So recently I read this article.
thealexandrian.net
TL;DR: It explains how 5th level characters are actually individuals who are at the peak of human ability and how the expectations of the system actual model real world conventions (though he does explain that 3.5 is still a flawed system).
Anyways, this got me thinking, if 5th level adventurers are the peak of what humanity is capable of, then does that mean that 5th level mages are rare enough that the world wouldn't have any real ways of dealing with them?
Like, would the king have anti-magic protection if the most a mage is capable of in the eyes of commoners is cheap parlor tricks and a magic missile?
Would someone capable of maintaining these AMF's even bother serving under such nobility when they're already more powerful than the bulk of the population?
Also, would that mean that anyone with enough ranks in a skill would be comparable to the gods?
Assume 3.PF for this discussion.