the lower planes

[rokar4life]

can you gain levels while in them? if so then X's comment was completely wrong in 652 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0652.html)

[Daefos]

That would imply that, eventually, even a level 1 Commoner would level up to the point where they could just fight their way out.

So, logically, no.

[rokar4life]

how do you fight out?

[Occasional Sage]

Sure you can. You just can't level when you're DEAD.

[Optimystik]

You can... once you've become assimilated into the plane and turn into a fiend. You don't exactly gain XP while you're powerless and being tortured, after all.

I don't know how long it would take to assimilate three epic casters, but they certainly aren't down there getting roleplay exp.

[rokar4life]

well, if you could escape the torture, or just be an epic barbarian and hit him the torturer with a rock, would you start getting xp?

[Borris]

If you happen to be physically visiting the lower planes, you can certainly earn experience and gain levels (and the infinite number of monsters theorically makes it quite a good spot to do so, until you end up attracting the attention of too powerful a fiend).

But if you're dead and your departed soul gets sent to the lower planes, there's no more leveling up for you, in the same way that Roy can't gain levels or aquire new feats as long as he's in the afterlife, no matter how many evil adventuring parties he defeats or how much time he spends in the "dungeon of encounters that are just hard enough to be challenging".

[EyethatBinds]

Kratos managed to make it out of Hades with more power than he went in, twice.

[Eldan]

It seems that the Giant does not actually handle his world's afterlife the same way as in standard DnD: theoretically, petitioners (the dead) would lose all their memories and class levels. Clearly, this was not the case here, so we can't really tell what else has changed.

[Undead Prince]

It seems that the Giant does not actually handle his world's afterlife the same way as in standard DnD: theoretically, petitioners (the dead) would lose all their memories and class levels. Clearly, this was not the case here, so we can't really tell what else has changed.

Simply put, that is not the case. Petitioners in the Nine Hells get new, weak bodies (so likely lose high physical ability scores), but only lose personalities if they get turned into lemures. They must be physically caught by devils and either tortured or thrown into the Maggot Pit. Until then, they're in possession of their ego and knowledge (basically, they are souls with new flesh), and therefore, should retain spellcasting prowess. They all get a mandatory new feat, which precludes them from leaving the Nine Hells, but otherwise, nothing indicates they can't kick the devils' butts and wreak arcane/divine havoc.

For further details, I refer you to Fiendish Codex II.

[SadisticFishing]

I'd assume that they lose their class levels as well, or a simple Fighter 10 could take on several of the different torturer type monsters down there.

[Raenir Salazar]

with no weapon?

But i think the idea is is that people evil enough and powerful enough can usualy jump straight to pit fiend.

Otherwise think of most of the dumb evil villains out there, there like aristocrats with UMD even if they could try they'ld be unable to, PCs generally have gods who would keep you from evr getting trapped there.

[Tempest Fennac]

Based on the Greenhilts apparently keeping all of their character levels after they dies, I assumed that it would be the same for the Lower Planes as well.