D&D General At what level(s) do you start your D&D campaigns?

[shesheyan]

At this time : 81 votes. 66 votes for 1st level and 32 votes for level 3.

When I started this thread I wanted to know two things:

1) How many start at level 3? Consistently since the beginning the ratio as been 1 for 2. That is quite a strong showing for 3rd level. I didn't think it was that high.

2) How many start at levels 9 or higher? Very few people do unless it is for a specific project.

 

[Slit518]

To be honest, it usually takes us 1 session to get from level 1 to 3.

I know the rules say not to level up more than once a session, but, F those rules. I do what I want!

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

Almost always level 1

 

[Ath-kethin]

We often ask at what level campaigns end but at what level do you start them? I used to start them at level 1. Now I start at level 3. I recall starting one at level 5. Highest I started was level 9 to do a specific module mini-campaign. What about you?

You can make multiple votes.

Level 1 only and always except when I'm trying to test out some higher-level mechanics.

I've tried a few times to start a full campaign at higher levels but it was such a radically different game there seemed no point. This experience held true across 2e, 3e, and 5e; I've only ever started BECMI/RC games at 1st.

 

[DammitVictor]

Usually 1st, unless there's a very specific story-reason to do otherwise.

I almost signed up for an online 3.5 game and I'm running into what I'd consider a very specific reason not to start at 1st level in 3.X/5 D&D. My character, by necessity, is going to be single-classed until 1,000 XP and depending on my concept might not actually be the character I'm imagining until damned near 10th.

Less of an issue in PF1 with Archetypes and possibly third-party rules... but still obnoxious.

 

[Umbran]

I almost signed up for an online 3.5 game and I'm running into what I'd consider a very specific reason not to start at 1st level in 3.X/5 D&D. My character, by necessity, is going to be single-classed until 1,000 XP and depending on my concept might not actually be the character I'm imagining until damned near 10th.

Less of an issue in PF1 with Archetypes and possibly third-party rules... but still obnoxious.

I don't think I'd change the starting level of the game for one particular character concept, myself. I know you want to play a particular concept, but given that you're part of a group effort, I'd normally say that concept should be chosen to fit the campaign, not the other way around. But that's just me.

 

[Zardnaar]

Last one was 3, this one 1.

 

[DammitVictor]

I don't think I'd change the starting level of the game for one particular character concept, myself. I know you want to play a particular concept, but given that you're part of a group effort, I'd normally say that concept should be chosen to fit the campaign, not the other way around. But that's just me.

It isn't about any one specific character concept. It's about any character concept I'm going to come up with because the multiclassing rules are trash. I'm not asking the DM to change the starting level or the system... I'm just whining.

 

[jayoungr]

I run for a couple of different groups. One group likes playing the same characters "hero to zero" and prefers to start at level 1 unless a character is joining an existing campaign. The other group prefers to play a bunch of shorter campaigns, so they like starting at a higher level--often level 6, but I've also started a game as high as level 12 for them.

 

[wingsandsword]

I went with 3 for the poll.

It's usually 2nd or 3rd level, that way characters can start multiclassed if that's part of their concept, and starting with an ECL race like Drow or Aasimar or Tiefling isn't out of the question. That way the party could be a Dwarf Cleric 3, Human Barbarian 2/Rogue 1, a Tiefling Rogue 2 and a Drow Wizard 1 there won't be a problem.