D&D 5E Tier 1 Sweetspot for One Off (Free RPG Day)

[S'mon]

So a level 8 re-charge power vs a 2nd level character in one edition is somehow comparable to a 1/8th CR ordinary attack vs a 1st level one in another?

I think my point was that unlucky low level PCs die randomly in any edition, even 4e - this was a published 4e adventure, though I reduced the number of zombie hulks from 2 to 1; either way a 6 level difference in levels is 'legal' under 4e DMG encounter-building rules. The only 'illegal' element was that the hulk's 350 xpv made it a
below-EL1 encounter (minimum 400 xp) for the 4 2nd level PCs.

I guess if you absolutely don't want PCs dying from damage then start at 3rd level and use only low-dmg opponents works. Or outside AL you could just say PCs can only die from failed death saves, not damage.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I think my point was that unlucky low level PCs die randomly in any edition

This isn't a question of which edition to run, but which of 4 levels to run 5e. If you do want to compare the random death of a weak 1st level PC at the tiny hands of the lowest-threat monsters in that edition, at least compare it to a 1st level PC vs lowest-threat monsters native to it's ed, not level+6 powerhouses, seriously.

I guess if you absolutely don't want PCs dying from damage then start at 3rd level and use only low-dmg opponents works..

If you want to place an Encounter that can't result in a random character death from just one or two (un)lucky rolls, yes. Starting at 3rd gives you that option. You can still place deadlier encounters, too.

5e is randomly lethal at 1st level, even an 'easy' encounter vs 1/8th DR foes can bring an unexpected character death. That low-end lethality drops off very rapidly, and by third it's positively forgiving. It's just an artefact of the instant death rule and the way hps/damage scale with level.

You can also deal with it by keeping enough resolution behind the DM screen. You can always fudge that crit or high damage roll vs the fragile PC so it only knocks him down to 1hp...

 

[Volund]

At first I voted for level 3, but changed it to 2. You could start everyone at level 1 and level everyone up to level 2 after the first major encounter. At level 2, every class has a defining ability that it will continue to use throughout their career - reckless attack, channel divinity, smites, cunning action, wild shape, ki points, sorcery points, etc. All of the martial classes will have a fighting style. Enough to give new players an idea of how each class is different without getting into very many of the archetype paths. At level 3 there is enough variation that the experienced players may start to outshine the newer players - the experienced Battlemaster player compared to the inexperienced Champion player who unfortunately never rolls a 19 crit the whole session, for example. I'm not discounting the real value of learning from more experienced players, but considering the goals of your session - getting new players hooked in to D&D - I would try to minimize the the separation between experienced players and newbies so it's fun for everyone.

 

[S'mon]

5e is randomly lethal at 1st level, even an 'easy' encounter vs 1/8th DR foes can bring an unexpected character death.

For a one-shot though I regard this as a big positive. I'll be running a 1/2-shot next Sunday, "The Fearless Goblin-Killers", and the PCs will indeed be 1st level.