Players: Do you plan in advance for character progression?

[Brown Jenkin]

As a mostly player I also love createing characters. I will gennerally create all 20 levels in a excel sheet I have created. This includes skill and spell choices. I might make small adjustments but overall I stick to plan. I will also create a couple of full backup characters over the course of a campaign just in case. Currently my character has a 10 level PrC from 6-15 and I have held off doing levels 16-20 until I decide on my next course. I do have 4 choices that I have prepared for so that I can go any of these directions depending on how the campaign develops. I also just picked up a cohort and that has gave me the opertunity to create a few more characters before I decided on the one I am now using.

 

[Apok]

I always plan my character's ahead of time. Usually, when I think of a character I design an entire theme and concept which then translates into what class or classes he is, what feats he has, what equipment I should aim for, what weapons would make the most sense, etc, etc.

This isn't just a personal affectation, either, I believe the game is set up to require this kind of strategic planning, especially if one is trying to gain entry into a prestige class.

 

[Impeesa]

I tend to plan feats and multiclassing right through 20th (or higher, depending on where we're starting). If I have to stop and think about something while levelling up, then I've been slacking.

 

[Finkin Swiftfingers]

I generally do not think about what I am going to do with my characters down the road. I usually take feats, focus on skills, etc as I develop my character.

Of course, I almost always have a difficult time picking my feats.

 

[Umbran]

Hm. Looks like I'll have to be the tokenperson who says that I don't really plan ahead.

Sure, I have a general concept in mind when I start the character, but I generally find that expressing character development through class choice is a really good thing to do. So, what I end up taking is more a function of what's been going on in game than any plan I had as a player. I ask, "What would the character want at this point?" - and the answer is frequently far different than any plan I might have made up before the character started adventuring.

If I had a character who had a driving personal goal to attain something specific, that character might stick to a plan regardless of campaign events, but otherwise, I tend to go with the flow.

 

[Felix]

I read Brown Jenkin's response and laughed... I too have an excel spreadsheet all worked out so I can "quickly" plot a character's advancement. I have around 4 variations of the 20 level progression for one of my pc's, who is 10th right now, and I can't really decide which one, or perhaps another one, I'll choose. I guess I cross that bridge when I come to it.

My DM thinks I'm nuts, by the way... always making fun of the 20-level progression sheets I tote around with me.

 

[Norfleet]

I always have a plan for my characters. Even back before third edition, I had a plan. In real life, I have a plan. I don't even take a crap without a plan.

 

[Kichwas]

I only plan in the vagueist sense. I get a general idea of what feats or potential prestige classes I might desire, but most games I've been in don't last for too many levels - so I keep my focus on the character in the present more so than the future. The story can dramaticly change things anyway...

 

[astralpwka]

I plan well into epic levels (the highest reaches level 40). Not only does it give your character a sense of destiny, but you're rarely left undecided when the time comes. I also change it frequently, and rarely stick to the original, though the theme remains.

 

[shilsen]

Looks like I'm one of the few who doesn't really plan ahead. I may have a couple of basic ideas about where I see the character going, but that's it. I'll usually make the decisions for class, feat and skill choices based on what's been going on over the last few levels.

For example: I'm DM-ing now, but the last PC I played (3.0, not 3.5) was a Rgr/Rog whom I intended to head down a two-weapon fighting route. But during the first three fights he was in, he ended up using a bow and supporting the melee combatants. When he got a chance to take another level, he headed down the archery route and that's what he stuck with.