OldeJim |
Greetings,
I run Societies twice a month at my local game store and most of my group consists of regulars at this point, and they are getting to level 3 and will soon be getting to the next subtier.
I mostly run the game for the store, who appreciates the regulars but also wants to make sure that new players are able to participate and I sincerely want this too. I know that they can use pre-gen characters and apply the chronicle sheet to their character once they reach that level, but since I run for a mostly consistent group that player doesn't have a chance to get to that level. I know they can play elsewhere, but that is not really a solution.
My question is how can I deal with this once my regulars reach a high enough tier? I don't want to make them start back at level 1 adventures as soon as they got to the higher tiers, but I don't want to turn away new players by not letting them have any progress in character.
As as a sort of corollary to this, I also have a player who uses his character at another location and has outleveled the rest of the party (he's 5 and others are 2 to 3). I know this isn't dramatic, but it has the potential to outlevel even further if he comes to both mine and the other location, and last time he basically trivialized some of the combat with higher level spells. This isn't his fault, and I don't want to tell him to not play his character and start with a new one at level 1 so that he's behind.
Any advice would be appreciated, I went though the GM section of the Guide a good bit and didn't find satisfying answers. I am sure I am not unique in this situation.
Sior |
1) Find a GM to run a second table. This allows the established group to continue to play together while letting a whole mess of newbies in! You can do a high level scenario and a low level scenario each night. This is possibly the best solution as everyone still gets to play at their level.
2) Have the higher level character start a new character to either play there or at the other place. He is going to have to start a new character anyway if he levels out of tier for you. You don't have to run a 3-7 just to accommodate that player. Have this person show the newbies the ropes in the low level table! =)
3) Kill some characters so they're FORCED to start new level 1's. This is the more diabolical solution but it may happen by chance if the dice are feeling evil.
BigNorseWolf |
Two tables. Somehow, someway, get two tables going.<--- most optimal solution
If for some reason this is not a possibility, have the other players use lower level characters: Run a couple of modules quickly. 4-5 hours in one day can get you a level as opposed to 12 hours over 3 weeks with scenarios. He doesn't need to catch the other players, just get within tier.
See if you can get the high level folks to go slow. This is much harder for players that don't have someone sitting at retirement.
He can also try online games/multiple venues to catch up.
Robert Smythe |
Some good advice here. I'll also add/expand on some, it is usually a helpful bit of advice to have players start new characters when their character hits the level of the pregens. So when their characters hit level 4, suggest they start new ones before going any higher. By doing this, eventually they'll have characters for every tier and will be able to play high or low depending on who shows up/what tier is being run.
Players can also play higher level pregens and apply the credit to first level characters as well. The rules for it are in the Guide. They basically get access to the items of the sub-tier they played, but their gold gets set to 500. This would allow them to 1) try out different pregens to get a feel for them if they are new to the game 2) play with the "big boys" 3) still be leveling a first level character.
OldeJim |
Some good advice here. I'll also add/expand on some, it is usually a helpful bit of advice to have players start new characters when their character hits the level of the pregens. So when their characters hit level 4, suggest they start new ones before going any higher. By doing this, eventually they'll have characters for every tier and will be able to play high or low depending on who shows up/what tier is being run.
Players can also play higher level pregens and apply the credit to first level characters as well. The rules for it are in the Guide. They basically get access to the items of the sub-tier they played, but their gold gets set to 500. This would allow them to 1) try out different pregens to get a feel for them if they are new to the game 2) play with the "big boys" 3) still be leveling a first level character.
Wait, so let's say they have a level 1 character that has never been played in a game, and they play a level 4 pregen for 3 sessions. They net the 3 exp and the items on the chronicle sheets (with reduced gold). They can put that 3 exp onto their level 1 character to get it level 2? I was under the impression that the character he made would have to hit level 4 before he could apply the credit?
Brian Lefebvre RPG Superstar 2014 Top 32 |
Wait, so let's say they have a level 1 character that has never been played in a game, and they play a level 4 pregen for 3 sessions. They net the 3 exp and the items on the chronicle sheets (with reduced gold). They can put that 3 exp onto their level 1 character to get it level 2? I was under the impression that the character he made would have to hit level 4 before he could apply the credit?
Pregen credit has two ways of being applied. First is to get full rewards for the game, and hold the chronicle sheet until the character hits the level of the pregen.
The second way is to reduce the GP reward to 500gp for a 1xp scenario/module or 1398gp for a 3xp module/AP, and then apply it to a level 1 character.
Paz |
Wait, so let's say they have a level 1 character that has never been played in a game, and they play a level 4 pregen for 3 sessions. They net the 3 exp and the items on the chronicle sheets (with reduced gold). They can put that 3 exp onto their level 1 character to get it level 2? I was under the impression that the character he made would have to hit level 4 before he could apply the credit?
This option is on page 6 of the Guide:
You may also opt instead to apply the Chronicle sheets earned with a non-1st-level pregenerated character to a 1st-level character with the amount of gp gained reduced to 500 gp (or 250 gp for characters using the slow advancement track). You do not lose access to any of the Prestige Points, boons, or items listed on the Chronicle sheets that were earned during the adventure.
So yes, you could take a character from 0XP to 3XP by applying three chronicles from playing 4th-level pregens in scenarios.
kinevon |
OldeJim wrote:Wait, so let's say they have a level 1 character that has never been played in a game, and they play a level 4 pregen for 3 sessions. They net the 3 exp and the items on the chronicle sheets (with reduced gold). They can put that 3 exp onto their level 1 character to get it level 2? I was under the impression that the character he made would have to hit level 4 before he could apply the credit?This option is on page 6 of the Guide:
Quote:You may also opt instead to apply the Chronicle sheets earned with a non-1st-level pregenerated character to a 1st-level character with the amount of gp gained reduced to 500 gp (or 250 gp for characters using the slow advancement track). You do not lose access to any of the Prestige Points, boons, or items listed on the Chronicle sheets that were earned during the adventure.So yes, you could take a character from 0XP to 3XP by applying three chronicles from playing 4th-level pregens in scenarios.
Actually, using two scenarios, then a module, you could get them to 5 XP, 1 XP from third level, just by playing 4th and/or 7th level pregens...