Low-level Vs high-level campaigns

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Does it happen to any of you that you start a game with a character type, and after you've reached a particular point you grow tired, and restart the game with another character? I think I restarted ToB about 15 times before I finished it, and NWN about 5 or 6 times.

I've discovered that I enjoy the most when I'm playing with low level characters (levels 1-8). I suppose it's because the game is still challenging, a single trap can still kill you, you're susceptible to many spells that may prove useless later, the equipment you get is not overpowered, so you don't rely on it completely... Also, I find that I come up with more inventive strategies to win the battles playing whith low-level parties.

I suppose this is the main reason why I prefer replaying BG1 than BG2.

So I wonder, what's your approach? Do you prefer low level campaigns, or are you more of an Epic adventurer?

 

To me low-level campaigns yields more fun. IWD 1 and BG1 therefor stands out compared to BG2 and IWD 2.

I would like to see more mods removing overpowered items from BG2

 

Agreed... in Bg2, once you hit a certain level or find a certain weapon, you're set for the rest of the game. And that makes it boring, because your strategic approach to combat becomes static (with a handful of exceptions).

The Gold Box games did a better job increasing the difficulty as you progress. Often times, you're badly outnumbered in combat, so you'll be counterattacked no matter what. For this reason, I like the high-level campaigns more in those older series of games.

 

I agree about the Gold box games. If the challenge is scaled right, then anything can work...

 

One of the failings of high-level campaigns is the poor AI of enemies. They rarely use all their high-level spells and abilities in a strategic way, and designers often just resort to giving them lots of hit points and make them hit like a truck. Other than that, they're not much of a challenge.

Compare that to a low-level campaign where a single fireball can mean the death of the entire party.

 

I also prefer low level campaigns.
I liked the the low level gold box games more than the high level ones. Because of the racial level limits you couldn't use another class than humans effectively in PoD and the battles against the drow (or other) hordes worked always the same boring way: if enemies cast first reload else wipe them out with two level 40 fireballs to save yourself hours of repetitive micromanaging.

 

Low level. The epic level stuff has a certain allure in being more powerful, but most systems simply don't scale right at higher levels, and you end up with more powerful characters taking on more powerful enemies, just beating each other over the heads with their higher level abilities. But the risk inherent in having only a little health (whether it's called HP or whatever else), that you could be killed in a single blow...I thrive on that. I'm also rather partial to situations where you can actually lose someone in the battle (as a DM, my first adventure was always designed to weed out a character or two).

But more than that, I tend to like the beginning of games more than the end. By the time I get into the "gather final stuff" phase of a game, I've usually lost most of my interest, and the story and my penchant for completeness are the only things that're keeping me going. I've only actually finished about half of my games, even if I start them many times over.

FF 3(6) & 7 especially stand out in that category, as games where I've played to the point where I could probably have wiped the floor with the end boss, but just never bothered to go after him because I didn't feel like facing some over-the-top enemy with my over-the-top characters just to finish off the story. (Though admittedly those two had okay stories, the endings were spoiled for me and sounded too cliche/stupid to justify the effort.)

 

call me a munchkin, but I have no problem with doing this

After finishing a game at least once, I also have that stop-restart new char problem but in my case it's more of a "ooh, I forgot if I did THIS then I'd have a STRONGER character later" kind of thing

I guess this is why I used to have so much fun playing Drakengard on Sunday mornings while waiting for my hangover to dissipate. 1 PC using around 300-500 enemy grunts to wipe the floor, sounds like fun to me

I am the LotPG

 

Character creation is the most fun for me, and the character's persona can be embodied better before my ADD kicks in and I gotta move on to a new character type. Every RPG I've ever played has taken me at least 3 characters before I saw it through to the end. Gold box games and their bastard child Unlimited Adventures were better later on though. Still it took a few parties before I went to the end in them.

Wizardry VI: Bane of the Cosmic Forge, never even got a character beyond 4th level before making a new party with different characters.

 

for me it depends a lot on the game.

In bg2 i find that the character devolement kinda stop around lvl 9. it tries to pick it up in tob with hla's. but to me that aint working, the battles there become way to static.

but in a game like world of warcraft. most classes aint fully developed around lvl 40 (max lvl is currently 60) which meens you go through 2/3 of the leveling still devolping the character, the last 1/3 you finish of your talent build, then hit 60 and starts polishing of your build, tweaking it or making a whole new, gathering gear to suit your build and so. for me thats way better.

the same sorta applies to nwn for me. i find the first 4 lvls **** boring cause its almost only auto-attack . then the character starts to develop and i can plan builds.

 

I like middle class, when you can own little critter and carry reasonable loot and cast reasonably powerfull spell. However stronger monster can always kick your ass. Go Middle Level campaing!

 

I prefer low level or at least starting low. I can appreciate starting at a level higher than 1 with the kind of background it brings, but 15 is a bit much. I don't restart the same way you do, however. I finish the game if I can unless the character apparently sucks or there's a really good reason to restart.

I tend to enjoy levels higher than 1 but below 10. And starting said campaign at level 1 is a nice touch, although I don't like forced just another peasant backgrounds.

 

I prefer high level campaigns, if and ONLY if they are scaled right...

For instance, stuff like Tactics and Improved Battles and Ascension etc make ToB and SoA SO much more fun that I can't even imagine going back to non-modded BG2...

With NWN as well, some epic campaigns which are designed for post HotU characters are very well made with fast paced combat etc.

Of course, as is evident, such modules tend to concentrate more on fighting and less on roleplaying...which is okay with me...I need stuff to be happening all the time to keep me involved in the game. Just swinging away for hours at a time to kill kobolds and gnolls and goblins and rats...ugh...waste of time.

 

Low level for me also. I love coming up with new tactics to beat certain types of enemies. The first time I played BG, the wolf outside of Candlekeep slaughtered my wizard and Imoen.