AL; Normal experience?

[SouthpawSoldier]

I've gotten involved with a AL game at my FLGS that feels a bit less...structured than I expected. Being my first actual 5e play, I have nothing to compare it against, so I seek input from ya'll fine folks.

For example, no details on downtime at the end of the session, starting sessions with a mix of PC levels (1-3); modules that are designed for 3rd level PC's being adjusted on the fly by the DM to fit a group of two 1st level and one 3rd level PC, etc.

How much leeway do DM's have when running a formal AL game? I don't want to bug the guy outside of play, but I'm running into questions between sessions that could use clarification. Specifically;

We just finished Out of the Abyss Episode One. During our adventure [sblock]escape from the drow, we rushed and didn't take on the priestess, only looting the guards' barracks; play felt rushed and handwaved to finish before FLGS closed[/sblock] I looted studded leather armor, an improvement over my currently owned leather [sblock] actually looted and regained our equipment, after fighting and escaping with stolen gear[/sblock].

Since DM didn't award downtime, I have no idea how I'm supposed to go about selling the extra armor. I know there's specific guidelines, but I'm not sure what I can do at home. Right now, the character is a 1st level Archery fighter; finished play earning enough XP to reach 3rd level. If I level it into a ranged EK (current inclination), I'm going to restructure the character (my understanding is pre-4th level, I can adjust everything except equipment); this means selling the studded leather, as the DEX limit makes it unsuitable. I may sell both sets of armor, and rely on spells for AC.

Other leveling ideas still involve selling extra equipment, and redistributing skills and ability scores to varying degrees.

Were this a casual, at-home game, I would feel a lot more free to adjust various aspects of the character and equipment. I'd like to remain kosher for the AL play though.

 

[RulesJD]

I've gotten involved with a AL game at my FLGS that feels a bit less...structured than I expected. Being my first actual 5e play, I have nothing to compare it against, so I seek input from ya'll fine folks.

For example, no details on downtime at the end of the session, starting sessions with a mix of PC levels (1-3); modules that are designed for 3rd level PC's being adjusted on the fly by the DM to fit a group of two 1st level and one 3rd level PC, etc.

How much leeway do DM's have when running a formal AL game? I don't want to bug the guy outside of play, but I'm running into questions between sessions that could use clarification. Specifically;

We just finished Out of the Abyss Episode One. During our adventure [sblock]escape from the drow, we rushed and didn't take on the priestess, only looting the guards' barracks; play felt rushed and handwaved to finish before FLGS closed[/sblock] I looted studded leather armor, an improvement over my currently owned leather [sblock] actually looted and regained our equipment, after fighting and escaping with stolen gear[/sblock].

Since DM didn't award downtime, I have no idea how I'm supposed to go about selling the extra armor. I know there's specific guidelines, but I'm not sure what I can do at home. Right now, the character is a 1st level Archery fighter; finished play earning enough XP to reach 3rd level. If I level it into a ranged EK (current inclination), I'm going to restructure the character (my understanding is pre-4th level, I can adjust everything except equipment); this means selling the studded leather, as the DEX limit makes it unsuitable. I may sell both sets of armor, and rely on spells for AC.

Other leveling ideas still involve selling extra equipment, and redistributing skills and ability scores to varying degrees.

Were this a casual, at-home game, I would feel a lot more free to adjust various aspects of the character and equipment. I'd like to remain kosher for the AL play though.

Can't sell without someone to sell the equipment to. Normally this isn't an issue because you start out in a city or something. But your character is currently stuck in a tunnel somewhere in the Underdark. Who knows, maybe you'll run across a traveling caravan....

Basically you just have to wait. Think of your character as having just broken out of jail with barely the clothes on their backs. Make do with what you have until you can get to a safe place.

As for downtime, I'm not sure when the switchover is but I don't think you earn any just for the jailbreak portion.

 

[KahlessNestor]

Adventure Paths like Abyss earn downtime at the end of each chapter. There isn't much to use it for except removal of conditions and "catching up" levels at tier breaks.

 

[SouthpawSoldier]

That makes a lot more sense. Not being familiar with AL play, I'm still getting a feel for the different TYPES of modules, episodes, arcs, etc.

When it comes to rebuilding the character; Player Guide says anything except what goes on logsheet can change, but DM said can' change equipment. Am I misunderstanding him? Was he referring only to equipment gained, or magic items?

 

[KahlessNestor]

That makes a lot more sense. Not being familiar with AL play, I'm still getting a feel for the different TYPES of modules, episodes, arcs, etc.

When it comes to rebuilding the character; Player Guide says anything except what goes on logsheet can change, but DM said can' change equipment. Am I misunderstanding him? Was he referring only to equipment gained, or magic items?

I don't know the specific rule, but I have heard that rule from an LC. You can't swap the equipment but you can sell it at half price (there's even a how-to sticky on the AL forums). To be safe, I would apply this only to your starting equipment package. What you found in game probably shouldn't be sold until yoj get to a location in the module where it would be available.

 

[kalani]

You can change your starting equipment only if your class/BG changes. You can sell it for 50% value and buy new gear however.

 

[warfteiner]

Since DM didn't award downtime, I have no idea how I'm supposed to go about selling the extra armor. I know there's specific guidelines, but I'm not sure what I can do at home. Right now, the character is a 1st level Archery fighter; finished play earning enough XP to reach 3rd level. If I level it into a ranged EK (current inclination), I'm going to restructure the character (my understanding is pre-4th level, I can adjust everything except equipment); this means selling the studded leather, as the DEX limit makes it unsuitable. I may sell both sets of armor, and rely on spells for AC.

SouthpawSoldier -- have you checked out the Player's Guide? There's a ton of good information in there, including some of the differences between how the hardcover adventures run and how the episodic AL adventures work. You can get that file, and a bunch of others, from our site:

http://dndadventurersleague.org/downloads

Based on what you wrote, it kinda looks like you were expecting more of the 2- or 4-hour experience. These shorter, episodic adventures provide experience and downtime at the end of the adventure, whereas - like other posters before me have said - the hardcovers only award those things at the end of the episode/chapter.

 

[Steve_MND]

Yah, while it can be fun, Out of the Abyss is perhaps not the best introduction to AL (indeed, many of the hardbacks, since they are not designed for AL specifically, have some... issues fitting into the OP format very well). I wouldn't gauge the entire AL experience on that hardback, definitely.

 

[Tyranthraxus]

Out of the 3 'low' level starting Hardbacks to me, Princes of the Apocalypse is the best Introduction to 5e. You have identifiable bad guys and after a while you get what you need to do to resolve the crisis.

Hoard of the Dragon Queen suffers because it was written BEFORE the rules of 5e became super defined and finished. Thats never going to help your product. A Lack of reward till lategame and a prepensity for random encounters to define the experience at points can be .. iffy.

Out of Abyss also has an over reliance on random encounters at point and starts with a 'you are locked up together' premise that players either love or hate. The addition on named npcs who tag along can be either great fun or a burden.