Very interesting article, although I must admit I didn't read it all -- I skipped down to the parts about the levels specifically.
I think that is one thing that many D&D players forget -- that 90% of the world are level 0 commoners, and so you're pretty bad ass with your STR 15 at level 2. You could kill like five able-bodied men in a village with not much difficulty. When Jackie Chan does that on TV, we think it's awesome. Not so much when it's us and D&D.
Some people have a point -- D&D is about being heroic. But being heroic doesn't mean that you're high level.
However, I don't think that the "best in the world" person would be around level 5. I think that'd be good for "best in the nation" or something -- the best archer in Amn or something. After all, if 90% of the people are 0-level, then a level 5 archer specialist is going to kick SERIOUS ass.
Old school D&D had what they called "name level" -- it was level 9. That was the point where you'd really become somewhat of a celebrity. Now I think that level 9 is a bit high for 3.5 D&D, but level five or six would be good. You're a local legend. Once you start getting up to international levels (lets say, the Olympics), I think you're going to need a bit of a higher level. There, I'd put level 9 or so. So, to put that in perspective: your level 10 warrior is known *through the entire world* as a badass.
Now, okay, he's not a demigod -- that's level 20, like the article said. But most people don't even get to level 2, and those who do rarely live to reach level 10. You're the best of the best of the best. You can do things that most people think are utterly impossible. You ARE Jackie Chan (or James Bond, or insert-your-action-hero-here) -- and then some. You are just freakin' awesome.
And really, that's about where I think realism ends. D&D doesn't, of course -- level 11 is just around the corner. Level 15. Level 18. But these are things that in real life never happen. If you've above level 9-10, you're not just awesome, you're practically super-human. At levels 12-15, you ARE superhuman. You're the local equivalent of Superman. And yeah, when you go a bit higher.... you're a demi-god.
Think about that. Demi-god. People
worship you and start cults in your name, becuase you are THAT bad-ass. The Earth equivalent would be people like King Arthur, Buddha, or Jesus -- names that *change history* and are remembered for thousands of years. That's you at level 17-20.
Now imagine when you hit level 20 and go beyond. Wow
Puts things in a different perspective, huh?
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T.C. Dale
http://www.tcdale.comOriginal Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, and Fantasy Erotica
