Tier-crossing quests

[Korgoth]

I got that in mind, but maybe not so artificial. The end of the first episode of the campaign will mean the characters can now advance to the Paragon Path.
Maybe they saved the country from an evil tyrant, now they got to move on bigger things.

That could work just as well: the party completes some joint undertaking that has legendary ramifications; this opens them all to advancement into the realm of paragons.

I think the essence of what I would do is to make sure that 10th to 11th is not merely a level up, but that it must be preceded by a genuine accomplishment of note within the campaign world.

 

[That One Guy]

That could work just as well: the party completes some joint undertaking that has legendary ramifications; this opens them all to advancement into the realm of paragons.

I think the essence of what I would do is to make sure that 10th to 11th is not merely a level up, but that it must be preceded by a genuine accomplishment of note within the campaign world.

Ahh... I agree. That level should be something plot amazing.

 

[med stud]

This is how I have planned my first 4e campaign (in very loose terms):

Heroic tier: A band of intrepid adventurers. They take missions, they kill monsters, they get rich, they lead armies and they become well known.

Paragon tier: The gods become interested in them, they become pawns of the gods. Not as in remote controlled, but the gods take an interest in what they are doing and they will try to nudge them in different directions. At this level, adventures will be large in scale and/or consequence.

Epic tier: The characters will get a leg up on the gods. They will try to enforce their own agendas vs the gods and the multiverse. No matter if they win or lose, the world will be changed afterwards.

After that, if the group is still together, rince and repeat. Move time forward 50-100 years and a new band of adventurers set forth into the world.

To tie this with the OP's post: The last heroic adventure will be the adventure that makes the gods notice the PCs. I think it will be the slaying of a dragon or the eradication of a cult.

 

[hong]

I also support this idea of a transformative experience going from heroic to paragon.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

I also support this idea of a transformative experience going from heroic to paragon.

I support hong's support.

More seriously, I think it's a great idea to really 'mark' the difference between the tiers. Considering the big jump in powers you're going to be seeing (the Paragon Paths really kick things up a notch!) it makes sense that the party have a real feeling of accomplishment.

I suppose you could do it in a "end of the season" way, to reference TV. The party defeats the Big Bad, and gets tangible rewards and kudos from all, making it clear that they have become heroes of a greater quality than your average mercenary band or bunch of cut-throats.

You fought a bunch of orcs and saved a village? That's great, have some gold. You pushed deep into the wild, were gone for a year and when you came back you had the orc tribal leader's head and totem, thus proving the kingdom was safe from them for many years? You're heroes.

 

[Kwalish Kid]

I support hong's support.

I support your support of hong's support, but not hong's support.

 

[Cirex]

That strikes me as... quick. I guess it depends on what you mean by 'episode'

I usually split a campaign in episodes. The episode ends with a very intense adventure, usually with a very long and hard combat (climax and stuff) and then the story is retaken a few weeks/months later, where characters have been resting, doing other stuff, etc. (they tell me what have they been doing).
Each episode lasts a variable amount of seasons, but I like to end the first episode at level 6, second at 9-10 and third at 13-14, when the campaign usually ends.
I could probably do the same without splitting the campaign, but well, it's my style, giving it a cinematographical touch.

In my current Eberron campaign, the first episode ended with a battle against a renegade high officer of the Breland forces (inspired in General Hummel, from The Rock). They were expecting a hard battle, with the officer retreating in the very last moment, opening the second episode with the pursue, but they just killed him and the second episode, which we just started, is about three sons of the officer seeking revenge, while the PCs are investigating the real causes that lead this successful officer to become a renegade terrorist.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Here's a thought: to cross from one level tier (from Heroic to Paragon, from Paragon to Epic) a character must fulfill a quest appropriate to his class and stature. So to 'open up' Paragon paths and level advancement beyond 10th, a character must do something that sets him up as a legendary figure in his profession.

Would it not be better to have a party fulfilling a quest to move from heroic to paragon?

Otherwise, won't you end up with some disgruntled party members when Josh the Wonderful takes everyone on his paragon quest and they tag along - or when Fred the latecomer still hasn't done his quest and the rest of the party don't want to allow him the time to do so?

Cheers

 

[hong]

I support your support of hong's support, but not hong's support.

Kwalish is nontransitive! Run away!!1!

 

[Pssthpok]

/runs