Replacement PCs: what level?

[Kestrel]

I voted average level of the party, but that's only because everyone in my games is at the exact same level, sans level loss due to energy drain or resurrection.

Miss a session? You're not behind the party experience level. Just entering into the game? You're not behind the party experience level.

I'm a commie about level. All characters have the same amount of experience as any other. They all receive the same amount of experience. The incentive to get resurrected or deal with negative energy attacks comes down to the fact that my player's actually care about their characters for one and I've mentioned that they'll eventually get something to make up for the level loss later down the line.

The whole "Come in one level lower than the party" or "Party members of differing levels" is something I find immensely unsatisfying. The extra book keeping to make sure all the characters receive a degree of challenge is obnoxious, not fun, and I also enjoy being able to run the gamut of iconic monsters from orcs to trolls to illithids to beholders to balor and so on - so constantly cranking back the power level, bit by bit, tends to slow that down.

Yup...exactamundo. Its great to have good players.

 

[pawsplay]

Lowest party member -1, so there's always an incentive to raise if you can. I have made exceptions when the gap was too large.

 

[Felix]

level 1
3d6 in order

I get the feeling that when you post in threads, all you really type is "Ctrl+V".

 

[jeffh]

The option a lot of people are naming and that I'm surprised wasn't one of the poll options - the minimum XP for the same level as the lowest-level current character. (Sometimes a little lower if the PCs only just reached that level.)

 

[maggot]

I used to use lowest level in the party minus one, minimum XP. But that could put someone behind almost two levels. Now I use minimum XP in the party minus 100xp per character level. Puts you about one encounter behind the low end guy.

 

[+5 Keyboard!]

Voted other.

I bring new PCs in at the level of the lowest party member. The average party level doesn't take a hit (or at least not a significant one) that way and the new character isn't spending the next few weeks playing catch up.

 

[diaglo]

I get the feeling that when you post in threads, all you really type is "Ctrl+V".

what does that do?

i'm too old fashioned

diaglo "types it out every single time" Ooi

 

[megamania]

The New PC comes back at the same level as the lowest level member with the least XP. This generally keeps the group roughly the same level.

Example

Survivors-
13 78400
13 78550
12 69900
12 73500

The new PC would be 12th level with 66,000 XP

 

[tennyson]

The new PC (or the same raised PC) comes back at:

(1000 x current PC level) less xp.

It's a nice way of losing the equivalent of your character level. That way, Bob, who just turned level 7, will not lose any less than John, who is only 100xp away from level 7.

 

[megamania]

what does that do?

i'm too old fashioned

diaglo "types it out every single time" Ooi

Control + V = Paste