantifiable Blessings of the Gods upon heroes and villains. Then I'm sending the borderline paragon PCs plane-hopping to track down a BBEG uber war criminal. The majority of the campaign will take place on the bizare, inexplicable world to which the BBEG has fled: modern day Earth. As a final catch, OUR world does not benefit from the blessings of the gods. All natives are level 1 NPC classes. (MAYBE level 2 for the most highly trained people.)
In short, I want to see the fighter wading through machine gun fire like it's a cloud of gnats and carving through a main battle tank's armor like it's butter to his hot, magical, adamantite greatsword, and then making a +20 intimidate check against the rest of the army (with significant circumstance modifier) for good measure.
This raises the question: How to stat the tank? And for that matter, the machine gun, the harrier jet, a standard soldier in full battle dress, ordinary police, nuclear blasts, etc?
Anyone care to give these a shot?
(I have yet to decide whether to run this as a 3.5 and 4.0. My understanding is that 4.0 is much more balanced at higher levels, but I'm also much less familiar with it.)