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Message: <blockquote data-quote="OnlineDM" data-source="post: 5461397" data-attributes="member: 90804">I debated this same thing a few months ago. I have an online campaign in WotBS that started at level 1 and is having a good time (they're currently at level 9, deep into the third adventure). When they were around level 5 or 6, I started DMing another group in-person and had to decide what campaign to run. I was interested in running WotBS for the in-person campaign (in part because I already had put the maps and monsters and everything together in MapTool), but the in-person group decided to start at level 5.I considered running an abbreviated version of the first adventure and the first half of the second adventure (just a few encounters, not a lot of XP). I considered dropping them right into the middle of the second adventure. But I ultimately decided to run them through a home brew campaign instead.If the players really don't want to go back a couple of levels (and I wouldn't blame them), here's what I would recommend:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Start the story at the beginning of the first adventure</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Run them through a low-combat version of that adventure, with the combats you do run scaled up to be an appropriate challenge for third-level characters.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Skip the attack at the Poison Apple</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Don't run formal skill challenges as they head for the depository</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Run the depository in a way similar to what I did (see <a href="http://onlinedm.wordpress.com/2010/07/31/war-of-the-burning-sky-session/" target="_blank">here for the blog post</a> and <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6875434/Bank%20Battle.pdf" target="_blank">here for the PDF</a>) - the party should end up with the case at the end of this battle, with no eladrin ghetto side quest</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Pick one or two combats / skill challenges to get the party out of the city (I created an alternate path through the sewers)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Skip Marben and the gnolls</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Run the fight with the Inquisitor at Haddin and Crystin's place</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Send them into the Fire Forest at the level-appropriate place (they should be fourth level at this point)</li> </ul>There are several extraneous combats in the adventure path already, so throwing them out and cutting some non-essential plot encounters should let you remove two levels worth of experience from the first adventure.I'm also an advocate of ditching the whole idea of tracking experience points anyway and leveling the party when the DM deems it to be appropriate. That would help here, too.</blockquote>

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