Leverage in levels

I get that in this game there are only 18 levels to increment our stages of power. But I'd just fought a Lux whom had been able to treat a ROA like it was nothing , with a mere two level difference. Now, it's rare for me to fall behind as Annie now'a days, so I may just not be familiar of what a failing incline is like. But something felt incredibly off with my last match. Wasn't there a whole system inherited into the game to prevent such a one sided circumstance? I actually feel like I'd fallen quicker than I'd ever done before, and this is with that little tid bit in mind.

Putting my rage on hold, what is your guys' opinions of how levels are treated in terms of its own form of power, items aside?