D&D 5E Level Up! DING, fries are done!

[Riley37]

The 5E PHB and DMG don't say much about the process of gaining a level and the associated new class abilities. See PHB p.11-12.

Do you apply any rules from earlier editions? Do you apply any non-rule traditions? What has happened, at your table, when PCs gain levels?

Is this accurate RAW:


Bruenor, Travok and Kairon defeat the two goblin sentries at the antechamber. Combat ends. Immediately as combat ends, the GM assigns XP. Travok gains his third level of Paladin, rolls a new hit die, and chooses the Oath of Devotion. He had already used 10 HP worth of Lay on Hands, but now that his pool jumps to a total of 15, he then uses those remaining 5 points to Lay On Hands again. He gains additional spell slots. He would require a Long Rest to change his list of prepared spells, but Oath of Devotion paladins always have Sanctuary and Protection from Evil/Good prepared, so he can immediately cast those two spells, as of the moment that the second goblin drops to the ground.

Bruenor, who had two levels of Fighter, decides to multiclass as Druid. He instantly learns Druidic, so he pulls out that scrap of bark with the druidic inscription, and reads it. He's wearing a +1 studded leather armor; the studs are iron, and druids do not wear metal armor. Is he simply limited as if he were wearing armor without proficiency, or is he unable to read the Druidic reading on the bark until he doffs the armor? What if he doesn't take off the armor, but he just removes the metal studs?


Kairon gains her third level of Bard, rolls a new hit die, chooses the College of Lore, suddenly gains proficiency in Arcana, History and Religion, and takes Expertise in History and Medicine.


Kairon's player to DM: Hey, with my new proficiency and expertise, I reconsider what the goblin said about "No more snake coin people found.” Now do I know what that means?

Before Kairon entered the cave, she overheard a goblin say "No more snake coin people found", and an INT (History) check of 12 established that she had no idea what that meant. Now with proficiency, doubled for expertise, she'd have a good shot at recognizing the reference. Do you, as DM, allow a reroll of the INT (History) check?

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

I go for a milestone approach in that xp accrued is counted and dealt with at an appropriate time, when there is a break and a chance to breathe (not a mid-dungeon long rest). That way, new abilities can get a chance to manifest (eg ranger companion, more powerful attunement to magic, etc). Anything that requires learning something new (especially mc-ing) needs to find a teacher. Spend that otherwise useless gold! Either way, using counted xp or pure milestone levelling, making the tally when there's a decent chance to mentally or psychically digest new powers or spend some time training makes sense to.me - way more than the Matrix 'woah, I know kung fu' scenario you outline above!

 

[iserith]

The 5E PHB and DMG don't say much about the process of gaining a level and the associated new class abilities. See PHB p.11-12.

Do you apply any rules from earlier editions? Do you apply any non-rule traditions? What has happened, at your table, when PCs gain levels?

No, no, and whatever the players say happens along with the DMs collaboration as necessary. As a practical matter, XP is typically doled out at the end of session or sometime between sessions rather than in the middle of play. I'm not averse to awarding it during play, however - it's just not how we've normally done it.

Bruenor, Travok and Kairon defeat the two goblin sentries at the antechamber. Combat ends. Immediately as combat ends, the GM assigns XP. Travok gains his third level of Paladin, rolls a new hit die, and chooses the Oath of Devotion. He had already used 10 HP worth of Lay on Hands, but now that his pool jumps to a total of 15, he then uses those remaining 5 points to Lay On Hands again. He gains additional spell slots. He would require a Long Rest to change his list of prepared spells, but Oath of Devotion paladins always have Sanctuary and Protection from Evil/Good prepared, so he can immediately cast those two spells, as of the moment that the second goblin drops to the ground.

Yeah, sounds about right.

Bruenor, who had two levels of Fighter, decides to multiclass as Druid. He instantly learns Druidic, so he pulls out that scrap of bark with the druidic inscription, and reads it. He's wearing a +1 studded leather armor; the studs are iron, and druids do not wear metal armor. Is he simply limited as if he were wearing armor without proficiency, or is he unable to read the Druidic reading on the bark until he doffs the armor? What if he doesn't take off the armor, but he just removes the metal studs?

This druid wears metal armor, it seems. Later, when he runs into another druid, perhaps he is scorned or refused participation in an important rite that would otherwise reveal a great change coming to the world, knowledge of which would be of great benefit to him and his party - until he vows before the Great Ash not to adorn himself with metal. Maybe he's visited by spirit plants and animals in his dreams because of the metal of which he refuses to rid himself and cannot sleep well, thereby gaining a level of exhaustion. Or whatever. Otherwise, he still gets his benefits.

Kairon gains her third level of Bard, rolls a new hit die, chooses the College of Lore, suddenly gains proficiency in Arcana, History and Religion, and takes Expertise in History and Medicine.

Kairon's player to DM: Hey, with my new proficiency and expertise, I reconsider what the goblin said about "No more snake coin people found.” Now do I know what that means?

Before Kairon entered the cave, she overheard a goblin say "No more snake coin people found", and an INT (History) check of 12 established that she had no idea what that meant. Now with proficiency, doubled for expertise, she'd have a good shot at recognizing the reference. Do you, as DM, allow a reroll of the INT (History) check?

No, probably not. It sounds like any uncertainty with regard to her having that particular knowledge was already resolved.

 

[Unwise]

My PCs only level up at meal breaks. That might be in the middle of a combat for all I care, as long as it does not slow or stop the game at all.

 

[Rhenny]

I always wait until the session is over, but I don't require training or downtime. I just like players to level up outside of game time.

 

[Remathilis]

Would this be a good time to bring up the training rules from page 131 of the Dungeon Master's Guide?

 

[Warmaster Horus]

I only give out XP at the end of a session. Once given, it's the player's to use.

 

[Sunseeker]

Generally speaking your levels do not apply until your full first extended rest, by houserule. By RAW yes, you level just as soon as you get enough experience to do so.

 

[Paraxis]

I don't do XP but when I give out levels it is always after a long rest. It is assumed you have been training, studying, researching, and otherwise improving yourself while you were traveling and adventuring the entire time.

There are training rules in the DMG for use during downtime, I don't use them.

 

[Tony Vargas]

In the past (the dark ages of gaming known as 'the 80s'), I'd give exp right after a combat, especially if there was someone close to leveling and they were decidedly behind the rest of the party I might have him level up right thing. If everyone was closer to the same level, I might wait for the end of the session or 'day' (a session might span several days or it might take multiple sessions to get through a day), and let people level up between sessions.

Since 3.5 put everyone on the same chart, and exp became prettymuch just a reward for showing up to the game, it's been fairly convenient to just level the whole party at the same time.