D&D General Players Decide when to Level Up

[plisnithus8]

I have fairly experienced players that I’ve played with for a while. When we had session zero for a sandbox homebrew campaign with a clear goal for the party, we discussed how we wanted to advance levels, especially how quickly. I finally just asked if they wanted to just decide as a group when to level up.

They discussed it as players and had thoughtful conversation, bringing up points of not wanting to level up too quickly, deciding as a group when a benchmark had been achieved, and other concerns.

We’ve been playing that way weekly since March. They are 5th level now. And we’re all enjoying that decision. As a DM, I’m not having to calculate XP or gauge when to stick in benchmarks to keep things interesting for players. Occasionally, someone will ask if their latest accomplishment warrants a level up or just if enough time has gone by. The group usually says no.

I don’t think it would necessarily work for inexperienced, immature, or groups with varied goals, but I just wanted to toss this one out since I hadn’t seen it as an option before.

Thoughts? Would this work for your groups?

 

[AnotherGuy]

I don’t think it would necessarily work for inexperienced, immature, or groups with varied goals, but I just wanted to toss this one out since I hadn’t seen it as an option before.

Thoughts? Would this work for your groups?

Yes it would. I am fortunate to have the right table for this. To be clear this includes myself - being in the right headspace as GM.
The levels for us are not as important as much as the story being fleshed out.

 

[TiQuinn]

I’ve been a part of a group that did this too and it really works very well. Ultimately it tracks according to what our DM usually was thinking anyways with milestone, and he liked how it tracked with the big accomplishments. Completing a major task felt like the time to level, and lo and behold, that’s what the campaign we played suggested to.

 

[aco175]

Sounds like the OP's group can handle it and be fine. I feel my group would be the same.

I played the box sets for beginners and they each have missions or job boards that tell to level up after one or two of these minor quests. It seems fast, but are low level and designed to introduce the game and leveling is a cool part for many. Even in the higher level series I'm playing now focusing on the after Icespire Peak for levels 7-12 there is a leveling after only a couple missions. I think my players would choose to level slower and get pinched going into something designed for level 11 and be only level 8 or 9. In a home game where the DM designs things each week it should be fine though.

 

[payn]

Thoughts? Would this work for your groups?

I think so. I especially like that its a group decision. In my Traveller game currently I (GM) decide when they get to increase a skill (closest to leveling in that system) based on accomplishing something. Loosely the idea is seeing an adventure start to finish. I often give the players the chance to let me know when/if they feel the pace is right and such conditions are met. So, its similar to what the OP is doing.

 

[tombowings]

Great idea!

As long as you're playing with a cognitively unimpaired group (the only type of group worth playing with), it should work well.

Happy gaming.

 

[Seramus]

I can definitely see it working for my groups., especially if there's an active discussion amongst themselves after story critical moments.

 

[Kannik]

Add my main group to the list of groups where this would work well!

The other group I game with, on the other hand, has a very different vibe and I'd say works better with the pacing limitation of XP/GM Milestone.

 

[GMMichael]

As a DM, I’m not having to calculate XP or gauge when to stick in benchmarks to keep things interesting for players.

Here's the big benefit. Less bookkeeping for all. I'd try asking the players how they want to level up, and then set it up myself, before handing over the reins.

 

[AlViking]

We discuss how fast to level up in session 0, but I still tell them when they level up. Its mostly just so I can plan breaks in the action a little more since I try to have downtime between levels.