|
|
Post by Anti-Steve on Dec 18, 2014 8:15:25 GMT
Every once in a while I see somebody make mention of the fact that BECM had to readjust B/X's experience progression because it only went up to level 14 and BECM's goes up to 36, as you know.
The problem with that is that in the Expert book, Cook mentions explicitly that the (unproduced) Companion book will allow characters to level up to 36. It's implied very strongly that Cook had already done the math for levels 15-36, so if that's the case, then what the fuck is all this noise about adjusting anything?
There's a conspiracy at work here, I tells ya. Something foul is afoot.
|
|
|
|
Post by Malcadon on Dec 21, 2014 12:06:42 GMT
It is jarring going form a 14th level Expert character to a 15th level Companion character. The all the stat progression — to-hit, saving throws, spells per level, thieves' abilities, etc. — suddenly changes gears, as characters would loose or gain stats and the old formula no longer apply. For example, a Fighter gains a 2-point deduction (lower = better) to all saves categories every three levels in B/X, but then with the change-over to CMI, the numbers go up and down with no rhyme or reason, and the saves go down a single point every three or six levels of progression. Clerics and Magic-Users actually loose spells per day during the transition!
Ether Cook & Marsh did the math out to 36th level beforehand and it got lost by the time Mentzer continued the line, so he just made-up his own stats. Or Mentzer did the math and found that Cook & Marsh never gave much foresight to how their system would work at high-level play, so he shoehorned the system in a ham-handed way to to make it work. Ether way, Mentzer retroactively changed the numbers in a way that makes them incompatible.
The only system I can think of that is covers level 1 to 36 uniformly is Rules Cyclopedia.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2014 8:11:15 GMT
Levels 15+ are stupid.
|
|
|
|
Post by Anti-Steve on Jan 12, 2015 5:06:56 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Huthor on Jan 20, 2015 17:06:02 GMT
Each to their own, but I actually think BECMI is better at 15+
Nothing to with balanced charts, etc.
I just like the plethora of new details you can get into - building realms, armies, venturing out across the myriad planes, immortality, more interesting monsters......(*drones on for a few hours*).
I'm one of those few people who (as both a player and a DM) find the lower levels something of a chore to to be endured to get to the interesting stuff.
|
|
