What level to start the PCs on

[haplot]

Ive come up with a scenario where the party starts off in a town. The mayor's 'pet cat' has been nabbed by a spell weaver (CR 10 MM2 page 187) who wants to trade the pet for a specific magic item held up in the local temple thats really protected.

Two things to note: the 'pet cat' is actually a grimalkin (CR2 MM2 page 122)

And the magic item the spell weaver wants is actually a housing for an angelic soul trapped into a healing item.

What level do you guys suggest we start the campaign on? And i suppose secondly is how to get the item pinched so that it ends up in another group's hands so the players have to get that back and free the angelic soul?

Many thanks in advance for your kind inputs

[Zombimode]

Entirely depends on the challanges the PCs are supposed to overcome.

For instance, is the Spell Weaver supposed to be fought? Then the Party should be at least level 6 or 7 on average.

[haplot]

Well, the basic scenario is all Ive come up with at the moment. As I was thinking of when to have the spell weaver put in an appearence, my lovely other half decided that 3.30ish AM was a good time to be going to sleep rather than work on a RP scenario.

Suggestions as to what difficulties to overcome in mean time would be a good thing as well of course.

Thank you for your quick reply

[John Longarrow]

I'd start from the end and work backwards on what you want the party to face. I'd also take into account the party may decide that getting a pet cat back isn't worth stealing from a temple, so be prepared for that... :D

Once you've worked out how the party will get to the end you can figure out what level they should start at. It does sound like you have a specific plot you want to run. Check with your players to see if this is something they are interested in before hand. Also make sure they build a party that can deal with what you want to run.

Alternately just start out at 3rd and let things go the way they go. Expect the party to get bored with trying to get a pet back and head out of town looking for a "real adventure"... :D

[haplot]

There is that of course.

Thank you for your words of wisdom, may your innate high ability scores always do you justice.