Favorite Levels of Play and then some Advice

I have this feeling that most people have certain levels they feel most comfortable playing at. Destan has told me that his favorite levels of gaming are right around 7th. Not too powerful that the DM has to plan for a bazillion contingencies...not so weak that the players are frustrated with lack of options. Seventh is a threshold upon which the gamers are about to touch upon true power and yet the true fear of failure is always knocking upon the PC's door. That is why he seems to prefer seventh.

I, personally, don't have a preference yet. I've played and DMed characters up to about 8th-9th level but no farther, yet. So I don't know what Epic Play truly feels like. I can't judge it.

So, what is your preference and why? Do you have one? Do you not?

On another note, I'm about to introduce some major changes to my homebrew. I'm taking my PCs (all between 6th-8th level) and knocking 'em backward to 2nd or 3rd. I feel a little guilty about this, although only one of my players has any real complaints.

Here is the reasoning for the change: Most of my players (and myself the DM) are unhappy with the way the game is going. We can't focus on the roleplaying aspect which is what many of them want. We're too much focused on the hack 'n slash aspect. They're upset.

Three of my players are new to DnD and the d20 system in general. They're used to roleplay heavy systems. So to get them used to the mechanics, its been mainly hack n slash. They've been combated out. Exhausted and fed up. One, sits during the games just idly staring and scribbling on her sheet. She can't focus and when combat comes up, has no idea of what is truly going on.

Another new player, while grasping the rules well, is definitely more focused upon the Personality of his character. I applaud him for this. When asked why his character is doing what it is doing, he always has a valid-character related reason.

The third new player is holding her own with the rules and doing fairly well with the roleplaying aspect, although she sometimes asks questions about her own personality.

I've got an experienced player that applauds my DM-ing style. He said that for being new to DMing, I've handled the rules well. I am well balanced between combat and roleplaying opportunities. And I manage to hold it together despite CRs being out of whack due to earlier DMing screw ups. But he thinks we need to go back, take the progression slower (its way to easy to earn XPs and level up, IMHO), and work on character which he finds fascinating as well.

My last player doesn't seem to care about character at all. He just barges in and hack 'n slashes his way through my NPCs and my potential Plot Hooks. There is no thought behind his character. Its more about being powerful/big n bad then the story. If there was no story, I think he'd be happy as long as he gets to kill X amount of NPCs every game. And for an experienced player, he's given me bad rules interpretation constantly. I am now at the point that when he says anything, I have to look it up. His answers always seem to open the door to more power for himself and for the other characters.

So, here is what I've done. I've come up with an intricate & plausible plot (that I won't go into here just in case any of them read this thread). But it has a solid beginning and end. The end, they might never make it to. They don't have to. They could keep on all these side quests, which I don't mind supplying, for as long as it takes.

On top of that, it is going to be roleplay intensive. They won't be able to slash their way through everything (even though they may still try). They've each been asked to complete a 105 question survey about their character's personalities and then choose an expanded alignment (not just simple, old, and easy chaotic neutral anymore).

Of course the powergamer answered his questionnaire within 5 minutes, answering "Yes" or "No" without explaining the response most of the time. Ugh. Everyone else took time and made it fun. Expanding upon their characters' beliefs.

So, when we get together this coming Friday, I will collect their old character sheets. I will hold on to them in the event that they ever make it back to the old and paused major arcing plot. Then, I'll hand out the new character sheets for their new journey.

I've warned them all. Only the powergamer bitched and moaned...asking if he should just draw up a new f---ing character. Said he was "having fun". My response was of course, "Well, one outta five or six ain't bad." Only the fact that they may eventually return to the current plot seemed to quiet his discontent.

So...anyone else ever have a situation like this? More specifically, has anyone else ever retroactively dropped their players in levels? Thoughts, comments and suggestions are always welcome.

~Fune

I have played off and on for twenty years, with a half-dozen groups because of frequent moves. I have most often been the DM because I was either the oldest, knew the rules better, had more time to organize, or was the organizer of the group.

I have never retroactively dropped the levels of characters. For me that would be like going back in time and reliving my life from 18 or something. It might be better, but it wouldn't be ME anymore.

You are doing a great job finding out what the players want. It sounds like the campaign would be really fun. If you were within a half-hour of Huntsville, Alabama I might stop by for a game.

I would personally rather just make a new 1st-level party then regress a pc who I'd already worked up.

I agree with the Jester, have them make new characters rather than regress their current characters (which can be frustrating).

It also gives the players a chance to try something different if they want.

Also, where'd you get that survey?

I can agree with the point of view that says just make a new 1st level party and run with it. I contemplated that as well. And one of my options was just to run another side game, allowing the new players to get used to the mechanics and allowing the experienced players to become comfortable in my homebrew setting.

The problem that I saw with that was that while that would take care of any mechanical problems, they still wouldn't know their current characters. So when there was a return to the major campaign, we'd be right back where we started...practically.

This seemed to be the best way to keep the current characters and continue with the major campaign.

I couldn't just be overstressing the situation however. They may all fall into their characters on their own. Dunno.

Zzyzx, thanks. I try to keep on top of what they want and expect...that way everyone receives the enjoyment that they're there for. Unfortunately, I'm a bit farther than a half hour from Alabama.

~Fune

Well I just made the survey up out of curiousity. Everyone I've talked to face-to-face seems to have a preference on their levels. And for the moment, the majority seem to be agreeing with Destan's favorite 6th-10th level.

And the plotline I have established allows for a reconception of their initial character concepts as well. Only one has taken the offer and changed their class.

~Fune

I can have fun at a variety of levels, but for the sake of the poll I went with 6-10. As mentioned, the characters are starting to get powerful, but not too powerful. Can be a fun range to play through.

As for retroactively dropping levels for existing characters I am not too sure I would be happy with that either, unless there was a really good IC reason for it.

I also prefer to play, and run a 6-10th level game. As mentioned by someone else, the characters are starting to get some power, and generally have created a life for themselves outside of adventuring.

Not to mention, when killing a character less then sixth level, it leaves me feeling a little hollow.

I have no preference. I've DMed every level between 1-24 and even did a couple one shot level 30 adventures. I've had fun with all of it. My preferences when I DM/play have less to do with level and more to do with setting, style, magic level etc.
Though I will admit my players usually fail to utilize most of their options when they get into very high/epic levels do to the inordinate amount of magic items the DMG gives them. In most of my games lately I've played with a much lower level of magic items then recommended by the DMG.

Levels 6-10 are probally the best. At levels lower it's hard to survive. And level's higher it becomes harder to plan adventures, and even harder to plan adventurers with originality (atleast without like hours and hours and hours of work). Lv30+ is impossible considering they don't provide you with a quick-npc chart for past level 30 *Growls*. Pisses me off.