To give it all up

[Dannyalcatraz]

D'artagnian adventuring with Athos, Porthos, and Aramis springs to mind...even though he WAS pretty talented to start off with.

 

[S'mon]

I expect if I were the GM I'd feel the same way. GMing 3e routinely at over 10th level becomes increasingly Too Much Work IMO. And the whole idea of "routine" 14th level adventuring is a bit silly - if there's a campaign story arc that needs to be finished, complete that, but coming up with "dungeon of the week" at level 11+ is a pain.
I think it'd be to everyone's benefit to rest the high-level game awhile and start at level 1 with the new player, the GM can still run occasional 14th-level scenarios if he suitably epic ideas that would suit a group of world-shaking heroes.

 

[apesamongus]

which means we would have to start over ay our DM would not want him to start at level 14.

Smack the DM in the back of the head.

 

[apesamongus]

Isn't to me. I'd have him start at 10th or 12th, depending on his class/race combinations. No reason why someone who just walks in off the street is as tough as the people who've been playing in the campaign all this time.

You seem to be confusing characters with players and that scares me deeply.

 

[apesamongus]

If Rule #1 is always true, then what happens if the GM isn't having fun because having a new character at high levels violates his Rule #1?

Not all fun is created equal. Arbitrary and stupid things don't get the same consideration. I can hypothesize a GM who can't have fun unless he can stick his penis in each player's ear before the session begins. He doesn't get the same "fun" consideration as the guy who only needs to play an orc bard to have fun.

If the GM wants to kill the campaign, then he should just come out and say so.

 

[JamesDJarvis]

Start the new guy a 1st level. With a bunch of 14th level characters to show him the ropes and cover his butt he'll go up in levels fast. (yeah he'll get resed and raised a heck of a lot also).

 

[haiiro]

I can hypothesize a GM who can't have fun unless he can stick his penis in each player's ear before the session begins.

I just don't even know where to start with this one.

Have you played in one of my campaigns?

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Okay, it appears I am not alone after all. Apparently I misunderstood and two of the other players say "I dont care if the guy joins or not." and one says "No", because he likes his character too. Apparently it is just my DM who wants him in.