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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Quasqueton" data-source="post: 3614988" data-attributes="member: 3854">During an unrelated thought exercise, I calculated how far behind a PC would be if he had to start at 1st level when the other PCs were higher level. Here's how it turns out.If the PCs are gaining the same XP (for every 1,000xp the higher PCs get, the new PC gets 1,000 -- the "3.0 way"):Main party at level 2, new PC comes in at level 12 - 13 - from here on, 1 level behindMain party at level 3, new PC comes in at level 13 - 14 - 35 - from here on, 1 level behindMain party at level 4, new PC comes in at level 14 - 15 - 36 - 47 - 68 - from here on, 1 level behindMain party at level 5, new PC comes in at level 15 - 16 - 37 - 58 - 69 - 710 - 811 - 1012 - from here on, 1 level behindMain party at level 6, new PC comes in at level 16 - 17 - 48 - 59 - 710 - 811 - 912 - 1013 - 1114 - 1215 - 1316 - 1517 - from here on, 1 level behindMain party at level 7, new PC comes in at level 17 - 18 - 49 - 610 - 711 - 812 - 1013 - from here on, 1-2 levels behindMain party at level 8, new PC comes in at level 18 - 19 - 410 - 611 - 712 - 913 - 1014 - 1115 - 1316 - from here on, 2 levels behindMain party at level 9, new PC comes in at level 19 - 110 - 411 - 612 - 813 - 914 - 1115 - from here on, 2-3 levels behindMain party at level 10, new PC comes in at level 110 - 111 - 512 - 713 - 814 - 1015 - 1116 - 1217 - 1418 - from here on, 3 levels behindIf the PCs are getting scaled XP (for every 1,000xp the higher PCs get, the new PC gets more -- the "3.5 way"):Main party at level 10, new PC comes in at level 110 - 111 - 712 - 1013 - 1214 - from here on, 1 level behindI didn't do the calculations of scaled XP for any other levels -- it just takes too long. But doing it for 10th level shows the basic idea that the new PC will gain a little faster, and close the gap faster.What does this show? What can be taken from this? It looks like a new 1st-level PC starting with an established 5th level group can catch up quickly enough to work. By the time the 5th level PCs gain two levels, the new PC is just two behind. 2 levels difference is not bad in a normal party. With scaled XP, the new character could probably start with a 7th level group and do just as well.If a low-level character is smart, and knows how to avoid getting in over his head with a higher group, he can catch up relatively quickly. Especially if the DM is awarding scaled XP per the "3.5 way."Because I'm interested in comparing newer D&D with older D&D, I also calculated the numbers for AD&D1 characters (really, just the fighter). In AD&D1, a character will catch up to even or 1 level behind in the time the higher level characters gain 2 levels. This is the case all the way up to name levels for the higher PCs. But if the higher characters are in the name levels (9 and 10+), the speed of gain for the lower character, and the difference is a tad greater (1 and 2 levels diff).Anyway. I did the numbers for myself, but since I have them anyway, I figured I'd put them in this forum for anyone else with any curiousity on the subject.Quasqueton</blockquote>

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