Playing the same character since 1985? Gwah?

[Ahnehnois]

The longest I have ever played a character is probably inside of six months, real time, and less than twenty sessions. I'm primarily a DM and others are DMing only for short periods.

The longest I've DMed for a single PC is probably in the neighborhood of one year or not more than than thirty sessions.

Frankly, the idea of playing one character for years on end creeps me out. I'm a storyteller. I have no more interest in any specific character than does an actor in their character. Shuffling through characters exposes me to different perspectives and helps me learn. I have way too many character ideas to play any one for long. Being overly attached to one character seems like it could be creatively stagnating, and like it might the result of someone being excessively immersed in the game. I can also imagine it being a deep and rewarding experience if handled well, but I have no desire to play that way.

 

[Lwaxy]

Current? 14 years going on 15. Greyhawk campaign I'm considering to put in a story hour. One of the few games mostly documented.

Longest was 19 years, starting as a teenager in 1985. Moved away from where the group is, they still play as far as I know. But characters got updated to the new editions.

My paladin of 19 years got a heroic death when I moved away. While completely planned (between me and the GM) it still had surprises and lead to some change in the campaign setting, too. Ayla was level 13 (in an alternate plane she functioned as level 17) but I unfortunately do not have a copy of her sheet any longer. The whole binder got lost, probably thrown out by dad who considered them "just old notes."

Shortest stint with a character was 4 hrs btw.

 

[Zelda Themelin]

I used to play character long time. Many games at same time. Some didn't last very long, but my first D&D basic character I played 5 years. Then my group changed. I played one character 9 years. Very unusual game, started as warhammer game. Played other characters at same time. Some of them lasted half year or so.

Then my group changed again. Played my first character 5 years. Then next 3 years, next one 1,5 years, then 9 monts. This was because we didn't have time to play so much. Long times since last session sometimes. Forget too much things. So more need to play another character. Nowdays they last from half year to year, but some other characters I play and swich.

Just now we started to play characters that are little like Eternal Champion. Reincarnates into new world bit changed personality, not all memories, changed character class, levels etc, but link to old stories. Mmmh maybe cross between doctor who reincarnation and champion eternal from Moorcock books. But with less time travel and chaos and not always tragic things. Ok, it's pretty tragic but not depressive storyline. There is basicly this eternal quest for character who wants to understand chance in cosmic level. Others have their own things. Reincarnation methods varies, recent one was psionic mind seed. Yes, even soul changes.

Maybe that will last longer, you kinda can re-invent your charcters now and then. Universes come and go too, and game systems. My 9-year lasting character became something like this, though I might try it again. Who knows, maybe it lasts till end of my current group.

 

[TanisFrey]

I certainly don't remember that many. But we'd regularly tote around several:
Players Handbook
Dungeon Masters Guide
Unearthed Arcana
Wilderness Survival Guide
Dungeoneers Survival Guide
Fiend Folio
Monster Manual
Monster Manual 2

And for specific campaigns:
Krynn
Greyhawk Adventures
Oriental Adventures
Manual of the Planes

That's a good many to carry around, and often even players would carry around at least 3-5 of those, not just the DM.

I don't know where the 36 number is coming from, though.

The number 36 level cap is from BECMI D&D. There was a hard 36 level cap for any Human PC. Demihumans had a lower level cap based on what race they were. The races were their own class and usually topped out at 8-12 level.

 

[billd91]

The number 36 level cap is from BECMI D&D. There was a hard 36 level cap for any Human PC. Demihumans had a lower level cap based on what race they were. The races were their own class and usually topped out at 8-12 level.

??? Level caps? We were talking about number of hardcover books in 1e.

 

[Aramax]

My game has been going since 1981 but the longest character in it was prob around 4 years,the average group runs 2-3 years

 

[Doug McCrae]

Did they make you start at level one?