How fast do your characters advance in level?

Sebastian Francis

First Post

• Oct 9, 2005

• #1

Remember the old days of AD&D, when it took months (of GAME time) to go up in level? (Or maybe it was just my DM ). Folks say that 3e is designed for rapid level advance, but I'm not convinced it must be so.

So, out of curiosity, how fast do your PCs advance in level? (And DMs, it would be helpful to hear from your side of the screen: how fast do you ALLOW PCs to advance in level?)

 

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Crothian

First Post

• Oct 9, 2005

• #2

My PCs advance at a speed that is apraoching terminal velocity. I allow my PCs to basically choose the adventures they want. And I do not limit the XP they gain. I feel that if they are able to fairly earn the XP then its really unfair of the DM not to award it. That being said my players have gained a level each of the last three session excluding the ones that died. At 4th level they choose to go after hill giants, which are of course worth lots of XP at those levels. And they have been fighting smart and taking lots of them out, but not without saacrifice. we should finish with them next session ending 3 PCs at level 7 and 2 at elvel 8. From there it might slow down, or they could continually go after strong creatures and keep a very brisk pace of advancement.

I've never experinced level gain like this in 25 years of gaming, but everyone is having fun.

 

R

ruleslawyer

Registered User

• Oct 9, 2005

• #3

Andy Collins (a WotC designer) says that he doubles XP requirements for level advancement between 5th and 10th level, since he and his group find those levels the "most fun" to play. I tend to feel that pretty much everything past 5th is more fun to draw out a little, since there are so many interesting abilities for players to play with and so many interesting scenarios to run. Thus, I double all required XP from 5th level onward, period. It doesn't seem to be causing any problems, though I need to tweak published adventures a lot. In general, I think that the default XP system is fine; it's just that we all like the same characters and setting so much that we LIKE lingering around each level a bit longer, so we draw out play a bit.

 

IronWolf

blank

• Oct 9, 2005

• #4

Well, I am a player in Crothian's campaign, so quite brisk these past few weeks! A level every session (except the last one where the wizard decided to go into melee with a stone giant and a favor from my cleric's god factored into xp gained for that session). We have tackled critters well over our head and done so by using every little strategic means we can think of. Those that make it through this adventure will probably slow down a bit as I don't think the rest of the party will so quickly follow my dwarf's suggestions to go attack the giants without at least some push back!

 

Thanee

First Post

• Oct 9, 2005

• #5

Currently a level every three or so sessions.

Bye
Thanee

 

shilsen

Adventurer

• Oct 9, 2005

• #6

I've dropped the basic XP awarding rules and just award a number per session based on how fast I want the PCs to advance. So far, in both my Eberron games, I've been awarding 1000 XP per session (with one or two sessions where I awarded more). Here's how much they've advanced, in both game and real time:

Campaign 1: Advanced from 6th level to 9th. 20 sessions. 38 days in-game.

Campaign 2: Advanced from 3rd level to halfway between 5th and 6th. 9 sessions. 27 days in-game.

 

D

devilbat

First Post

• Oct 9, 2005

• #7

Too fast. On average, I would say every three sessions. Granted, I put the group up against some pretty high ELs for their level, and we have modified the XP chart so fighters, wizards and certain Prestige classes go up slower then the others. But they still fly up levels.

I'd love to institute the double xp required after fifth level, but I'd have a mutiny on my hands.

Hey, I said mutiny, Arrrrrrrrrgh.

 

Psion

Adventurer

• Oct 9, 2005

• #8

In past campaigns, I slowed things down quite a bit -- probably half the recommended rate.

As for this campaign, I have actually sped it up a bit as they players have level goals in mind and I am ready to tie up this campaign and move on to shackled city.

 

BryonD

Hero

• Oct 9, 2005

• #9

Levels 1 and 2 - about 1 session each
Levels 3 to 5 - about 3 sessions each
Levels 6+ - 6 or more sessions each

 

MonsterMash

First Post

• Oct 9, 2005

• #10

Generally a level every 3-4 sessions with the campaign I GM and in the game I play in.