Game spy interview with Christopher Perkins

[Dragonblade]

I don't mind this so much. 2-3 sessions before levelling up is about right. All of my games alternate and we play every other week, though oftentimes less when players and DM have something come up like weddings, other appointments, etc.

So with 2-3 sessions before levelling up thats between 60 and 90 sessions to hit level 30. I'll say 75. Even playing every week thats still over 1 year to get from 1 to 30! That seems about right to me.

And since they are making the game playable all the way through, I'm not going to worry about the game breaking down past level 14. I think thats the real reason people are anxious about this. They are used to playing in such a narrow level range that they want to extend their playing time in that level range. But presumably in 4e that will no longer be an issue.

 

[Maggan]

Has this been officially mentioned before?

I haven't seen it before, and I love it. Especially since it is one of the things I've listed as crucial to the introductory experience in posts about the D&D Basic Game.

So bring it on, but make it a bit better than The Shattered Gates of Slaughtergarde, which while a good attempt, did fall a bit short of my expectations.

/M

 

[Cadfan]

The official leveling rate in 3.5 is universally detested by everyone I know. They want to level up faster, preferably every other session. Its not because they're power gamers, its just because leveling up is fun, and they like doing it. Your character gets new stuff! New powers! What's not to like?

I sympathize with them. I would prefer a system in which levels were half as important, but came twice as often. Even if this resulted in some "dead levels" here and there.

 

[el-remmen]

I plan on abandoning the current XP system altogether in favor of Sweet 20 XP System, so this change doesn't bother me a bit.

Awesome!

I have been using this system (or something based on it) for my new campaign, and I could not remember where I got it from . . . Thanks!

As for the rate of advancement: Seems too fast - I like some time to enjoy and master the abilities of a level before moving on to another. And by some time I mean 8 to 12 sessions, if not more. . .

 

[Wormwood]

Are there people who seriously thought they were leveling too slowing in 3.x RAW? Do you have no attention span whatsoever?

Yes, I would sometimes prefer to level faster. And my 'attention span' is just fine.

Anything else?

 

[Shade]

Are there people who seriously thought they were leveling too slowing in 3.x RAW? Do you have no attention span whatsoever?

Yep. Prior to 4e's announcement, I planned to award double XP in my next campaign. We're lucky to play one night a week, so leveling is excruciatinly slow.

Well it was bound to happen. There was no way I was going to like every change about 4e.

Welcome to the club!

 

[Horacio]

Are there people who seriously thought they were leveling too slowing in 3.x RAW? Do you have no attention span whatsoever?

Yes, I would sometimes prefer to level faster. And my 'attention span' is just fine.

Anything else?

Yep. Prior to 4e's announcement, I planned to award double XP in my next campaign. We're lucky to play one night a week, so leveling is excruciatinly slow.

I feel less alone now...

 

[el-remmen]

We're lucky to play one night a week, so leveling is excruciatinly slow.

Just an example of how tastes differ. My group plays every TWO weeks (sometimes missing a month) and prefer the advancement I mentioned above.

In my last campaign, which last just one month shy of 5 years, the PCs leveled an average of every 9.3 sessions.

 

[hong]

Whatever default rate of advancement they use, I hope it's something you can easily change without worrying too much about side-effects. In 3E, the use of magic items as a balancing factor means you also have to tweak the rate of loot gain, when you tweak the rate of XP gain. Hopefully this will be less of a problem in 4E.

 

[Horacio]

Just an example of how tastes differ. My group plays every TWO weeks (sometimes missing a month) and prefer the advancement I mentioned above.

In my last campaign, which last just one month shy of 5 years, the PCs leveled an average of every 9.3 sessions.

So more or less a level every four months ?

For me it is too slowly, way too slowly.

But yes, I agree, it's an example of how tastes differ.

What I would love is, no matter what leveling pace they choose, a sidebar in DMG giving guidelines for different pacing (XP and treasure guidelines mainly). Then everybody would be happier