Leveling speed

[MoogleEmpMog]

Too slow, with a caveat.

I prefer to level every session, or after every major encounter at the very least (a session of haggling over the price of a magic weapon, for instance, really shouldn't level anyone but the Merchant 4/Artificer 4 ) Actually, I don't mind multiple levelings in a single session.

However, because of the base 20 level assumption of the d20 system (most of it, anyway), this usually results in wide power gaps between PCs, "Epic" play within a few months gaming, and a derailed campaign.

I've tried, with varying success, to houserule the d20 system to the base 99 levels I prefer. And by varying, I mean between hideously failed and hey-that-was-almost--sort-of-fun.

The quest for base 99 d20 continues! Then we move into Star Ocean territory and bump that sucker up to 256!

Until then, the pace of levelling is about right.

 

[Psion]

I like a combat/strategy oriented game with numerous encounters per session. The XP awards for combat are too high to allow slow leveling in such a campaign. I also prefer leveling to slow down as the characters gain levels.

As do I. I used to scale XP awards as a root of the level instead of using level as a linear modifier.

 

[Emirikol]

It's a bit slow for my tastes. I like rapid advancement with rapid end to each campaign, so I tend to increase x.p. awards accordingly.

jh

 

[kigmatzomat]

I used to think it was too fast, but now my players are jonesing to level up with regularity. I wonder if it's a DM thing; I know when I'm a player I'm all happy to see the next level. A slower progression means less work for DMs while fast leveling means we as DMs don't have as much time to become comfortable with player abilities. I've been running this campaign for 4 years and I can't count the number of times a player has done something and I've asked "Can you do that?!?"

As for the abilities not being used, most people acquire abilities to cope for past deficiencies. If you as a DM keep radically changing the types of encounters the abilities won't have a chance to be used. I try to avoid stays in non-standard environments lasting for more than a few sessions so they don't acquire an artifical importance. ("Standard" is game specific. The homeland IMC is a wooded, hilly, temperate climate so desert, ocean, and swamp are specialized evironments.)

To everyone who thinks it's too fast: How long has it been since you were a player? When do you hear yourself utter the phrase "have we leveled yet?"

 

[Ourph]

To everyone who thinks it's too fast: How long has it been since you were a player? When do you hear yourself utter the phrase "have we leveled yet?"

Well, I'm not running D20 D&D anymore, but I still play in a 3.0 game. I usually find myself saying "What? I've already leveled again!" rather than "Have I leveled yet?".

My character is a Wizard. I remember being very excited about getting Melf's Acid Arrow at 3rd level. I got to cast that spell 3 times before reaching 5th level, at which point, Melf's Acid Arrow lost some of its shiny new-ness in comparison to things like Flame Arrow, Stinking Cloud, Lightning Bolt and Suggestion. It was disappointing.

 

[Philip]

To everyone who thinks it's too fast: How long has it been since you were a player? When do you hear yourself utter the phrase "have we leveled yet?"

As a player I do this as well, and if my PC is close to leveling I am counting down the XP. The leveling carrot dangling in front of my nose is often quite seductive.

When I look back though, I find that I desire to have had more time at certain levels. My new toys are hardly worn out when I get another set, even though I am eagerly looking forward to getting them.

Fast leveling is like a drug, its seductive, it really gives you a good short time high, but often feels like a bad trip in hindsight. After all, I feel campaigning is about the journey, rather than about the goal.

 

[The Human Target]

As a DM I really prefer a slower pace than the standard. My group tries to play every Sunday with occasional breaks. In my current DnD game my PCs have gone from 1st level to 2nd in four nights of play, and at seven nights they are still second but will level up in a night or two. I give about 2/3 of the standard xp plus roleplaying awards, but I'm going to slow the progression down a little more. My group has not yet gotten comfortable with their characters and abilities (or the rules in general) yet. But next week we will start off another DM's campaign that will feature faster progression,
about 2 levels per 3 nights for the first eight or so levels. But as long as I'm playing I'm happy.

 

[tarchon]

In real time it was good, but in-game, it got kind of ridiculous, with PCs going from schlubs to superheroes in a couple months.

 

[Ranes]

My campaign is now nearly two years old (beginning with 3.0, now on 3.5). I've been DMing by the book - for the sake of science. The group has played about fifty sessions.

The highest level character is a fifth level ranger.

Of course, everyone's now on their third character.

 

[Elf Witch]

I think you level to fast. Sure the DM can control how fast you level and should but still a lotof players whine when they find out they are not getting by the book XP.

The best game I ever played in we took three years to get from 1 to 9 now there was some death involved. But one of the many reasons I enjoyed the game so much is that you really got to use your feats and spells and try different tactics with them before getting new more powerful ones. And leveling was something you looked forward to. In game time it was a lot longer than three years and so you really got a lot of character development.

In the game I play in now we have been playing a year and nine months and we are 14 level. I think we are leveling to fast. For me the weird thing about it is that in game time it has not been that long so some of these characters went from wet behind the ears novices to powerhouses in a few months. I know tht the DM wants to tall a large story but since this is the first time he has DM sinced 1ed I think he is going to find the campaign coming to and end soon simply because he won't be able to challenge the party. I also feel that this does not really give you the time to develop much in the way of character background.