Effective Character Level...
- Thread starter Wispr
- Start date
Alexander123
First Post
The ECL would still be =to the ECL of the 10th lvl char alone. A tenth level char is so much more powerful that a 2nd lvl characters presence is negligible. A party equal to the ECL lvl of the 10th lvl char would feel the 2nd lvl char to be a mere itch.
Empirate
First Post
If you're taking suggestions:
This is not a party, it is a hero and his sidekick. Play it like that! Whenever heroic stuff is called for (i.e. encounters of ECL >6, which will get the sidekick straight-up killed), the hero should do it alone. Try and separate the two more or less often, to present them with challenges appropriate to the characters they're playing - with only 2 PCs, this is easy to do.
There could still be times when the hero is up against an overwhelming challenge (say, a Fire Giant Fighter 6), and the sidekick must save the day (say, by fighting/tricking the Fire Giant's Azer minions and freeing the imprisoned hero).
At other times, the sidekick micht become a liability, and much of an encounter's difficulty would stem from the fact that the hero must keep him alive. For example, the 10th level PC could easily take on a tribe of Orcs all by himself - but keeping his sidekick alive takes a little more effort.
To sum up: play to the strengths of your 'party' setup, but try never to just give them a straight-up fight at an appropriate ECL and expect both to come out alive. Also, don't just give Mr. Lvl2 XP by the table for defeating it, or he'll catch up ridiculously fast.
If you want him to catch up, though, just let him start at a higher level already! D&D's XP and leveling system doesn't well support mismatched 'parties'.
This is not a party, it is a hero and his sidekick. Play it like that! Whenever heroic stuff is called for (i.e. encounters of ECL >6, which will get the sidekick straight-up killed), the hero should do it alone. Try and separate the two more or less often, to present them with challenges appropriate to the characters they're playing - with only 2 PCs, this is easy to do.
There could still be times when the hero is up against an overwhelming challenge (say, a Fire Giant Fighter 6), and the sidekick must save the day (say, by fighting/tricking the Fire Giant's Azer minions and freeing the imprisoned hero).
At other times, the sidekick micht become a liability, and much of an encounter's difficulty would stem from the fact that the hero must keep him alive. For example, the 10th level PC could easily take on a tribe of Orcs all by himself - but keeping his sidekick alive takes a little more effort.
To sum up: play to the strengths of your 'party' setup, but try never to just give them a straight-up fight at an appropriate ECL and expect both to come out alive. Also, don't just give Mr. Lvl2 XP by the table for defeating it, or he'll catch up ridiculously fast.
If you want him to catch up, though, just let him start at a higher level already! D&D's XP and leveling system doesn't well support mismatched 'parties'.
Alexander123
First Post
I doubt he would be considered a sidekick. A lvl 10th char, if he were looking for a side kick can get a lvl 8 cohort if he takes leadership. Anyways you haven't explained to us why a 10th level char is traveling with a 2nd lvl char. Some background would be nice since this is a highly unusual setup.
If you have more than about a few levels of difference in two people, then there is no real way in the rules to create a balanced encounter. The rules are designed for groups of peers, not Conan plus his pet squirrel.
If you're committed to this party structure you will have to do a lot of DM ex machina and contrived escapes, or have villains who for some reason just never bother with attacking Mr. 2nd Level.
This is presumably an unconventional campaign, so perhaps it is not an issue, but in a normal campaign there would be a pretty major fun deficit for whoever is playing the 2nd level character, whose contribution is going to be limited to the occasional +2 "aid another" or lucky critical hit.
If you're committed to this party structure you will have to do a lot of DM ex machina and contrived escapes, or have villains who for some reason just never bother with attacking Mr. 2nd Level.
This is presumably an unconventional campaign, so perhaps it is not an issue, but in a normal campaign there would be a pretty major fun deficit for whoever is playing the 2nd level character, whose contribution is going to be limited to the occasional +2 "aid another" or lucky critical hit.
Wispr
First Post
Ahh... sorry about that, working on a story, a bit of fan fiction, that involves a high level character befriending and training a low level character. I'm basing it on D&D 3.5 in the Forgotten Realms. I'm trying to fallow the game mechanics as close as I can, to the point I'm using character sheets to keep track of equipment and such.
I apologize for not mentioning the story part, got blasted once for trying to promote my story and ever since then been hesitant mentioning it.
I really appreciate the feedback, has helped in figuring out how I want to play things as it were.
Thanks...
Wispr
Alexander123
First Post
If a 10th level character was training a lower level character, he would usually find a challenge suitable to his abilities and have him face it alone. Watching to critique, etc. If the 10th level character was going to facing challenges suitable to his own level, he wouldn't bring the lower level character along, unless to have him learn from watching him.
Best answer i can see is write it for maybe a tough fight for the 2nd level character, if the 10th level hero is helping him it is really 'helping' have him mop up large quantites of mobs while you control the fight in relation to you lvl2 avoiding him/her being over run. No idea of the story but maybe seperate them and have them fight maybe almost there own fights at times so you can test both of them but thats more effort on your part.
XP will be a complete pain as the lvl10 should gain very little and the lvl2 should in a sense catch him up logically but thats to you to map.
Hope its fun good luck.
XP will be a complete pain as the lvl10 should gain very little and the lvl2 should in a sense catch him up logically but thats to you to map.
Hope its fun good luck.
frankthedm
First Post
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