Poll: Starting Point for Campaigns

[Mattachine]

Kobolds bandits attacking merchant caravans? Oh, if I have to be a caravan guard one more time...

How true

 

[Lanefan]

Mid level is when characters have all their ducks in a row.

Concepts start to properly gel, magic items become truly magical, characters have clout (or at least enough tangible power to make others notice), and you even get to see some fringe things in use because the players can finally afford to branch out without horribly hindering themselves.

I start at 1st level so they can play themselves up to that point and have some internal history by the time they get there.

Lanefan

 

[Mr. Wilson]

I voted for low level. Usually I start them at between 1st and 3rd level for campaigns, generally preferring 2nd-3rd as it allows them to have some sort of adventuring history in their past, should they choose it (besides, page long character histories make less sense if you are first level).

I find, especially in 4E, it takes the group a few levels to learn how to play well with each other regarding powers, so it doesn't really matter where they start. This is more noticable since the MMIII update.

Prior to 4E, I didn't like how breakable PCs were at low levels, so I normally started them around 3rd.

 

[Leatherhead]

I start at 1st level so they can play themselves up to that point and have some internal history by the time they get there.

Lanefan

I would like to say I consider level 6ish to be mid level (except 4e, that's more like 10ish) That's still plenty low enough to gain a story. And it's "low level" if you are using something with an LA or the like.

But seriously. Ive done level 1 so many times that there isn't much left in it for me. It's basically the same old starting stuff binging of the story stuff. There are only so many orphaned farm boys, apprentices, dumped experiments, or runaway princesses you can make. Give me a war vet, a recently ruined merchant, a mother out to save her son, or any other number of possible characters who are older than a teenager and who have more experience and actual back-stories that a level 1 couldn't possibly justify.

Yeah, I could try the new and shiny race/class for a different seasoning on the same dishes, but they never work quite right at level one anyway.