Hell- O!
I am remanns, . . . .and I AM a power gamer. ( A "power gamer" DM actually ) I have been a ( mumbles under breath - "power gamer" since about 1979 ), . . .it took 1/2 a year for SOME of my players to gain power.
. . . .and strangely enough,.....I really DON'T feel that I need "help" for that; help WITH that is something else entirely.
By 20th plus level "EPIC" 3.5 standards, my campaign is not that high powered. ( Uhm,....well,....yes it is, it can hold its own. . . ) BUT,....in my defense, I managed this with OLD SCHOOL game mechanics and home brewed adjustments. So there.
The crucial factor in this to consider, is the quality of people at the table. I wouldn't trade these gentlemen for the world, and they are second to none.....( so I feel and honestly contend )
They still like to play after ALL THESE YEARS,....with NEW characters,.....and, from time to time,....with the full table of demi-gods,...immortals, paragons,... archetypes incarnate, "unique"embodyments, forces personified. One or two "GODS" not-so-"demi".
Olympus was like this, I think.
Or the "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen",.....hell,....split the difference.
Add Zelazny and Steven Brust,....and I think you begin to get the picture.
. . . . and Paladins,.....Oh GOD those high powered Paladins . . .
( yepper,...add abit of "Avengers" or "Justice League" to that,....cant dodge that bullet . . .)
" If You Cant Eventually Duke It Out With The Old Ones, . . . Why Bother " !?!
p.s -"Hackmaster" has now been fully integrated into the world, . . .it doesn't really change the functional nature of things much,...but it has become easier, and more codified,...to run things much as they always have been.
. . . .and , BUT FOR RARELY, I really DO NOT run the world "tongue in cheek"
p.p.s. Everyone should read "God's Demon" and "Prospero Lost" that is all.
p.p.p.s. no its not. No one has ACTUALLY achieved a "Hackmaster" class level yet -I run a tighter ship in my dotage, than I once did,....and "Hackmasters" are "Paragons" in my campaign. Those I have some "home brewed" versions of, to be sure.
. . . . .and dont get me STARTED on psionics ....
GODs, but I DO love the game.