D&D 5E Starting level

[Weiley31]

Well, I don't plan a "main adventure" to kick off, but I get your meaning.

Fighter PC: Well that trip to the grocery store was fun.
Credits roll and the group goes to the Eberron campaign.

 

[Blue]

After playing with a group that had done two campaigns starting low, they wanted to start at 9th for the next one, being tired of low level play. We got a bunch of characters that hadn't grown together, with choices made in isolation (even though we were talking), and characters that were too complex for the more rules-casual players to deal with.

Last night we started a new side campaign. At 1st.

Personally, I start at 1st but do rapid advancement until 3rd, and then still somewhat quickened until 5th. Using story/milestone type of advancement.

 

[Reynard]

Fighter PC: Well that trip to the grocery store was fun.
Credits roll and the group goes to the Eberron campaign.

If you create an adventure setting that actually has things worth exploring and doing in it, you don't need a "main adventure" to railroad your players along.

 

[R_J_K75]

characters that were too complex for the more rules-casual players to deal with.

This is what I find to be the biggest challenge at starting above 1st level as well.

 

[R_J_K75]

I just looked at the PHB and DMG and Im surprised at how little I could find on level advancement beside whats at the beginning of the PHB. So theoretically a player could go from level 1 to 3 or 4 if awarded enough XP in 5E? I couldn't find anything to the contrary but then again the indexes leave something to be desired.

 

[The Green Hermit]

I just looked at the PHB and DMG and Im surprised at how little I could find on level advancement beside whats at the beginning of the PHB. So theoretically a player could go from level 1 to 3 or 4 if awarded enough XP in 5E? I couldn't find anything to the contrary but then again the indexes leave something to be desired.

Yes, but presumably that would only happen if your character was much lower level than the rest of the party. Otherwise, almost anything that would award you that sort of XP would result in a TPK.

 

[MatthewJHanson]

I'd let your players decide and be okay with whatever they pick.

Personally I'd rather start at level three.

 

[R_J_K75]

Yes, but presumably that would only happen if your character was much lower level than the rest of the party. Otherwise, almost anything that would award you that sort of XP would result in a TPK.

Figured about the TPK, just seems odd to me that there arent better guidelines or recommendations on how many levels to advance at once.

 

[Reynard]

I just looked at the PHB and DMG and Im surprised at how little I could find on level advancement beside whats at the beginning of the PHB. So theoretically a player could go from level 1 to 3 or 4 if awarded enough XP in 5E? I couldn't find anything to the contrary but then again the indexes leave something to be desired.

The DMG talks about "adventuring day" XP in the encounter building section. When you compare it to the level advancement chart you get something like this:

To 2nd level = 1 adventuring day
To 3rd level = 2.5 total adventuring days (+1.5 days)
To 4th level = 4.0 total adventuring days (+1.5 days)
To 5th level = 6.25 total adventuring days (+2.25 days)
To 6th level = 8.5 total adventuring days (+2.25 days)
and so on. Leveling in 5e if you use the suggested encounter design is really fast.

 

[R_J_K75]

The DMG talks about "adventuring day" XP in the encounter building section. When you compare it to the level advancement chart you get something like this:

To 2nd level = 1 adventuring day
To 3rd level = 2.5 total adventuring days (+1.5 days)
To 4th level = 4.0 total adventuring days (+1.5 days)
To 5th level = 6.25 total adventuring days (+2.25 days)
To 6th level = 8.5 total adventuring days (+2.25 days)
and so on. Leveling in 5e if you use the suggested encounter design is really fast.

Cool thanks. I figured it was somewhere just baked in rather than explicitly stated.