D&D 5E Everyone Starts at First Level

[Sacrosanct]

Starting all PCs at 1st level (really mixing 1st level PCs with PCs with 3 or more level jumps on them) doesn't make much thematic sense to me. It's not like if the Navy Seals lose a man during a mission they return to base and grab some teenager off the street, throw him a gun, and begin planning their next raid.

No, but they do use guys like me (blackhawk helicopter crewchief) in their missions. Last time I checked, I'm not nearly as good as a SEAL.

Sorry to poke fun at your analogy, but I had to

We're talking about heroic fantasy here. A better analogy would be to say, "It's not like a bunch of dwarven veterans and arch-mage would go find a hobbit farmer to help them on their epic quest"

oh wait...

 

[keterys]

Random Idea:
When a new character joins the group (for whatever reason), they start X levels behind the group. Each session, they gain a level, until they catch up.

For me, X over like 3 would probably be a bit much, but I could see a benefit for easing someone in to a group dynamic, but after not too long they catch up.

 

[TiaxTheMighty]

It's mostly a playstyle and immersion thing.

I've always held to the notion that most high-level npcs are fairly well-known, and the same logic applies to high-level pcs. When a new 15th level pc enters the party, where have they been all this time? How come, all those times the pcs went looking for a wizard for hire in the same city, they never found this guy who was, apparently, sitting around waiting for them to need him?

That makes sense. However, I maintain immersion by requiring the new player to write a backstory. Now I normally require backstories in my game anyway (Half a page or so at 1st level) but a PC coming in a to a 3-4th level party might require more at my discretion.

I find that this small requirement not only retains immersion, but it also allows/forces the PCs to be more invested in their character. So the death of a character you spent time developing a personality for, building rapport with your companions and different npcs, as well as investing a big chunk of time into is punishment enough. I don't believe the PC also needs a mechanical setback. His setback should be in RP terms. Things like not immediately earning the new party's trust - not being the first one they save if another companion is also in danger at the same time, not getting preferential treatment for magic items over another party member etc...

I also like the effect this has on RP in regards to the new player vs the old party - it's much easier to introduce the party to a new pc that can hold his own (usually by introducing him during a crisis) and be useful instead of forcing the party to feel like it's on one big long escort quest.

 

[KarinsDad]

We're talking about heroic fantasy here. A better analogy would be to say, "It's not like a bunch of dwarven veterans and arch-mage would go find a hobbit farmer to help them on their epic quest"

oh wait...

Yeah. And it's not like that farmer needs a magical dagger, mithril mail shirt, and the most powerful artifact in the world in order to survive or anything.

oh wait...

 

[Boarstorm]

Yeah. And it's not like that farmer needs a magical dagger, mithril mail shirt, and the most powerful artifact in the world in order to survive or anything.

oh wait...

Which he had lying around the house, of course, and in no way gained via the course of adventuring.

oh wait...

(Am I doing it right?)

 

[Greyline]

Frodo was a farmer? I thought he was a dilletante-in-training.

 

[Boarstorm]

Frodo was a farmer? I thought he was a dilletante-in-training.

I dunno.

But I read all your posts in Billy D. William's voice. I thought you should know.

 

[KarinsDad]

Which he had lying around the house, of course, and in no way gained via the course of adventuring.

oh wait...

And it's not as if there were more than 5 magic items handed out, one to the wizard, one to the head dwarf, three to the farmer who needed them, and none to the other 12 dwarves.

oh wait...

(Am I doing it right?)

Of course you are.

 

[Sacrosanct]

Frodo was a farmer? I thought he was a dilletante-in-training.

I was actually talking about Bilbo, not Frodo. Shocked that someone wasn't familiar with the hobbit in this day and age. I thought the "veteran dwarves" was a giveaway

 

[dco]

No way, this is what happens with most people I know, they will prefer to play another game if they have to start from the beginning.