D&D General Adventurers in Faerun-The Book of Low and Mid Level Adventures?

[mamba]

What is it about high level D&D that makes it unpalatable to most groups?

I can only speak for myself, but I am not the least bit interested in that planar hopping tier 4 style or the power level at that point

 

[môrgondír]

I wonder if any success has ever been had with a campaign that wasn't strictly linear - where the players had x different character sheets for each level of their character from 1 to x, and on any given session, the GM would run an adventure from any point along a possible timeline, that perhaps took a few sessions to reach resolution, and with the overall effect resembling a kind of mosaic of adventures or stories that perhaps had an interconnecting thread running through them.

 

[Parmandur]

I wonder if any success has ever been had with a campaign that wasn't strictly linear - where the players had x different character sheets for each level of their character from 1 to x, and on any given session, the GM would run an adventure from any point along a possible timeline, that perhaps took a few sessions to reach resolution, and with the overall effect resembling a kind of mosaic of adventures or stories that perhaps had an interconnecting thread running through them.

Ao, like the publication history of Conan stories beong all over the place chronologically.

 

[Mort]

I wonder if any success has ever been had with a campaign that wasn't strictly linear - where the players had x different character sheets for each level of their character from 1 to x, and on any given session, the GM would run an adventure from any point along a possible timeline, that perhaps took a few sessions to reach resolution, and with the overall effect resembling a kind of mosaic of adventures or stories that perhaps had an interconnecting thread running through them.

I think that would be really neat, and would love to try it. But you'd REALLY need the right group!

They would have to like the concept AND they would have to be able to adapt to the various tiers of play quickly - not trivial if they're not familiar with the various tiers of play (especially tier 4) already.

We actually did something like this last month. I was set to run for their 18th level characters (we have a rotating DM structure and currently 2 DMs games are at 5th, mine is at 18th) but one of the players said she wasn't up for high level play. So we did a "flashback" to the characters at 5th for a one shot. Think it went well.

 

[Reynard]

I wonder if any success has ever been had with a campaign that wasn't strictly linear - where the players had x different character sheets for each level of their character from 1 to x, and on any given session, the GM would run an adventure from any point along a possible timeline, that perhaps took a few sessions to reach resolution, and with the overall effect resembling a kind of mosaic of adventures or stories that perhaps had an interconnecting thread running through them.

I have considered this a number of times for a convention campaign, but have yet to pull the trigger.

 

[môrgondír]

I have considered this a number of times for a convention campaign, but have yet to pull the trigger.

Yes - assuming the players were either veterans or really adept at playing characters at varying levels of proficiency, or both, there would seem to be some unique overall challenges for a game that used this kind of structure that wouldn't be present in a more traditional long-term campaign.

So we did a "flashback" to the characters at 5th for a one shot. Think it went well.

That sounds like a lot of fun to me! I'm probably like the player you describe that "wasn't up for high-level play" ... For whatever reason, I have this notion that I enjoy low-level play (especially 1st level/brand-spanking-new character) far more than high-level play - so the idea that the campaign could at varying points "go back" to its humble beginnings has appeal.

 

[SlyFlourish]

How does City of Arches provide scenarios for level 13-20 play?

There are three high-level campaign paths in City of Arches, two of which go to 20th level.

 

[SlyFlourish]

So why design it that way? If leveling included elimination of (now largely useless) low level options as you gain the high level options, then the workload for everyone would go down.

Many D&D-like RPGs have gone down to 10 levels. Shadowdark, 13th Age, Shadow of the Demon Lord, Shadow of the Weird Wizard, and Daggerheart. Numenera goes to 6 (ish, you have sub-levels). So I think that's the common approach these days.

 

[...m...]

Maybe there should just be a basic version of D&D that only goes to level 10-12. The posts I am seeing here make it seem like the game is just basically broken past that point. The PHB could be about half the size and far less intimidating to new players. Also, the classes would have far less information. Fewer spells would need to be written, and it would bridge the gap between the starter sets and the full game. I learned with Mentzer Basic, and it was so easy to follow that little booklet.

...i believe lord of the rings roleplaying (free league's 5e system) only runs through tenth level...

 

[Zardnaar]

Many D&D-like RPGs have gone down to 10 levels. Shadowdark, 13th Age, Shadow of the Demon Lord, Shadow of the Weird Wizard, and Daggerheart. Numenera goes to 6 (ish, you have sub-levels). So I think that's the common approach these days.

Makes sense.

A better D&D would arguably be 10 levels no dailies or other nova buttons.

B/X level 14. In power level its more 10-11 iirc.

I'll run you a hi level game sure. $25 per person per session. If you want it really well developed double that amount I'm spending 1-3 hours designing for every hour you play.