Another Time Perhaps

[diaglo]

in an OD&D campaign i ran it was 78 years for the PCs. and almost 11 years for the players

 

[Dykstrav]

Wow, I feel like a snail. I generally have a rule of about 1/2 to 1 year per level. That way, if a human makes it to 20th level, that puts them in the 30 - 40 range, which sounds about right in my estimation.

In my games, "high level" is about 10th-12th level. Most characters around this level are at least middle-aged and serve as high priests, kings, high wizards and the like. But I don't feel that it's necessarily "realistic" to spread advancement thinly and evenly over a few years. I'm fine with the idea of people getting their experience in short bursts followed by long periods of (relative) inactivity. Remember your first semester of college? Your first job after you graduated? If you were challenged, this would translate in D&D terms to getting experience. To me, this is roughly analagous to adventuring ever few years.

 

[DonTadow]

In my games, "high level" is about 10th-12th level. Most characters around this level are at least middle-aged and serve as high priests, kings, high wizards and the like. But I don't feel that it's necessarily "realistic" to spread advancement thinly and evenly over a few years. I'm fine with the idea of people getting their experience in short bursts followed by long periods of (relative) inactivity. Remember your first semester of college? Your first job after you graduated? If you were challenged, this would translate in D&D terms to getting experience. To me, this is roughly analagous to adventuring ever few years.

But in an intense field you learn something new probably every few months. The game though isn't designed for leveling over periods of time which is why I"m reading such creative ideas here. Look at all the modules, especially the ones designed to take your charachter up 5+ levels in a night.

One of the things a friend DM of mine does is lowers the life expectancy of his world and adjust the stats accordingly.

 

[KB9JMQ]

When I run a game I run it in "Raider's of the Lost Ark" fashion as in one adventure after another. Hardly any downtime or shopping time. It is a fun method for us.

But you do level quickly. Characters were 11th level in 3-4 months on in-game time. Less than a year of real time.

 

[Vuron]

in an OD&D campaign i ran it was 78 years for the PCs. and almost 11 years for the players

78 years to make name level in OD&D?

Seems a bit slow but not unheard of assuming lots of downtime.

I generally found that name level took 8-10 years of gametime in my 1e games.

FR in 2e changed that to 10th level in roughly 5-7 years.

3e and 3.5e definitely allow for progressions of 1-20 in roughly a year or two of breakneck adventuring (indeed the adventure paths are roughly designed this way).

 

[lukelightning]

Remember your first semester of college?

You mean D&D characters should gain 15 pounds when they level up?

 

[diaglo]

78 years to make name level in OD&D?

Seems a bit slow but not unheard of assuming lots of downtime.

not a lot of downtime. mostly. but we gamed like fiends.

3-4 hrs per session; 5 sessions per week; 50 weeks per year; for 10+ years... just shy of 11.

~ 900 hrs of roleplaying per level on avg.

 

[Psion]

It drives me nuts when characters rocket up to 10th level inside of a month (or whatever.)

I have a "time for experience to sink in" house rule in my home games. You cannot advance more than 1 level every 10 days * current level (i.e., no more than 100 xp really gained per day.) So for 10th level, that's a minimum of 550 days, > a year.

 

[DonTadow]

It drives me nuts when characters rocket up to 10th level inside of a month (or whatever.)

I have a "time for experience to sink in" house rule in my home games. You cannot advance more than 1 level every 10 days * current level (i.e., no more than 100 xp really gained per day.) So for 10th level, that's a minimum of 550 days, > a year.

Realistically I feel you, but thats the way the game is designed, xp system, modules etc. Even a year really isnt realistic when you think that someone can now get breathed on by a dragon and survive only 365 days after they could barely hold their own against a goblin.

 

[Psion]

Realistically I feel you, but thats the way the game is designed, xp system, modules etc. Even a year really isnt realistic when you think that someone can now get breathed on by a dragon and survive only 365 days after they could barely hold their own against a goblin.

You can, of course, tweak to taste. Plug in numbers that work for you. x2, x5, x10.