Overview and Illustrations
Among the most straightforward post-cap proposals is simply increasing our stats and skills, subject to ordinary enhancive limitations. Some would prefer such a system to eschew the current bounty point recharges while others would still like charging in some form as a balancing factor.
In either case, this system would avoid the risk of increasing the power ceiling since anything it proposes is already within the realm of possibility.
Perhaps one use of post cap experience would be permanent enhanciveness, not tied to an item. It could follow the same rules [as] regular enhancives regarding the cap on the total bonus to either stat or skill.
I also like the idea of permanent stat enhancives on the character rather than item post-cap (no need to recharge), up to normal skill & stats caps. Why wear stuff to be super, when you already just are?
How about just stat bonuses beyond 100? We can get them via enhancives, but you could allow them to be earned via exp too. Something like this: each 1 million exp over cap nets you 1 additional stat point to be placed wherever you choose. Standard bonus max still applies, but of course no need to recharge it. That way we get a tangible benefit, but balance doesn’t get thrown out of whack because it’s something you could attain by other means.
This would be nice for those of us who are just plain running out of slots for enhancives, or, for the OCD crowd, you could get straight 100’s all the way across the board.
[…] they could open up an new service where you can put enhancive enchantments on yourself via Post Cap Points, then recharge them via silver. A great system, balanced, and a silver sink at that! Perfect.
Alternatives
Another minimalistic suggestion involves giving phantom level-based benefits.
Aurach has killed 100000000000000+ war griffins.
Getting a 30 RT from being afraid of a griffin screech is cute:)
I would like to see capped character with xxxx exp over cap. Get a modifier toward level based attacks.
For every 1 million exp post cap, you would gain a level’s worth of offense/defense (CS/TD/AS/DS benefits, maneuver attack/defense bonuses, +1 trainable skills threshold increase), but not actually gain a level. From phantom level 110 to 120, you need 2 million exp […] and so on.
The problem with allowing phantom “levels” for CS calculation and maneuver defense, etc is a game balance issue as well. The first one or two levels aren’t so bad, but if you figure that some people out there are triple capped (21+ M XP), the hunting grounds would become so ridiculously harmless for them that it would be silly, I think.
People are asking for an increased amount of maneuver defense because this is a hard capped area where no matter what you do to improve, you will always get crushed at cap. Hunting 10 above your level against the hardest creatures in the game is supposed to be hard, I get that. I simply believe being able to gain an additional 10 levels of defense wouldn’t make this difficulty go away. […]
I wouldn’t allow people to obtain more than 10 level’s worth of protection, as that may indeed lead to a severely decreased difficulty.
However, at my current level, Ithzir Scouts, level 89, have NO difficulties knocking me on my butt with their CMANs. Creatures AT level can’t really miss.
There is ample room for growth while still maintaining a challenge.
Challenges
The challenges to phantom level benefits are given above. As for character-bound enhancive benefits, there are no particular objections from the player side.
However, the fusion system that theoretically allowed people to get full enhancive bonuses in a few stats or skills has been repeatedly nerfed. While those discussions are beyond the scope of this report, it does imply that GMs might not see such a thing as a viable balanced option.
Of course, one way to introduce a post-cap system that avoids any and all balance concerns is to introduce no mechanical benefits. Let’s take a look at that in the next part!
Navigation
Part 1: What’s the Problem?
Part 2: Post-Cap Points
Part 3: Character Differentiation
Part 4: Scaling Up or Down
Part 5: Remorting
Part 6: Full or Partial Multiclassing
Part 7: Going Sideways
Part 8: Powers That Be
Part 9: Enhancive Convenience
Part 10: Non-Mechanical Perks
Part 11: The Salad Bowl of Commentary
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