Leveling up PCs; How do you handle it?

[Sunseeker]

But if each pulls her weight when opportuinity allows, it should in theory cancel out. If it doesn't, them's the breaks - not everyone is equal.

In theory, yes, but I've had games were player A goes first, B goes second, and when they get to D, everything is done, so D simply helps or refrains from hindering.

Theory is theory, practice is something else.

Allow me to clarify: a player missing a session does not in any way mean said player's character(s) don't participate! They do, run by those players who do show up with reference to instructions from the missing player if provided. (this is made clear to all at campaign start, if you miss a game your characters are at the mercy of the other players)

Ah yeah, generally we don't run missing people's characters. It's more of a personal boundaries thing.

And ExP is given for character participation. If 6 characters helped defeat the dragon while the 7th ran and hid behind a rock, only the 6 get any ExP for that battle. In other words, those who take the risks get the rewards.

Well, in that regard I agree. If somebody clearly did NOTHING, then yes, I'd take that into account, but I'd also discuss that with the player.

You might be worrying too much about fine-tuning the numbers. Parties in all editions can handle battles a level or two higher than they are, and as DM if you see they're struggling you can always dial it back a little.

Lanefan

True, but I do enjoy fine-tuning.

 

[Troll Slayer]

I usually run games that have incremental character improvements, so a player can improve a little bit every session; maybe two sessions if the improvement is particularly important, or maybe even twice per session if the players were particularly productive. When I run level based systems I tend to give XP a bit fast as a result, because I'm used to them improving a little bit every time we play. I try to strike a balance, levelling them every two or three sessions. I have to try hard not to level them every one or two.

To slow it down a bit more, I could be a stickler for training time; and I am to a degree, especially when it involves learning a brand new class, skill or something else previously foreign to the character. I prefer to ignore training time when it involves improving a skill or ability the character has clearly been working with during actual play.

 

[Holy Bovine]

Once the little red box appears in the corner of my HUD I press it and level up.




...what?

 

[pogre]

I'm trying something new in my next campaign - PCs are going to level after every adventure. This is a big departure for me, because I am usually a grim & gritty type DM. Should be an interesting experiment.

 

[Mark Chance]

I'm leaning toward using Sean K. Reynolds's Step System for level advancement.

 

[delericho]

For D&D 3e, I go strictly by the book, except that the XP gained is divided by the number of players present, but all characters gain the same amount regardless of whether the player (or even the character) was there or not.

For any level-based game where characters can't spend/lose XP (4e, Pathfinder, d20 Modern, SWSE), I ditch XP entirely, I just have characters level up after a suitable number of sessions.

(In level-based systems, characters can level up as soon as they gain the XP to do so, but I only award XP at the end of the session.)

For games like Storyteller, WFRP or the like, where characters gain far fewer XP and spend these on individual increases, each player present gains a fixed number of points per session. (XP can be spent as soon as they are earned.)

 

[Jon_Dahl]

I go strictly by the book myself too, in 3.5.

I'm happy to say that my PC's level up pretty much in the expected speed. Every 4th or 5th session they gain a level. Unfortunately some rare sessions are spent simply chatting with NPC's. When they gain a level, they have to have a decent good nights rest and spend the next morning contemplating the recent adventures together (this is not roleplayed). After this they gain everything except the full amount of skill points. They only get 1 or 2 skill points to have one rank in one skill. Rest of the skill points are received in the next session.

Logic behind this is have levels in a smooth way, not in a big drastic steps.

Training is required case-to-case basis.

 

[Stoat]

Every few months, the players start complaining that they haven't leveled in a while. Two or three weeks after they start complaining, I let them level up.