Dips in Spellcasting Proficiency

[WillowWhisper]

Right after Second Edition released citricking did an analysis of spellcasting success and failure odds (Thread here) It showed that spell's success chances were pretty consistent across all levels, (About 50% against on-level enemy's moderate save.) but there are dips in effectiveness at levels 4-6(right before Expert spellcasting) and levels 11-14. (right before Master spellcasting) I think that these dips are a big part of the "feelsbadman" that has been discussed ad nauseam on these forums, and I was thinking about solutions to smooth out those dips.

Some people have suggested moving Spellcasting Proficiency increases forward, an idea that appealed to me so I did some fiddling. I found that moving the Expert Spellcasting to level 5 and the Master Spellcasting to level 11 smoothed out those dips in effectivness without changing the odds of success at other levels too much. (50-55% success rate for on-level moderate save for 14/20 levels) It isn't the cleanest solution, cleric for instance is problematic because its spellcasting boosts are based on Doctrine and there is no doctrine benefit at 5th level.

Thoughts?

[thenobledrake]

The dips in success chance of spells exist so that spikes in level potency are less noticeable.

Putting the proficiency increases at the levels they "should" happen to match other class proficiency scaling makes those levels "big levels" compared to other levels.

So I say move it if you want, but keep in mind that there's not going to be a "perfect" solution dude to all the stuff handed out between class features, ability boosts, and the "good level" of spells.

I might recommend splitting the difference and putting the proficiency bumps on the even levels (6 and 12) even though that breaks the standard pattern of even levels being class & skill feat levels.

[Ruzza]

Homebrew?

[rainzax]

Use the Midpoint Theorem.

Or, separate the Four-Tier spread Trained (+2), Expert (+4), Master (+6), and Legendary (+8) into a Seven-Tier spread of Trained (+2), Semi-Expert (+3), Expert (+4), Semi-Master (+5), Master (+6), Semi-Legendary (+7), and Legendary (+8), then, strategically locate new "Semi-" Class Features (for example: "Semi-Alertness" or "Semi-Iron Will") at the Midpoints between their respective Four-Tier boundaries across the Class Tables, rounding Up or Down (choose), for each Proficiency Index of Perception, Saving Throws, Weapon and Armor Proficiencies, Spellcasting and Class DC Proficiencies, and, if you're feeling up to it, at all Even Levels (and Odd Levels too for Rogue) between Skill Increases.

That should Flatten the Curve!

[vagrant-poet]

rainzax wrote:

Use the Midpoint Theorem.

Or, separate the Four-Tier spread Trained (+2), Expert (+4), Master (+6), and Legendary (+8) into a Seven-Tier spread of Trained (+2), Semi-Expert (+3), Expert (+4), Semi-Master (+5), Master (+6), Semi-Legendary (+7), and Legendary (+8), then, strategically locate new "Semi-" Class Features (for example: "Semi-Alertness" or "Semi-Iron Will") at the Midpoints between their respective Four-Tier boundaries across the Class Tables, rounding Up or Down (choose), for each Proficiency Index of Perception, Saving Throws, Weapon and Armor Proficiencies, Spellcasting and Class DC Proficiencies, and, if you're feeling up to it, at all Even Levels (and Odd Levels too for Rogue) between Skill Increases.

That should Flatten the Curve!

I was fooling around with no level and half-level to proficiency math curves, and did this to smooth out the target numbers.

I do think the easy thing is to just choose to move the expert and master bumps to 5 and 13 (not 11) so they are in line with martials advances and accept that those are now power spikes instead of dips (the dips are I assume partly supposed to be offset by getting 3rd level spells and 7th level spells, but obviously don't FEEL that way to many players).