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Overlevel

10 (66.7%)

Underlevel

4 (26.7%)

Is there an inbetween?  I don't think so, really .

1 (6.7%)

Total Members Voted: 15

[Koh]

Koh

Overleveling vs Underleveling

Now I always overlevel.  Underleveling is so overrated.  It does NOT.  I repeat.  It does NOT add a challenge to the game.  All it does it drag out the fights unnecessarily.  Because 60% of the time in the battle will be used to spam healing spells and/or potions, instead of actually fighting.  That's not skill, and that's not a challenge, that's just a waste of time.

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[BlazeBigBang]

BlazeBigBang

Re: Overleveling vs Underleveling

On the one hand, Overleveling may help, as, for example, in Pokemon, you get them to level 35 on the second gym, and until the 5th, you don't have to worry.

On the other hand, Overleveling makes the game boring, as you win the game very fast, and don't have any fun.

[Starforsaken101]

Starforsaken101

Re: Overleveling vs Underleveling

I overlevel in almost all level-dependant games I play simply because it feels awesome to soar through a hard fight.

On the other hand, Overleveling makes the game boring, as you win the game very fast, and don't have any fun.

I completely disagree with this solely based on this: how long would it take to grind and overlevel to compensate for a hard fight? Yeah, you soar through the game, but it equally takes a lot of time to level, especially in Pokemon (unless you're playing White/Black and have the Audino exploit available). Take the Disgaea series as an example: this game is the perfect game for grinders. You'll mostly be grinding your way through levelling all of your team and spending hours doing so. I don't think that makes you "win the game" very fast; it just means you're putting more of your time into over-levelling.

This just gave me warm memories of level grinding during my train rides ^_^. I used to have to take the train to work/school and back (thus 2 hours of a train a day, 1 hour there, 1 hour back...and then the walking and subway etc blablabla is more time). I would either sleep or play videogames on the train. Sometimes I really miss that...and now I have a sudden urge to play Etrian Odyssey 3.

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[davelesh]

davelesh

Re: Overleveling vs Underleveling

I overlevel but not to try to breeze through a game, I love game storylines and content, I just overlevel so I can handle all the secret content a game has after the main story is completed (such as the secret bosses in the Final Fantasy series and Kingdom hearts).

[Lunar]

Lunar

Re: Overleveling vs Underleveling

>Underleveling does not add challenge to a fight

Well, that is highly dependant on the game.
People have beaten Dark Souls without leveling up and using the starting gear. This is a game where you can beat it with pure skill, and leveling up simply makes it easier.
You seem to be referring more to JRPGs, but even then if you exploit the game and use clever strategies, you can overcome many difficult moments without dragging it out for years.

On the other hand, if you're intentionally overleveling everything you're just wasting your time and playing a game for all the wrong reasons. Just watch a Let's Play if you don't even want to play it as intended.

sup

[FISSURE]

FISSURE

Re: Overleveling vs Underleveling

I like to over level, it makes the game easier for me.

[Kleaver]

Kleaver

Re: Overleveling vs Underleveling

I always overlevel when facing Whitney's Miltank.

[Walnut]

Walnut

Re: Overleveling vs Underleveling

I constantly underlevel

It takes more strategy to win fights and you spend more time playing the actual game than walking back and forth on a small strip of mediocre exp enemies trying to get new stuff

ROLL TIDE WHAT? **** YOU!!! Geaux Tiga

~The Gaurdians of ZFGC~
Kirby, metallica48423, Max, Vash, walnut100

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[Koh]

Koh

Re: Overleveling vs Underleveling

I constantly underlevel

It takes more strategy to win fights and you spend more time playing the actual game than walking back and forth on a small strip of mediocre exp enemies trying to get new stuff

Actually it's the same.  The only difference with overleveling is you won't be seeing the same boss battle over and over (through losses), and you won't be in them for eternity.

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[Walnut]

Walnut

Re: Overleveling vs Underleveling

^ You'll only have that problem if you're bad at the game or if its an unusually grindy game

Usually you can use a decent strategy to forego all the unnecessary grinding. If you're failing too much you've gotta level or change your strategy, but there's no good reason imo to level because you don't feel like trying to come up with a decent plan of attack

ROLL TIDE WHAT? **** YOU!!! Geaux Tiga

~The Gaurdians of ZFGC~
Kirby, metallica48423, Max, Vash, walnut100

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[FISSURE]

FISSURE

Re: Overleveling vs Underleveling

^ You'll only have that problem if you're bad at the game or if its an unusually grindy game

Usually you can use a decent strategy to forego all the unnecessary grinding. If you're failing too much you've gotta level or change your strategy, but there's no good reason imo to level because you don't feel like trying to come up with a decent plan of attack

My plan of attack:

Overlevel and destroy everything in your path

or

Use the cheapest tactics possible to beat the game, like i did with Demons Souls, Mage FTW

[Koh]

Koh

Re: Overleveling vs Underleveling

^ You'll only have that problem if you're bad at the game or if its an unusually grindy game

Usually you can use a decent strategy to forego all the unnecessary grinding. If you're failing too much you've gotta level or change your strategy, but there's no good reason imo to level because you don't feel like trying to come up with a decent plan of attack

My plan of attack:

Overlevel and destroy everything in your path

or

Use the cheapest tactics possible to beat the game, like i did with Demons Souls, Mage FTW

Or even better, when the game gives you hacks .  Final Fantasy Tactics and Orlandeau, anyone?

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[FrozenFire]

FrozenFire

Re: Overleveling vs Underleveling

Generally, I overlevel in turn-based RPGs, and I underlevel in action-based RPGs (Super Mario RPG = overlevel, Borderlands 2 = underlevel). It really depends on the battle system/mechanics though.

I don't usually get much joy out of simple victories. The reward is knowing when I've won a battle based on (some) tactical skill, and not just by sheer power. At least, that's how I look at it.

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[Knighty]

Knighty

Re: Overleveling vs Underleveling

RPG's are my favourite game genre, but I dislike grinding.

In games with random encounters like Final Fantasy, I'll just fight every battle I come across and usually end up at an acceptable level. In games where enemies are visible and can be avoided (such as Earthbound), I avoid them whenever possible, so usually end up under-leveled, but I still am able to finish the game just fine.

You say being under-leveled doesn't add challenge and just makes fights longer? I have to disagree with you. What RPG's are you playing? When I come across a difficult boss, it encourages me to think of different strategies, and makes the game more fun.

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[Koh]

Koh

Re: Overleveling vs Underleveling

RPG's are my favourite game genre, but I dislike grinding.

In games with random encounters like Final Fantasy, I'll just fight every battle I come across and usually end up at an acceptable level. In games where enemies are visible and can be avoided (such as Earthbound), I avoid them whenever possible, so usually end up under-leveled, but I still am able to finish the game just fine.

You say being under-leveled doesn't add challenge and just makes fights longer? I have to disagree with you. What RPG's are you playing? When I come across a difficult boss, it encourages me to think of different strategies, and makes the game more fun.

Doing such a thing in Final Fantasy games...it drags the fights waaaay out, and pushes the reset count waaaay up.  Like for example, trying to do an Under Level 10 Class Change on Final Fantasy 1.  It doesn't take skill to do that as much as it does a bunch of resets, to bypass random encounters, and to get the outcome of those long boss battles that you want .  Since when does skill equate to raping the reset button?

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