How do you handle level progression in your D&D games

[STARP_Social_Officer]

I just let my players 'level up' when they have the XP to do so, but I don't let them take on a new class (including prestige classes) unless they have a reason to. "I want to become a rogue" isn't good enough - they have to have done something 'roguey' this level.

 

[Moon-Lancer]

Post 17

I dont understand training and need 1000 gold per a level. does that come out of the wealth guide lines? or do the pc get more cash then normal to pay for leveling? what if they dont have the cash? doesent that add alot of book keeping and generaly bog down the game if they cant pay thier tithe?

We dont play with the need for downtime, but if we have downtime when we level, we roleplay it. Its fun, but i think if it was required, it would get old. Thats just my opinion though. Right now im trying to convince my dm to make a cool npc that he can learn the ways of the whirling dervish. If that never comes to pass im going to have to think up why he is becomeing a dervish. I already thought of a few things but the mentor idea is a great way to do it, but makeing it required i think would take the fun out of wanting that kind of story relationship.

 

[T. Foster]

In B/X D&D back in the 80s we had instant level-ups, including mid-adventure (and even mid-encounter, which saved a character's life on at least one occasion). I always thought this was pretty cheesy even then, and was amused to discover many years later that it's actually the standard in Tunnels & Trolls.

In 1E AD&D back in the 80s (and to this day, pretty much) leveling up requires 1 week of downtime and 1500 g.p./(current) level. I never bothered with "performance ratings" or making the character find an NPC instructor (unless it made for a good plot-point).

I have no idea how leveling-up was handled in my 2E games. I assume that I started out with whatever the 2E BtB method is (if any) and eventually "house-ruled" in the 1E method, which is how most things in my 2E games worked.

My current 1E group (of which I'm not the DM) does free/instant level-ups (no time or money requirement) but only at the end of adventures (or at least sessions). Treasure awards are very light so there's no need for a money-sink (we're 3rd-4th level characters and only have ~500 g.p. apiece) and we adventure as a "permanent party" so there's no need to enforce parity and slow down the over-active players.

 

[Steel_Wind]

Back in the day under 1e, I required training. This seemed to be an artificial limit placed upon PCs to prevent the from levelling too fast (and allowed a DM to bleed off GP). That doesn't make it a BAD rule, it simply explains the reason for it.

In 3.5 and the AoW AP I am running, level is critical to survival in the early modules. I do not require training, and have on occasion even broken my rule about awarding XP mid-session after a combat so the PCs could level. (I have stopped doing this lately though as the levelling element has become less critical).

When the adventures you are running pull out all the stops - I think it's only fair to give the PCs the edge they need (and have otherwise earned).

 

[WayneLigon]

We never did training, even in the 1e/2e days. Certainly not now; most of your 'training' occurs as you're getting that XP. As far as training for another class, it depends on the class. I just had a guy take a level in Paladin: The Son visited him (as he does all his paladins) and did the whole 'I choose you as my sword in the world' type thing.

Others, it depends. We had a rogue who made it known he was going to multiclass to mage. So we set it up that he was actually a mages apprentice all along but had not had the Thing that granted him full access to his powers, yet. he could do a couple cantrips as a rogue, and his coming into his full power was going to be part of the storyline they were in.

 

[questing gm]

My houserule at the moment is once we get enough XP, level up whenever we want.

We only do this after an encounter or at the end of session. However, reading some of the post here are giving me ideas on handling this more interestingly....

 

[DragonLancer]

No training. PCs go up in level when they have enough XP. I have no need to slow down the game just for training. As far as I am concerned, the characters are learning everything they get as they go along. Thats enough for me.

Clarification: They still need a day or two to rest before they can level, just no training or insta-levels.

 

[Giltonio_Santos]

In more serious campaigns, I demand my players to have someone better graduated to teach them, and role-play character training between adventures. I don't do that on each level, though; as someone pointed earlier, it gets old really fast. If you care to train when you have the opportunity, you'll level up when you get enough XP.

Finding a good tutor also rewards the players in my campaigns. I like to award both XP and other extras (such as secret fighting techniques or spells) for players when they do the homework and try to find the best masters in whatever they want to train in. Sometimes I even create sub-quests that players must accomplish in order to train in what they want to.

It does take a lot of time out of typical adventures, but we find this kind of thing to be as much a legitimate part of campaigning as dungeon crawling and demon hunting.

Cheers,

 

[Laman Stahros]

When you say train do you mean...

a) A set amount of downtime needs to be spent either in a arcane library or sparring, etc.
b) A set amount of cash needs to be paid to be trained by some NPC.
c) All of the above.

In 1e, there was a rule in the DM's Guide that was your option C. It sucked. YMMV.

In our group we gain levels after a night rest assuming you have enough. Mind you we are currently playing an adventure path and they are tough enough as it is without you being under level because you've not had time for training.

I have always done it this way myself. Go to sleep and wake up with a new level. Get on with it, you know?

 

[Arashi Ravenblade]

You get XP at the end of an Encounter, and Level up when you reach the appropriate amount of XP. And you might get extra at the end of the game for extraordinary Roleplaying or Problem solving.