What character level is deadliest for PC's?

[RJSmalls]

I'm curious. I'm bored. If the former won't get me to post something, the latter will.

So...which character level seems to be the most difficult for an average PC to survive through in an average campaign?

I think first level can be deadly for reasons I don't need to elaborate upon here. Then I think the ol' Deadly Factor (TM) tapers off for a handful of levels. It picks up again are 8th level, when parties start routinely going against baddies who have one-shot/one-kill capabilities (i.e., one failed save, and bye-bye character).

I would do a poll, but I don't know how, and I'm not sure it's worth it.

What do you guys think? What level(s) or range of levels do you think are - traditionally - the deadliest for the PC's? And, please, I know such things count on the type of DM, the type of campaign, the type of character, etc. - let's not make this into a scientific experiment.

I'm looking for gut reactions from folks who have played 3E extensively (especially at higher levels, where I have yet to experience). Indeed, perhaps no single level has a higher Deadly Factor (TM) than another?

RJ

 

[Crothian]

Low level and high. At low level the roll of a die can easily kill you. Same with high level with all those save and die spells and abilities.

 

[RJSmalls]

Ok

Croth - when does "low" stop being "low", and when does "high" start being "high"? You're always the one that seems to answer my posts first, and I thank you for it! Is it a correct assumption that characters from, say, 4th to 7th level are the "safest" when it comes to standard adventuring?

 

[Umbran]

So...which character level seems to be the most difficult for an average PC to survive through in an average campaign?

If the DM is doing a decent job, there's no real "most deadly" region. That's a large part of the point of having "game balance" - to make it so that a DM has a reasonable chance of choosing his encounters properly.

 

[arwink]

around 7th to 12th level has the highest amoung of character death in my games. Before and after those, it happens occasionally, but between those levels characters just churn through deaths.

 

[HellHound]

Actually, we have the biggest problems in the upper levels around 13-16, when you are Uber, but still don't have access to True Resurrection... so each death actually still sets you back a level.

Our party has some serious level disparity because of this issue. Only the rogue has remained unslain to this point, and it shows in his level now. One cleric has dropped three times between levels 13 and 15.

 

[Sniktch]

Of course I'd say the first 2-3 levels are rough, after that my players seem to be having problems in the 9-12 range. We've had two near TPK's very close together. I've never played higher, but it looks like it will be deadly, too.

 

[Creamsteak]

Level 50, because the enemies you encounter at this level either kill you in the first round, or die immediately in your presense. If not that, then level 1.

 

[diaglo]

depends on the game.

i have played with DMs who refused to kill any PC. and i have played with ones who slay PCs on a whim.

in theory every level should be as difficult as any other.

 

[Wee Jas]

Actually, we have the biggest problems in the upper levels around 13-16, when you are Uber, but still don't have access to True Resurrection... so each death actually still sets you back a level.

/nods


So tough to get out of this range. One of our current PCs dies once a week. He went from 14 to 11. YUK!