(The original was deleted in the switch over)

I think it's really cool and great and all when you can level up a bunch of levels at once, but the real problem is that when you do level-up, you start earning darn near nothing each encounter.

My question is this: Does level-squatting actually work, or will I end up with the same results either way?

Crap. Did you see my response before it got deleted?

Nope.

Too bad. It was long and detailed and brilliant and I don't feel like writing it again. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

In short, the benefits of level-squatting are proportional to the amount you do it. Squatting one character for a few levels has almost no permanent effect. Squatting the whole party for a few levels (e.g. at just under average lvl 6 through the Ice Temple) is worth somewhere under a level per character in total, although the party will definitely show short-term benefits. Combining the two techniques can get you a level per character (or perhaps two) in total.

If you squat the whole party, or most of it, for a long time - say, until you can progress no further without leveling - your characters will benefit significantly from squatting. I've heard of lvl 6 characters in Dragon's Eye, which is a bit silly.

[ 07-29-2007, 09:08 PM: Message edited by: Aerich ]

Hmm. Well, here's an update by me (and yes, it proves that it works):

As y'all probably know, I'm into smaller parties, 4 people is my favorite.

I've got my Deep Gnome Monk Decoy level 13, my Female Drow Druid 1/Cleric (Lathander)11, my Male Drow is a Rogue 1/Cleric (Bane)1/Transmuter 10, and I have an Aasimar Paladin 2/Sorcerer 12.

I'm currently in Dragon's Eye (Just got that Sword of Myrlock's Vale on the 3rd floor).

These characters all stayed at these levels for quite some time, and I plan on keeping them there as long as I can. I just levelled my Druid/Cleric up to Druid 1/Cleric 17 because that's as high a level in Cleric as I want her to be. I could still handle things well, and could've pushed even farther. My 3rd character will level-up directly to Transmuter 20 if I can hold out that far, because that's how far I want him to go. The Monk and Sorc/Pal will hold out for as long as possible as well.

I will level them all up before the final battle, no matter what.

The reason I conclude that it does really help is that you usually finish the game at level 17 or 18 I'm told. Well, I have one character who is total level 18 right now, and I have a long way to go in the game.

It's been a while since I played - I lost my discs - what level are people usually when they go through Dragon's Eye?

DS, I'd say a full party would be about lvl 14 in Dragon's Eye. Dragon's Eye is almost the end of the second-to-last chapter.

Klorox, a 4-character party, especially one with ECL races, will finish higher than lvl 17 normally. A 6-character party with ECL races will finish around average lvl 17, so you can expect a 4-character party to be at least a couple levels higher. While your party may have been squatting for a while in terms of game time, squatting is more effective the lower your average party level while squatting. You'll probably end up 2-4 levels higher than that party would normally, with the fluctuation dependent on where you do your level-ups.

While this is a powergamery kinda run through the game for me, I think it's a decent strategy to not hit that level-up button until things get a bit dicey for your characters. At the very least, you may as well wait until you're going to rest with your spellcasters, and not level-up Wizards unless you've got spells in your spellbook from their highest levels.

Aah. Thanks.

Oh, I'm not criticizing it. I regularly squat a little and almost never level up until rest periods. My most recent 6-character party was average lvl 18 going into HoF.

How dicey is a bit dicey? I think a party of average lvl 8 could get into Dragon's Eye if it had a decent sorc and rested a lot.