Levelling up

[alsih2o]

Do you require training to gain a level in your campaign?

Is adventuring training enough?

Or does it depend on class and such?

 

[Crothian]

No training, I like the idea of training but have yet to really figure out a good way to do it. It is easier without training and seems to make the PCs happy.

 

[Mercule]

No training required, IMC. Helps to hide the "jumps" that levels result in. Also lets me send PCs half-way across the globe without them running into a brick wall.

 

[adwyn]

I encourage players to train ahead when training is convenient for the game's flow and plot. While I sometimes long again for 1st ed's training, I realize it was too cumbersome.

Yet there is something special in making a PC trek across mountains and deserts to find the lone mystic who can teach that one special feat.

 

[shilsen]

No training required. I may have training roleplayed out in certain situations, such as when the rogue multiclasses into wizard or someone picks up a PrC where it seems appropriate, but there won't be any mechanical aspects to it.

 

[BobROE]

I like them to provide some sort of in game explination if they're getting ranks in skills that they didn't have, or taking a level in a different class. But not in any sort of fixed manor.

 

[Piratecat]

My campaign started in 2e, and I've always done training; 1 week per 2 lvls. Recently (once the PCs hit the teens in levels), I've been less stringent so long as they take the time to train and have downtime after an adventure is over. My rationale is that they've been training themselves as they go along, but need time to integrate everything they've learned.

This downtime has a big advantage. In the time it has taken people to go from 1st to 21st lvl, about 12 years have gone by in game time. That's allowed the world to evolve nicely.

 

[IronWolf]

Generally no requirement for training, especially if the character is following the same class progression. If they decide to multiclass I would be inclined to at least have them work it into the story somehow, watch the other person in the party, perform actions along the way that are similar, etc. But even then I may not require it depending on the flow of the story.

 

[Samothdm]

Whatever they did in OD+D, all else is a pale imitation

That killed me! Should be a mandatory part of all polls from now on.

I don't make my players go through training, but I do require them to explain how they suddenly have gained access to certain feats and skills. We handle it via e-mail beforehand.

I like the idea of training, but implementing it in-game is a little more difficult. I wrote up some options for particular classes (*ahem* aristocrats *ahem*) who train between levels to gain small little benefits versus those who don't train.

 

[wingsandsword]

I don't require formal teaching, in the "you have to find someone of this level and class to teach you before you can level up", but I do use the "general downtime" option/variant from the DMG, in that you have to spend at least 1 day per character level you're going to in non-adventuring duties; resting, training, studying, partying, whatever is appropriate for your character. This cannot be used for spell research or item creation or anything like that.

I like how this ensures that the party isn't out adventuring every day, and they do end up spending the occasional week or two just idle at their fort, healing up, relaxing, on vacation, or the like.

Now, if a player is going to learn a psionic or a primary divine or arcane magic class (other than being a Sorcerer or Wilder) they generally do have to be shown the basics of the class by someone with that ability (i.e. a Wizard, Cleric, Druid, Psion or Psychic Warrior as appropriate), and if you want to become a Monk you need to be taught by a Master (6th Level Monk, one nice use for the old 1e AD&D class titles) or spend some time at a monastery, and they'll probably have to spend time with you during your downtime teaching you. The basic idea being that you don't learn a whole new set of skills that is completely unrelated to what you already know and couldn't learn without some training without someone teaching you.

Exceptions to that "training" could possibly come up based on roleplaying and story, but I don't like characters taking a complete left turn with regards to their abilities and there being absolutely no story reason for it.