Exponential Leveling?

[The Fat Kid]

I was looking through the DMG and by the CR system, two monsters with the same challenge rating make an encounter that is their challenge rating plus two.

Since characters are supposed to be able to solo an encounter with an challenge rating equal to their level roughly half the time, doesn't this mean that characters should double in power every two levels?

So, according to game rules, one 120th level character is the equal of two 118th level characters? Or am I missing something here?

[JackMage666]

Once you get over Character Level 20, CRs mean next to nothing. A level 21 Character is about as strong as a level 118 character. Really, it's no good at that point.

And I'm not sure on your math, but if you're soloing things, that sounds about right.

[nerulean]

You've actually hit on part of the problem with D&D 3.5 right there. Mathematically, yes, there is an exponential power curve in the system. That's what the 'sweet spot' the 4th ed developers keep talking about is: the point where the exponentials have left rock bottom but haven't made it to silly yet.

[brian c]

Once you get over Character Level 20, CRs mean next to nothing. A level 21 Character is about as strong as a level 118 character. Really, it's no good at that point.

And I'm not sure on your math, but if you're soloing things, that sounds about right.

I'm pretty sure 118th level is stronger than 21st level, if only because you'd have more levels to take Epic feats.

Really though, since spellcasters get new spell levels every 2, their growth is fairly exponential. Melee is just a linear increase in BAB and some increase from stats, so that's one reason why the higher level you are, the more the difference in power levels between casters and non-casters.

[Inyssius Tor]

Well, Epic casters really don't scale at all. 21st is really the same as 118th, since at that point the power curve can be modeled by f(x) = x ^ b, where b is the amount of ridiculous power you want.

[Dausuul]

I was looking through the DMG and by the CR system, two monsters with the same challenge rating make an encounter that is their challenge rating plus two.

Since characters are supposed to be able to solo an encounter with an challenge rating equal to their level roughly half the time, doesn't this mean that characters should double in power every two levels?

So, according to game rules, one 120th level character is the equal of two 118th level characters? Or am I missing something here?

If you take off a digit, you're correct--one 20th-level character is roughly equivalent to two 18th-level characters, although it depends on class to a great extent. As others have said, once you get into epic levels, the whole system just breaks down.