"Not entirely sure I agree with what you are saying here. On first read it feels more like the feed back you'd expect from someone who is used to playing MMORPGs, where you can't go more than 10 minutes without getting another level or another piece of gear and the "challenge" is getting to the endgame to play with your mates as fast as possible."
No. I didn't say that. I don't expect the game to give me next level every ten minutes. And I wasn't complaiining about the long waiting time for the next level. BUT what I want to have is real bennefit from leveling up when it comes.
As I understand it from reading your original post, your main complaint is that the amount of power you gain per time invested isnt high enough - be that through new gear or new levels (in this case for the long waits between levels you want big steps up in power, but you can also have the same effect via frequent level gains for small steps in power). My point was that steep (or large) increases in power (vs time spent) is a core part of MMOs as they want you to get to the end-game/the latest stuff so you can play with everyone else and not feel "left behind". In non-MMO RPGs (like Baulders Gate) the focus is far more centered on your journey via the story and exploration of the (open (ish)) world and therefore a much lower increase in power per time spent is for the better as it keeps the challenge for the current act fairly consistent no matter the order you approach things in (as there's no set sequence you are required to tackle things in.
"1. The way itemization goes in DnD, it is your gear, that really makes you powerful. As in real life, you stick a long time with what you have. Later on the itemization becomes a problem, because you get ridiculously powerful. Apart from that you can get some pretty amazing gear in act 1, if you are actually thorough, like the Blood of Lathander, Aluvae, Light of Creation, Spellsparker and so on."
I won't be arguing about that. I have omited only one side-plot from act 1 which was the cave from the well - the spiders were too powerful for me at that time. There was really nothing left in act one so... or we played different games or you are boasting too much.
Or maybe there some things you've missed and you didnt realise? Did you get the sword from the Paladins of Tyr? (that would be a good item for your other fighter for example) Or the sword from the stone in the Underdark? There is also a legendary quality mace you can pick up in the Mountain Pass (granted that's probably not going to be so good for your party unless one of your fighters is dual wielding or using a shield and main hand combo - but it is
very useful to have in act 2)
All of them had poor features at leveling up and all of them got only some hit points at some levels.
What would a "good" feature be?
Also you get more hit points at every level, depending on your class it depends how much - Fighters get 6 + constitution modifier, Wizards 4 + constitution modifier and Rogues 5 + constitution modifier - not some levels.
