Wonderful :rolls eyes:

[BlackMoria]

If the player is that 'married' to his character concept, then he should be willing to take the bad with the good.

Some different suggestions:

1. Since his character is twice the level of the other characters, it is only fair that he take 50% of the experience until such time as there is parity in character 'balance'.

2. All party members are 7th level. The player who wants to be the apprentice can play the 3rd level apprentice character as a cohort for the 7th level mage, in addition to playing a normal character.

3. Let all players know that the average party level is artifically raised by the 7th level character and that you intend to scale threats to the average party level. Warn the players of the lower level characters to expect a bumpy ride in the campaign and that 'casualties' are a definite possibility (and to keep those D6s warm). If they complain, explain that you 'have' to provide a 'challenging' environment to accomodate a 7th level character.

4. Tell the player of the 7th level character that since his dominate character concept is one of mentor, you fully expect the character to depart the party if his apprentice dies - a reasonable request due to grief and the need to acquire another apprentice. And since it can be assumed that he has spent consider time with this apprentice prior to campaign start - if he insists on staying and looking for another apprentice, tell him it will take time (about the time necessary for the other party members to gain a level or two) and the apprentice will be 1st level. If you are using suggestion 3 above, this even further artifically raises the average party level.

 

[buzzard]

I tend to go for the traditional "kick him in the junk and take his stuff" option myself.

Er, sorry, bad Hong impersonation.

I rather like the sub-optimal class, but 7th level option. He'll still be more powerful, but could be tamed. Something like an Exp4/ Wiz 3 would work quite well for this. He could be extremely learned and wise, but not much of a caster. He won't overbalance the people in combat, but will be able to effectively play the part of mentor.

Though as to the argument that he's bringing more to the table because he's made a good background, well yes and no. He may be bringing a strong background, but that does not excuse him for dominating the game. A character tossing around 4th level spells while everyone else is 3rd level is way off the power curve. If he accepts the options which have been
presented which should be compatable with such a background, yet limit his power, he will prove that Mr. Dunphy is correct. If he objects, I suspect he's just trying to be a crybaby powergamer. I've played with those and they are insufferable.

buzzard

 

[Ylis]

IMO, this shouldn't really be an issue. When you think about it, the lower-leveled characters will catch up to him easily with just normal experience growth. This is usually the scenario we use for newbie players to teach them the system, so it's not a weird scenario to me...

Of course, if he seems to be letting power get to his head, then you throw a nice, level-sucking monster at him (or the equivalent...). If the other non-apprentice characters have a problem with him being higher level, simply raise them to 7th level. I would assume that the one playing his apprentice has already agreed to be low man on the totem pole, so he shouldn't have a problem with it...

Ultimately, though, you need to explain to the player that you just don't want an unbalanced game and that is why you don't want him to play this character. Tell him that he can help you find a way to balance it to where you are both happy, or that he will have to pick another character. This can be handled without conceding to him or having an fight over it.

 

[jester47]

Don't concede. He's being selfish, all right. I like S'mon's idea if he won't relent.

yeah do that and then throw a bunch of wraiths at him!

In all seriousness, what I would do is what S'mon said but make him an NPC until the party reaches 7th level and then hand off the character to the player.

Aaron

 

[MichaelH]

As a DM, I hate it when players come to the table with a higher level character than I asked them to make when beginning a new campaign. What, they have a hearing problem? My friend began a campaign not long ago and asked us to make first level characters. One of the players creates a drow (+2 LA) rogue/cleric, the equivalent of a 4th level character. When taken to task for this, his reason was that this was the only character that "fit his character concept." The DM told him to forget it and make a first level character. I would not let someone begin a new campaign 4 levels higher than the rest of the players, especially if I asked everyone to make 3rd level characters.

However, since you initially permitted it, perhaps you should put it to a vote. Tell everyone else the entire story, and let them vote. If all the other players don't mind, let him play the character.

 

[BSF]

Ack! There are a lot of replies and I haven't read them all yet. I would be hard pressed to allow this "concept". But, it might work out if there is a lot of give and take. Let the player know that the PC is completely unbalanced with the rest of the group and must either start off as Old, be made with NPC classes, or has no equipment for his level. Your job as the DM is to make sure everyone has fun and I am not sure everyone will have fun playing second string to a PC that is 4 levels higher. If the player can't understand that, he is being selfish.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I agree with PC.

However, if you're hard-pressed to keep this player so that you can have a place to play...

I'd let him be 7th-level. Then make the rest of the party good-aligned werewolves. The problem player still gets to be 4 levels higher than his "apprentice", but the actual power isn't so unbalanced.

Or some similar play with templates.

 

[wocky]

No way you should let him be 4 levels above everyone else, unless his character concept also includes being blind and having no arms or legs. Being Four levels ahead is TOO MUCH in D&D... plus, I don't know how long you plan your campaign to be, but the 3rd level guy will eventually catch up, as higher-level characters experience more slowly.

What strikes me as wrong is the idea that a 3rd level character's master must be 7th level. Character levels have no meaning in the in-game logic regarding leadership.

 

[Conaill]

Why does he have to be 7th level?

BREAK THE RULES.

No reason a 3rd level character can't serve another 3rd level character.

No need to even break the rules. "Master" doesn't imply that he has the Leadership feat. It's just a social relationship, in-game, between the PC's. There's no reason he couldn't start as a young noble Ari3, along side his Ftr3 bodyguard. Of course, this would heavily depend on the cooperation of the "servant" player, but you would require that cooperation to play a lvl7 master anyway.

 

[Blue_Kryptonite]

My advice? Borrow from comics.

Superman is perfectly capable of having a good adventure with the Teen Titans.

Too far? OK. The Fellowship of the Ring traveled with Gandalf.

The 7th level needs demands on his time, attention,and skills. Only the Mentor can hold off the Portentious Blotch advancing on the party in the corridor, but the party still must forge ahead into the narrow tunnel to fight the orcs. Party stands no chance against the Blotch, Master has no time to deal with both. Simple, easy, and just required good GMing.