Best level to play?

[Zweischneid]

Levels 1 to 3 for me as well.

Every fight has your life at risk and a ill turn of fortunes (or dice) can spell your end at any given moment. To me, thats Sword & Sorcery at it's finest.

True heroics mean you'll have to risk everything.. without safty-nets (like ressurection, etc..). which becomes rarer and rarer as you level up.

True epic means you'll have to fight against the odds, which as well becomes rarer and rarer as you level up.


I do play all levels though, if only because tastes differ in my group

 

[Darklone]

I generally feel that D&D 3.xE is geared towards the low-to-mid levels (3-7) - these are the levels in which you're an experienced adventurer and a serious hero, but not yet a god. in these levels you could perform most archetypical D&D activities and fight a wide range of monsters.

That's why I love level 8. Well rounded multiclass chars can do everything they want and the specialists can take on 10 mooks.

 

[GlassJaw]

I know for a fact that the game doesn't make it ridiculous. I ran campaigns in that range, that weren't ridiculous, and I played in games in that range that weren't ridiculous, either.

I consider things like teleport, raise dead, commune, plane shift, etc to be fairly ridiculous. So taken as-is, I prefer what D&D is before those things are introduced.

 

[The_Gneech]

My characters have generally been how I envision them once they get to the 9-11 range. However, once they reach 11, everything past that tends to just be "more biggerer" of what they've already got, and doesn't add any enjoyment for me. My current Legolas-clone, at 11th, could never gain another XP and I'd be perfectly happy. He's right where I want him.

-The Gneech

 

[RFisher]

I don't know, but here's what others had to say when I asked a slightly different question.

 

[Schmoe]

1,000

1,000,000
(nibbles pinky)

 

[Cactot]

3-16 are great
with 6, 9, 12, 15 being the best

i have never really understood how someone can run an epic game, at those levels a well built character = god. How do you challenge them?

 

[00Machado]

7th or 8th - have 4th level spells, but not 5th level spells yet.

 

[Crothian]

i have never really understood how someone can run an epic game, at those levels a well built character = god. How do you challenge them?

First thing is that a well built character at that level still is not a god. A god IMO is a well built character of that level with a host of extra cool powers mortals cannot possible imagine or access. More importantly though is the ability to challenge the PCs and with a well thought out campaign and ideas I found it easy. I have DMed campaigns from 1-36th levels and never had issues with it. I credit luck and amazing players.

 

[Warren Okuma]

First thing is that a well built character at that level still is not a god. A god IMO is a well built character of that level with a host of extra cool powers mortals cannot possible imagine or access. More importantly though is the ability to challenge the PCs and with a well thought out campaign and ideas I found it easy. I have DMed campaigns from 1-36th levels and never had issues with it. I credit luck and amazing players.

That I agree with.

Levels 1-40 is my favorite. From defending your village, to the province, to the country, to dimension is a variety of adventures just waiting to be done. The unfolding development of characters is truly fascinating. To just stick to the low levels may be fine for some, but I prefer to use the entire scope of DnD.