[RPG] the point of level 20 features

character-levelsclass-featurednd-5eepic-tier

What exactly is the point of the "capstone" features? Unless your group goes beyond level 20, won't your campaign be over, or virtually over? Most of the capstones are incredibly awesome, so it would stink to not get to use them.

Best Answer

First, your level doesn't determine when the campaign ends, the story does. You could reach level 20 while in the final leg of the campaign, but before the end. So you could use those awesome abilities in the final battle. Heck, you could reach level 20 before the final arc of the campaign, and have a while to use those powers.

Second, many campaigns continue on past level 20. In previous editions there were books published for just that purpose, and one can easily assume those will come for 5E if it is successful enough. Even without them, one can continue to level following the standard progressions, and potentially house-ruling new, cool capstone powers for L21+. I'd be willing to bet if you look you can probably already find some of those on the internet.

I also just learned that the 5E DMG (which I do not own) already has suggestions for continuing past level 20. Instead of continuing to level, players get Epic Boons (a.k.a. super Feats) at certain XP increments.

Third, your question is self defeating. If there was no power at level twenty, people would either ask why not, or complain that there was no point to level 20, and say that level 19 was the effective cap. At which point the same thing can apply to level 19. Repeat ad nauseam.