Do you plan out your character's advancement in advance?

[drothgery]

Well, I put often, but it's more like I have a vague idea of where a chacter's going, and maybe some details for the next level or two. But the only way I'd know anything specific five levels in advance is if I'm shooting for a PrC, or I delibrately chose a simplistic build to avoid paperwork (my current 15th-level PC is a single-class warmage).

 

[Piratecat]

Rarely to never. The one time I did, I found that I was having a lot less fun; I found that I became fixated on mechanics ("what was I gonna get next?") instead of roleplaying. That wasn't as enjoyable for me.

The retraining rules make this approach a lot more feasible.

 

[Odhanan]

As asked on another site (though I've had time to make it somewhat clearer I think)...

Do you have your character's growth planned out in advance of play? In other words, do you already know which skills, feats, and classes your character is going to have/be at each level before play even begins?

Welcome!

I often plan my character's advancement, but the end result is often a lot different than what I had planned, because the game itself affects the character and his/her choices sooner or later (if the game is decent, that is).

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

I do. Always.

There's nothing like getting to where you can take a prestige class and finding out that, no, you can't.

Of course, The Plan for each character can change as necessary. I've had as many characters hit end levels unaltered from the original progression as I have who've looked radically different.

Brad

 

[Voadam]

Usually not really.

One long term character I have, but I keep revising my plans for him.

Most of my gaming is pbp so the advancement is slow and I haven't had a character advance more than two levels so far before pbp games end, though I have a couple on the verge of gaining a third level now.

Usually I plan for the immediate level of the character I'm making, and have only a general idea for the next level or couple of levels and maybe some feat paths to pursue. It is very rare to target for a future prestige class the character does not start with.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I plan about four or five levels in advance and generally plan out beyond that. My gnome illusionist is going to be the gnomiest of gnomes, so he's going to be illusionist 1/bard 1/paragon 3/master specialist 10. If we actually get that far, he'll pick up the shadowcraft mage stuff along the way as well.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Always for PrC prerequisites and/or feat chains (especially I'm always looking ahead feat masteries in IH).

 

[blargney the second]

The retraining rules make this approach a lot more feasible.

It's really nice to be able to try something out, say "No, that's not quite what I was looking for," and later sub it out for something else that interests you more. It lets you adapt your character to the world they're in and the plots that surround them.

 

[Moggthegob]

I try to plan out an effective concept ahead of time. Often with my wizard i will pick the kinds of spells I want to take. And as A fighter I always knwo what feat I want to take first.

 

[questing gm]

I used to generate my character following a base class i liked and just followed through.
However the games that i've played in have taugh me that i should have a map of progression of my characters if they want to see the light of day for the next few sessions.

Ever since then, i haven't been able to revert back to organically growing characters (much less developing them) level by level but i voted 'Often' to avoid myself from sounding that it was something i enjoyed doing.