Starting Essentials characters higher than first.

[Pseudonym]

I've been looking in the Essentials books, but I can't find anything about starting characters at higher than 1st level. I assume that it would be the same as it is in 4E, but does anyone know specifically where it is mentioned, if at all?

 

[OnlineDM]

I'm pretty certain it isn't mentioned, though I suppose it might be in the DM Kit (which I don't have). I would handle it pretty much the same as with a non-Essentials character. I know there are official rules for that somewhere, but when I started my party (no Essentials characters in it) at 5th level, I told them to pick one magic item of their level, one of their level+1 and one of their level-1, plus 100 GP and whatever mundane equipment they wanted (within reason). I believe the official rules call for more gold if I remember correctly.

Bottom line: I don't see any reason why this should differ if a character has an Essentials build as opposed to a non-Essentials build.

 

[Prestidigitalis]

I'm pretty certain it isn't mentioned, though I suppose it might be in the DM Kit (which I don't have). I would handle it pretty much the same as with a non-Essentials character. I know there are official rules for that somewhere, but when I started my party (no Essentials characters in it) at 5th level, I told them to pick one magic item of their level, one of their level+1 and one of their level-1, plus 100 GP and whatever mundane equipment they wanted (within reason). I believe the official rules call for more gold if I remember correctly.

Bottom line: I don't see any reason why this should differ if a character has an Essentials build as opposed to a non-Essentials build.

You have the items almost right: level+1, level, level-1, and additional items with a total value equivalent to a single item of level-1. I suspect that will be updated soon to take the new Common/Uncommon/Rare categories into account, though personally I won't be thrilled to see it.

I can't think of any reason why the rules would be different for Essentials characters. You pick the powers and feats that you would have attained organically by going up the levels one at a time, plus ability score increases if you go high enough. I created a 7th level Essentials Thief a few weeks ago, and there was no point in the process where I stopped to think "Oh, this is different, isn't it?"

 

[Shin Okada]

AFAIK no Essentials books contain rules (or guideline) for starting at higher level, yet.

But anyway, Essentials are part of 4th edition. Thus, until some book (Essentials or not) shows the revised guideline, DMG guideline should be applied for all the 4e PCs, regardless of which book(s) you use to create that PC.

And you can always mix Essentials and other books to create your PC. Your Slayer can take feats and powers from, say, PHB or Martial Power. And your bastard sword wielding twin-strike ranger can take Heavy Blade Expertise. Thus, tagging a PC as "Essentials PC" is meaningless.

 

[Pseudonym]

Thus, tagging a PC as "Essentials PC" is meaningless.

That is unless the DM has said that the campaign will consist of the Essentials books only.

 

[Shin Okada]

That is unless the DM has said that the campaign will consist of the Essentials books only.

Then that is that DM's house rule. Thus, everything is up to that DM.