no problem. However what I was pointing out wasn't a leveled environment.

The problem I had was that the levels 8 - 14 vs my level 21 were inconsistent. There were level 14s that behaved like level 16+ and there are level 14s (changed: sorry not 16 but 14) that behaved like level 10 below. I'm really not sure but it's just the impression I encountered when I went back to broken valley with my level 21 and also to the Sentinel Island.

I understand what you mean even with Oblivion, there were mods that prevented the levelled environment (IIRC Francesco's leveled quests and items).

What I mean by a strict enemy level system, most of the time when a high level player faces enemies 5 levels below and 5 levels above, the relative challenge rating will feel almost consistent.

(added for clarity: consistent meaning, 5 levels below must feel easier to kill than an enemy 2 levels below. 5 Levels above feels harder to kill than enemy 3 levels above. Thus easiest (5 levels below), easier (3 levels below)... just right (equal level)... hard (3 levels above), harder (5 levels above)... something like that.

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Added for clarity:
My suspicion is that Larian is customizing the enemy in a different way from other RPG games. If a representative refutes this then I rest my case and I'll gladly accept that I'm wrong.

Enemy creation:
There are different ways one can create enemies in a given level. One is, a level designer picks a creature then gives it stats, abilities, equipment and then designates it Level 14. This can give rise to cases where a creature doesn't meet the standard of the equipment or ability but is given it anyhow.

Illustration: Imagine IIRC the explosive arrows require level 15, however for design purposes a level designer MIGHT venture, "Let's give these Level 14 skeletons explosive arrows anyway."

An obvious strict system for enemy leveling can be seen in Neverwinter Nights series, you cannot equip a creature spells, items unless the creature has the intelligence, level stats to satisfy them. Therefore from the example above, the system will not allow any creature designated as Level 14 to have explosive arrows.

I'm being suspicious here without hard evidence but I felt that Divinity II creatures are "extremely" customized which I suspect is the reason why there are unexpected spikes in the difficulty.

Again I'm willing to accept that my suspicions are false if one can assure me that they're not doing such.

Last edited by J747L; 19/10/11 12:44 PM.