PDA

View Full Version : [3.5/PF] What level do you like starting at?



Dsurion
2011-01-27, 11:55 AM
A lot of campaigns assume characters starting at level one, but some people prefer starting at a later level for higher power shenanigans. Where do you like to start your characters in a new campaign?

Personally, I usually only play E6, so while I like level one, I find characters a wee bit too squishy, so I tend to go with level two or maybe three if I can.

TDB Lady
2011-01-27, 12:08 PM
Our campaigns usually start around 3rd (AD&D, 3.5) just to give the players a little more oomph.

When new characters are brought in, they are usually just a little lower than the current party. So when my druid had to retire due to being pregnant, my bard was brought in at 5th, the rest of the party was 6th.

Our characters are all now 10th, the originals having started at 3rd, and worked their way up. We are getting ready for an invasion by a neighboring country, so if we survive, we ought to gain a bit of XP!

TDB Lady

Elfin
2011-01-27, 12:37 PM
I thought the obvious answer would have been to awaken her animal companion?

Anyway, for me it really depends on the mood I'm in. 1st is always nostalgic, 3rd or 4th is a good gateway point for a story...6th for characters who are already established heroes, higher for really great ones (or until recently retired ones).

Erom
2011-01-27, 12:40 PM
3rd level, or about the same as a typical town guard or trained soldier. I feel like its a nice starting point where characters have enough options open to feel unique, but are still weak enough to have to engage with the rest of the word rather than existing as self-sufficient murder-hobos.

Captain Kidd
2011-01-27, 12:44 PM
Ditto on the 3rd. Less misses in combat and the spellcasters have access to the "cooler" level two spells. Especially back in my 2e days so that the spellcaster didn't feel like a one shot wonder.

Pink
2011-01-27, 12:52 PM
3.5: Level 3.

PF: Level 1.

Scarlet-Devil
2011-01-27, 12:52 PM
First level is probably my favourite, but I don't mind starting at higher levels. I'd say my most comfortable range though is between 1st and 7th level; I particularly like starting at a higher level than first when I expect to be playing a character with a level adjustment.

subject42
2011-01-27, 01:08 PM
In 3.5 I normally started campaigns out at around fifth level.

In pathfinder the survivability of low level characters has increased, so I tend to start full campaigns at level 1.

dsmiles
2011-01-27, 01:09 PM
First level is probably my favourite, but I don't mind starting at higher levels. I'd say my most comfortable range though is between 1st and 7th level; I particularly like starting at a higher level than first when I expect to be playing a character with a level adjustment.

Ditto. I enjoy the low levels the most.

Psyren
2011-01-27, 01:10 PM
3rd here as well, because getting owned by a joybuzzer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shockinggrasp.htm) is extremely irritating.

Kurald Galain
2011-01-27, 01:11 PM
Where do you like to start your characters in a new campaign?

3rd or 4th. It gives you some more options.

WarKitty
2011-01-27, 01:52 PM
Depends on the game I want to run. I actually enjoy starting at 10th or so, simply because with people going in and out we don't have time to run 1-20 games. And I absolutely hate having to retire all my characters at level 11 because my DM graduated and the new DM wants to restart at level 1.

That said, if I had time to run a 1-20 game I'd start at level 3.

Thorcrest
2011-01-27, 02:07 PM
I like starting at Level 1, I've rarely found the characters too squishy... there was the one time against an owlbear that nearly resulted in TPK, but I digress... as long as the characters work well you survive, and I like the low hit points, it actually makes some players look at options other than combat out of fear of dying!

Scarlet-Devil
2011-01-27, 02:13 PM
I like starting at Level 1, I've rarely found the characters too squishy... there was the one time against an owlbear that nearly resulted in TPK, but I digress... as long as the characters work well you survive, and I like the low hit points, it actually makes some players look at options other than combat out of fear of dying!

Indeed, if encounters are relatively balanced, first level characters can be quite durable. The scariest encounter I ever had as a first level was a battle with a party of four 3rd level adventurers (to this day, I have no idea what went through our DMs head); somehow we won, largely do to our druid using entangle (the battle was fought in the wilderness). Basically I, the monk, took on the enemy fighter with skirmish tactics; the entangle is what saved me, because I was far more agile than she was, and resorted to pummeling her with shurikens whenever she got stuck, while the rest of the party struggled with their rogue and spellcasters.

Cyrion
2011-01-27, 02:19 PM
I prefer to start at level 1, as both a DM and a player. I like the fact that you have to be creative in order to survive, in my experience the first few levels are where the quirkier and more interesting character relationships develop, and I suffer from the nostalgia value of first level.

Ozreth
2011-01-27, 02:25 PM
Level 1 for sure. I'm not the type who is into how much power my character has or what their sheet says they can or cant do.

I like a group of weaklings leaving their hometown and hitting the open road for the first time. Running from things and using your brain : )

As I'm much more into the story aspect of things I enjoy seeing the rapid growth of characters and this is best achieved when starting at level 1.

Dusk Eclipse
2011-01-27, 02:26 PM
Apparently I am weird... I loathe starting at lower levels; level 6 or 7 are my favourite, you aren't still earth-shatteringly powerful, but you still have some powers, and also you have a lot more leeway when customizing characters, you have more feats, more class features, spells, etc. You can start your first prestige class, etc.

WarKitty
2011-01-27, 02:34 PM
Apparently I am weird... I loathe starting at lower levels; level 6 or 7 are my favourite, you aren't still earth-shatteringly powerful, but you still have some powers, and also you have a lot more leeway when customizing characters, you have more feats, more class features, spells, etc. You can start your first prestige class, etc.

I've got to say I agree a lot. Plus there's a lot of really fun builds that take off right about then, but involve a lot of unfavorable multi-classing in the early levels. You can start bringing in theurges and gishes without having to suffer through a few levels of wizard3/fighter2 or whatever.

Psyren
2011-01-27, 02:40 PM
I have no problems starting higher, but you also get that nice feeling of remembering how dangerous the world was at 3 (when being captured by goblin bandits could be a life-threatening sitch) and get to look fondly back on that as you battle a chimera or something.

Dusk Eclipse
2011-01-27, 02:43 PM
I've got to say I agree a lot. Plus there's a lot of really fun builds that take off right about then, but involve a lot of unfavorable multi-classing in the early levels. You can start bringing in theurges and gishes without having to suffer through a few levels of wizard3/fighter2 or whatever.

Oh yeah most gish builds SUCK before level 6 or so... the only exception that I recall is the SoTAO Mystic Ranger, but that is basically the lighting warrior.

Lapak
2011-01-27, 02:45 PM
I don't think I've ever played in or run a game that didn't start at level one.

valadil
2011-01-27, 02:50 PM
Never played PF, so this is for 3.5. I like 3 or 4. By this point characters are mechanically distinct, but mundane shenanigans are still viable.

big teej
2011-01-27, 02:51 PM
my group has 2 dnd campaigns going (3.x)

Mine was the original, nobody knew how to play, we started at level 1


we made it to level three when the 2nd one started (we rotate)

the 2nd campaign started at level 3


whenever teaching I INSIST upon starting at level 1

the highest level I'd ever 'roll up' at is 4

I personally prefer to start at level 1

my group hasn't really developed a preference yet I think.

Ernir
2011-01-27, 02:55 PM
I used to think 5 was the sweet spot, but I've changed my mind. There just isn't anything like being a level 1 nobody who can be crit-killed by a kobold with a crossbow.

The Shadowmind
2011-01-27, 03:39 PM
I prefer levels 6~10, because there is when most of my character builds start showing their concept instead just appearing as a weird mix of feats and levels.

Telasi
2011-01-27, 03:41 PM
I like starting at level 1-2 for ease of building, though I've had fun starting at level 5. I do have a preference for low-mid level games, though.

some guy
2011-01-27, 03:50 PM
Level 1, it feels natural to grow both into an adventuring group and your character when you're just starting out.

When I DM a single session I usually let the players start at level 2, so they can survive a bit more. For campaigns (only DM'ed two) I let them start at level 1.

Chuckthedwarf
2011-01-27, 03:57 PM
I honestly like to start at lvl 1.

Yeah, squishy, I know, I know. It just feels right to me -_-

All of the campaigns I've played in before have started at level 3 or higher...

WarKitty
2011-01-27, 04:39 PM
Also depends on whether I'm going to be allowed retraining. I'm a lot more amenable to lower-level starts if I can retrain later.

randomhero00
2011-01-27, 04:39 PM
Level 4, sometimes 5. That's what we consider peak human. And we don't want to play average joes. Plus there's just less options at 1.

AslanCross
2011-01-27, 06:12 PM
I often start at Lv 5.

Jarian
2011-01-27, 06:14 PM
For "normal" games, I like starting at level 7. Plenty of spell choices, a good chunk of feats, the ability to take a level or two of your PrC of choice... lots of options all around.

For higher power games, I'm a sucker for level 12 gestalt.

nedz
2011-01-27, 06:41 PM
3rd here as well, because getting owned by a joybuzzer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shockinggrasp.htm) is extremely irritating.
1st level - same reason. :smallbiggrin:

The challanges are much more mundane and are less likely to be handwaved away by some spellcaster.

onthetown
2011-01-27, 07:22 PM
It depends on the campaign, but I like 3rd level. You're starting to become experienced and you can start a campaign right in the heat of things, plus you just got another feat so you aren't totally deprived and waiting for it to come up.

Akal Saris
2011-01-27, 07:26 PM
As a DM, I like starting my PCs at level 1.

As a PC, I've played so many 1-4 games that 5 is really the minimum that I really enjoy, with 10 being the level that I would really like to start at, since many build combos don't really pull off their unique tricks until the 8-12 range.

Powerfamiliar
2011-01-27, 07:32 PM
Lvl 1 pretty much always. I like being able to look back at how my character has grown and developed , instead of having his first levels be background fluff.

WarKitty
2011-01-27, 09:23 PM
Lvl 1 pretty much always. I like being able to look back at how my character has grown and developed , instead of having his first levels be background fluff.

This is exactly why I don't like starting at level 1. I feel like if I start at lower levels I can't let my character develop naturally, because I have to have a plan for the next few levels. Otherwise I will see this PrC or feat or what have you that perfectly fits the character and does what I want much better than the base class, but I can't get in for another 6 levels because I didn't take the prereqs starting at level 1.