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Well, I killed off my old campaign tonight, and they created Characters for AoW. I can't remember the names of the Characters offhand. I allowed them the choice of rolling or 28 point buy. Mike rolled, and came out as a 44 point character, Monica rolled and came out as a 38, Dave rolled and got 34, JB rolled and came out with a 4 and a 5 and overwhelmingly sucked...so to keep him happy, I let him take 32.
Our cast includes a Halfling Bard (Dave), A cleric of Heironus, who will also take Paladin Levels (Monica), An Elven Hexblade (Mike) and a Elven Wizard (John).
They dispatched the Wolves quickly, and made it to the 1st main chamber with no problem. They examined the srcophgus, and Dave rolled a natural 20 on his Bardic Knowledge check, so I updated him on the Wind Dukes and all that color. They made it to the Architects level, had no problems except the Brown Mold. They actually came up with a halfway decent plan on getting by it. They threw the Halfling over it with a rope attached. He made it with 1hp left. He relaxed once he was in no immediate danger, then explored. He unfortunately did not mess with the "egg". We left off there. I think he is going to run through the Mold to get out. Even if he falls, he has the rope tied so they can pull him out.
What do you think of the makeup of the party? I personally like it.
What do you think of the makeup of the party? I personally like it.
I think with PC stats like those, you're going to need to beef up the encounters significantly. In all likelihood, the NPCs are going to be built on the elite array, which is a 25 point buy (8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15).
I suggest adding 2 (or even 4) to the strength and constitution of every single opponent (both NPCs and monsters) they face in combat.
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Guys,
When do y'all plan on awarding experience? I usually wait until a break in the adventure. I know some adventures, like Maure Castle say specifically to award so characters can advance immediately. I am leaning on awarding each time they decide to leave the cairn, or perhaps each time that they rest. We usually rule that one must take a few days of contemplative study and practice to advance a level. I may have to suspend this practice, I am thinking. Any Ideas?
We played our first session yesterday. The players finished up the main level (false tomb) and the architects level. I'm going to calculate the experience today.
Creative Director
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My preferred method of XP is to give it out at the end of each session. Sometimes in the middle of a session if that's when an adventure ends. It's more fun, I think, to have a constant feeling of progress after every session, than to go several without anything changing.
I've never been a fan of in-game enforced training. The old Bard's Tale games, while fun, sucked in this regard. Having to walk half-way across the world to level up isn't fun.
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...I've never been a fan of in-game enforced training. The old Bard's Tale games, while fun, sucked in this regard. Having to walk half-way across the world to level up isn't fun.
Now that is true! I once had a DM who loved to do exactly that with us poor players ;)
However, for a couple of months now, my players are absolutely fine with me telling them "you reached a new level". Normally, this happens at the end of a session, so the players and I have time in between the session to manage the level up. Normally via eMail. I asked them, if it's ok, we do it this way, and they are happy with it. It's easier for me as well. Sometimes they ask me how long to the next level - then I give them a percentage to let them know!
I think a DM should ask his players as well, how they would like to handle this issue!
Looks like my players made 1020 xp each their first session. Perfect, they get to learn about leveling their characters at the beginning of the next session, which should get them hyped up to use their newly beefed up 2nd level characters :P
My preferred method of XP is to give it out at the end of each session. Sometimes in the middle of a session if that's when an adventure ends...
I tend to give XP out and permit leveling up at the end of each session too. In addition to being fun for the players, it's also often necessary to ensure their survival as they face greater challenges to come.
That being said, unless you're not concerned with suspension of disbelief (this IS a fantasy game), there are some parts of leveling up that I'll restrict in the middle of a dungeoun/wilderness encounter. Namely, the adding of new known spells for a wizard (I understand that this comes from ongoing study) and the adding of skill points to skills that are not already known and/or used in the last encounter for other characters. Generally, I'd like to see players add to what they know, or justify the adding of new skills from what they've experienced. Unless you've had to scramble up a tree to escape a ravenous pack of wolves, I doubt that you'd spontaneously learn to climb better. Feats, on the other hand, are a different matter. If you qualify, you can have it.
As for the wizard, unless there was access to new scrolls/spellbooks of an appropriate level found during the adventure, I'd wait until the return to civilization until new spells could be added to the spellbook. I've held my party's NPC wizard to this standard (much to the players' consternation). Until then, memorize more of the spells you already know.
Most importantly, if this doesn't work for your group, do what works for your group, and have fun.
LG
That being said, unless you're not concerned with suspension of disbelief (this IS a fantasy game), there are some parts of leveling up that I'll restrict in the middle of a dungeoun/wilderness encounter. Namely, the adding of new known spells for a wizard (I understand that this comes from ongoing study) and the adding of skill points to skills that are not already known and/or used in the last encounter for other characters. Generally, I'd like to see players add to what they know, or justify the adding of new skills from what they've experienced. Unless you've had to scramble up a tree to escape a ravenous pack of wolves, I doubt that you'd spontaneously learn to climb better. Feats, on the other hand, are a different matter. If you qualify, you can have it.
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Most importantly, if this doesn't work for your group, do what works for your group, and have fun.
Obviously, your last sentence applies to everyone, but I think you may be shortchanging your players on this front. D&D 3.x simplifies level-up choices by making the assumption that all level-up choices are justified with background training. We don't (and I assume you don't, either) play every waking moment of each character's life each day, so the empty times can be assumed to be the characters training. The wizard and the new spells can be easily explained by stating that he nearly had the formula for those spells, and was practicing and experimenting with them until he got them just right (i.e. he leveled up).
If you'd like a rules cite for this, see PH3.5 58 (since experience rules aren't in the SRD), the paragraph titled "Training and Practice" under the heading "Experience and Levels". The last sentence refers to docking XP if the PC can't train or practice. If you want to reflect the difficulty of learning skills that are inappropriate, the cross-class skill penalty looks reasonable to me.
I think that restricting a character's level-up choices (especially if you're leaving feats open for business) seems a little arbitrary, and might generate some resentment on the part of the wizard and rogue (or anyone who wants to try a new class).
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Chief Creative Officer, Publisher
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I tend to be really lazy about XP and give it to the players only after they badger me about it.
Actually, I tend to give it out whenever "down time" creeps up. I like the "we take time to reflect on what we've learned" method of XP distribution.
Did I mention I was lazy about XP distribution?
--Erik
...If you want to reflect the difficulty of learning skills that are inappropriate, the cross-class skill penalty looks reasonable to me.
This part is well taken. Although I did say I generally like to see players add to what they know or to justify adding new skills from what they've experienced, I guess if the human FTR with an 8 INT just has to spend those 2 skill points to buy a rank of decipher script...
I was talking about leveling up in the middle of an unfinished encouter as opposed to being able to recouperate in a safer, more civilized locale. This type of leveling up occurs between "spiking the doors shut in that last room we cleared so we can rest" and waking up the next morning. Does this difference matter in the long run? Dunno.
I wouldn't want to shortchange my players, though. To help prevent this, I consult with a pair of the more experienced players in our 6-8 person group each gaming session or two to see what worked, and and if anything needed work. The DM in the last game I played claimed the mantle of diety. I do not, and am open to suggestion.
So far, I'm the only wizard (NPC) and "he's" not complaining...
LG