D&D 5E What to do when Pc's die? What then for that player?

[Iosue]

In general, my policy in 5e has been to have the character start at the lowest level of the particular tier the party. Not that I've had need to actually use it yet. It really depends on the group, though.

One thing that I think would be interesting, somewhat old school but uniquely feasible in 5e, is to have everyone start at 1st level, or at least 3rd. But not just that, but have that character continue into the next campaign. So, let's say a 15th level character dies. The player starts a new character at 1st or 3rd level. By the time the party reaches 20th level and retires, he's back to 15th level. Then, I'd let that player, if he wanted, to use that character in the next campaign, while the rest of the group make 1st or 3rd level characters.

Basically, the idea would be that instead of the players playing a campaign that has a start and an end that follows the lives of the characters, they players focus on the lives of their characters. The character that started out as the low-level sidekick of the high-level characters now becomes the mentor of the new low-level characters, until he retires with them having become veteran, capable adventurers.

It seems that would really create a sense of a real, lived in world, and each character the players play have their own kind of story, not dependent on any one particular AP or party.

 

[SirAntoine]

In general, my policy in 5e has been to have the character start at the lowest level of the particular tier the party. Not that I've had need to actually use it yet. It really depends on the group, though.

One thing that I think would be interesting, somewhat old school but uniquely feasible in 5e, is to have everyone start at 1st level, or at least 3rd. But not just that, but have that character continue into the next campaign. So, let's say a 15th level character dies. The player starts a new character at 1st or 3rd level. By the time the party reaches 20th level and retires, he's back to 15th level. Then, I'd let that player, if he wanted, to use that character in the next campaign, while the rest of the group make 1st or 3rd level characters.

Basically, the idea would be that instead of the players playing a campaign that has a start and an end that follows the lives of the characters, they players focus on the lives of their characters. The character that started out as the low-level sidekick of the high-level characters now becomes the mentor of the new low-level characters, until he retires with them having become veteran, capable adventurers.

It seems that would really create a sense of a real, lived in world, and each character the players play have their own kind of story, not dependent on any one particular AP or party.

A clever idea.

 

[PnPgamer]

Build the character at 3rd level, but start with 0XP. The character can level as XP accrues during short rests until within 3 levels of the rest of the party at which point XP is distributed at end of session as normal for my game.

Hey that is actually pretty good idea.

 

[JWO]

My first instinct was that whatever happens, the new character should just be at the same level as the rest of the party, but reading this thread has got me thinking that it could be quite interesting to go back to square one for any new additions.

How would you play it in groups that don't use XP?

 

[SirAntoine]

My first instinct was that whatever happens, the new character should just be at the same level as the rest of the party, but reading this thread has got me thinking that it could be quite interesting to go back to square one for any new additions.

How would you play it in groups that don't use XP?

I wouldn't recommend that, but I don't think it wouldn't work. Make no changes.

 

[MasterTrancer]

I don't see starting again at lower level as a penalty.

I want to actually play out the character's experiences. It's hard enough for me to identify with high level characters.

If my character started at high level I wouldn't care about them at all.

This reflects my opinion too, although from a DM perspective: I think it's easier to identify in a character when you play it through the low levels. Moreover you get to learn the strengths and weaknesses of the class, adjusting them while growing, instead of coming into play against a strong enemy and...voila, the build you've selected is not so effective, please reroll yet another PC. (And I'm not necessarily talking about the combat capabilities).

Sure, when you play an AP-like campaign things are pretty much set, and if you come into play at a much lower level than expected the experience (no pun) is ruined for everyone. That goes without saying. But it's that specific instance. Sandbox-like campaigns should (and could) have much more freedom of movement...that's why they're sandbox!

 

[Iosue]

My first instinct was that whatever happens, the new character should just be at the same level as the rest of the party, but reading this thread has got me thinking that it could be quite interesting to go back to square one for any new additions.

How would you play it in groups that don't use XP?

If the group is leveling up at the DM's discretion, I'd just have the new character level up at a fast rate than the rest of the party, slowing down as they approached the group.

Another way of doing it is have the character level up after a number of sessions equal to their current level. So level up after one session at level 1, after two sessions at level 2, after three sessions at level 3, and so on.

 

[SirAntoine]

I don't think they need to advance faster. They will be earning a far smaller share of the experience, barely anything at all if they're really far behind and having to start over should mean it takes as long as it did the first time to get up there.

 

[Sunseeker]

My first instinct was that whatever happens, the new character should just be at the same level as the rest of the party, but reading this thread has got me thinking that it could be quite interesting to go back to square one for any new additions.

How would you play it in groups that don't use XP?

You would either have to give them additional levels to get the caught up when everyone else levels, or you'd have to send them on side-quests.

 

[miniaturehoarder]

How would you play it in groups that don't use XP?

Just accelerate that player's level gains.