Quote Originally Posted by Theodoxus View Post
The primary reason I'm actually making a mashup mod is I don't like the massive numbers 3.PF and 4th ended up going with. I don't want to try to generate DCs in the 30s for late game characters. Where climbing a tree at 1st level was kinda hard, but suddenly that same tree has to be impossible, just to let the 18th level characters have a bit of a challenge? (This is an exaggerated case, obviously).
Exaggerated though it may be, I think this is one thing that a lot of people never fully understood, myself included.

You climb a tree at level 1 - it's DC 10. It's a level 1 challenge.

You climb that same tree at level 30, it's still DC 10. Because it hasn't stopped being a level 1 challenge.

It was actually 13th Age's explanation that let me fully understand, DC math is based on the approximate level of the obstacle or terrain, not the players. Yes, most terrain or obstacles that a party faces will likely be around their level, but they don't need to be, if it doesn't make sense.

Anyways, it doesn't really change your point at all. Just felt like commenting.