What is High-Level Play Like?

[~xFellWardenx~]

Basically, I've never really played in the mid to high levels. The most recent campaign I was a part of ended at level 9, the highest level I've gotten to, and before that the only other group I've ever played with plays E4 (not 4e, I mean everything stops leveling up at level 4). So I have little experience with how the game feels at higher levels, and I worry that I might never. I know simply from reading this board that level 9 and lower play is like a totally different game from level 20 or Epic play.

But aside from "moar necessary magic items", which was the biggest readjustment for me going between levels 4 and 9, what is different about high-level play compared to low-mid level play? What would I need to know if I were to try to drop myself directly into a high-level game?

[Skysaber]

I prefer to think of it as "Mission Impossible, D&D Style".

It's still D&D, just the problems get more intense and a lot more is expected of you in how to solve them.

[Yawgmoth]

Once you hit level 10, things start getting rocket tag. By the time you hit 15th or so, everyone is rolling initiative to see who gets to kill a thing first. You're basically playing Exalted at that point; your defenses have to be perfect and your offenses had better nullify the target entirely. Once you get 17+ and into epic levels, the game has already broken down mechanically so much that your DM is homebrewing every encounter whole cloth and everyone is likely able to kill an army, conjure an army, or turn a pile of commoners into an army with one action.

This isn't a condemnation of high/epic play, it's just the way it is. It can be fun but it requires a stellar DM and a fantastic group, and moreover it involves a lot of "gentleman's agreements" to keep anything functioning at all.

[pwykersotz]

I prefer to think of it as "Mission Impossible, D&D Style".

It's still D&D, just the problems get more intense and a lot more is expected of you in how to solve them.

Pretty much this.

High level is world saving stuff. Also, it's expected that you have enough resources and experience to tackle anything...given time. It ceases to be a game of "can we do this?" and becomes a game of "how do we do this?"

[Anxe]

There's a lot more focus on casters as spells are the most useful tool for anything. And yes, its a question of how not if the party can accomplish something.

In the low level campaign I play in, enemy spellcasters are terrifying. We really can't deal with them in anyway.

In the high level campaign I run I routinely pit the party against encounters far above their expected EL. They're 17th and they're usually facing off against mid 20s for EL. I can throw anything at them. If they don't defeat it, they'll escape and come back with the tools to defeat it.