Levels of PCs

[Ed Stark]

I have an important question for all of you, and I'd REALLY appreciate as
many accurate responses as I can get. What level PCs are participating in
your current or recently-past campaigns? If you have multiple campaigns, or
if you are playing in one and running one, please include as much detailed
information as possible. There's no need to clog up the mailing list on
this one (if you don't want to); you can simply e-mail your answers to me
(if you would be so kind).

Please make the subject line "BR PC Levels" or something similar, and
include the level information in the body of the text. You can provide more
interesting details if you wish (like whether or not your characters have
few, or lots, of magical items, or what percentage of the PCs are regents),
but that's secondary.

Thanks very much.

-- ->-- ->-- ->--@
Ed Stark
Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division
Asst. Brand Manager, BIRTHRIGHT/GREYHAWK/MARVEL Group
TSR Website: http://www.tsrinc.com
(soon to be http://www.tsr.com)

[nick yates]

At 09:52 AM 1/8/98 -0800, you wrote:
>I have an important question for all of you, and I'd REALLY appreciate as
>many accurate responses as I can get. What level PCs are participating in
>your current or recently-past campaigns? If you have multiple campaigns, or
>if you are playing in one and running one, please include as much detailed
>information as possible. There's no need to clog up the mailing list on
>this one (if you don't want to); you can simply e-mail your answers to me
>(if you would be so kind).
>
>Please make the subject line "BR PC Levels" or something similar, and
>include the level information in the body of the text. You can provide more
>interesting details if you wish (like whether or not your characters have
>few, or lots, of magical items, or what percentage of the PCs are regents),
>but that's secondary.
>
>Thanks very much.
>
> -- ->-- ->-- ->--@
>Ed Stark

In our current campaign, we only have one regent character 2/3
Mage/Fighter regent of Roesone, a 3/3 priest of Haelyn and my character a
boring 4th level vanilla fighter. We all started at second level and
thanks to a bit of GM laziness we haven't played for a little while. I
think we all got one randomly generated magic item, but they weren't too
unbalancing, like a scroll of Neutralise poison, nice for when you live
right next door to Tal-Qazar!

Nick
Nick Yates,
nyates@std.iae.univ-poitiers.fr

[Simon Graindorge]

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>I have an important question for all of you, and I'd REALLY appreciate =
as
>many accurate responses as I can get. What level PCs are participating =
in
>your current or recently-past campaigns? If you have multiple =
campaigns,
or
>if you are playing in one and running one, please include as much =
detailed
>information as possible.



I know you asked for this not to be sent to the mailing list, but I =
would
be interested to hear other people's opinions and thoughts on this =
subject.
In particular, I would like to hear the opinions of other DM's =
(especially
those who have run several BR campaigns) on the effect that PC (regent)
levels has on the campaign.

My campaign has only two PC's, both of whom are regents. They are (very)
high level, mainly because we don't get a chance to play that often, and
building a character up a long way and developing their 'life' is very
satisfying for players. There is (was) also a second reason - creating
adventures for two characters is difficult, which is partly how and why =
the
characters developed as they have. The characters came from another
campaign. details are as follows:

1. human dual-classed ranger/mage (level 9/10); regent of Ilien

2. human dual-classed thief/cleric (level 10/11) - interesting story
behind this one!!!; regent of Medoere

The characters work well, especially in BR. The main reason for this is
that the players are very familiar with their characters and their
ideals/morals. The choice of domains is partly to dampen their power.
Naturally though, being such high level (for BR anyway), I have had to =
make
some changes to the other regents. Generally I bump their levels up
significantly, so that the relative strengths of the regents (compared =
to
each other) remains the same as in the Ruins of Empire booklet. The
characters don't have many magic items, which reduces their potency a
little.

The only two really negative aspects, which have become slowly apparent,
with characters of this level. Firstly, being of such high level, they
don't have that 'fear' that a first level character might have when
confronted by one of the more powerful regents of Aniure. It's difficult =
to
threaten the regents because they are so powerful in themselves. The =
second
factor is that the number of spells each character has at his disposal =
are
very great. This tends to create situations where things are done with
magic that a low level character might have to think very seriously =
about.
A good example is things such as monster (or bandit) incursions -
characters of this level can go in and almost single-handedly beat them =
all
up.

Looking back now, I can say that characters of this level are not really
suited to the BR campaign. In fact, having low level characters being
bullied about by other more powerful, higher level regents simply =
doesn't
happen. The magic factor is especially difficult to overcome. My advice =
to
other DM's considering such high level PC regents (I think as travelling
heroes such level PC's would work fine) would be that it will work IF =
the
characters are of classes which are not very magical (ie, warrior, =
thief).

Anyway, just my thoughts on the issue. Hopefully it evokes some =
interesting
responses.

Cheers,

Simon Graindorge
slg@nw.com.au

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>I have an important question for all of you, and I'd REALLY =
appreciate=20
as>many accurate responses as I can get. What level PCs are =
participating=20
in>your current or recently-past campaigns? If you have multiple=20
campaigns,or>if you are playing in one and running one, =
please=20
include as much detailed>information as=20
possible.<snip>I know you asked for this not to be =
sent to=20
the mailing list, but I wouldbe interested to hear other people's =
opinions=20
and thoughts on this subject.In particular, I would like to hear the =

opinions of other DM's (especiallythose who have run several BR =
campaigns)=20
on the effect that PC (regent)levels has on the campaign.My =
campaign=20
has only two PC's, both of whom are regents. They are (very)high =
level,=20
mainly because we don't get a chance to play that often, andbuilding =
a=20
character up a long way and developing their 'life' is =
verysatisfying for=20
players. There is (was) also a second reason - creatingadventures =
for two=20
characters is difficult, which is partly how and why thecharacters =
developed=20
as they have. The characters came from anothercampaign. details are =
as=20
follows:1.  human dual-classed ranger/mage (level 9/10); =
regent of=20
Ilien2.  human dual-classed thief/cleric (level 10/11) -=20
interesting storybehind this one!!!; regent of MedoereThe =
characters=20
work well, especially in BR. The main reason for this isthat the =
players are=20
very familiar with their characters and theirideals/morals. The =
choice of=20
domains is partly to dampen their power.Naturally though, being such =
high=20
level (for BR anyway), I have had to makesome changes to the other =
regents.=20
Generally I bump their levels upsignificantly, so that the relative=20
strengths of the regents (compared toeach other) remains the same as =
in the=20
Ruins of Empire booklet. Thecharacters don't have many magic items, =
which=20
reduces their potency alittle.The only two really negative =
aspects,=20
which have become slowly apparent,with characters of this level. =
Firstly,=20
being of such high level, theydon't have that 'fear' that a first =
level=20
character might have whenconfronted by one of the more powerful =
regents of=20
Aniure. It's difficult tothreaten the regents because they are so =
powerful=20
in themselves. The secondfactor is that the number of spells each =
character=20
has at his disposal arevery great. This tends to create situations =
where=20
things are done withmagic that a low level character might have to =
think=20
very seriously about.A good example is things such as monster (or =
bandit)=20
incursions -characters of this level can go in and almost =
single-handedly=20
beat them allup.Looking back now, I can say that characters =
of this=20
level are not reallysuited to the BR campaign. In fact, having low =
level=20
characters beingbullied about by other more powerful, higher level =
regents=20
simply doesn'thappen. The magic factor is especially difficult to =
overcome.=20
My advice toother DM's considering such high level PC regents (I =
think as=20
travellingheroes such level PC's would work fine) would be that it =
will work=20
IF thecharacters are of classes which are not very magical (ie, =
warrior,=20
thief).Anyway, just my thoughts on the issue. Hopefully it =
evokes some=20
interestingresponses.Cheers,    &=
nbsp;  =20
Simon =
Graindorge          slg@nw.com.au

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[Blastin]

In a message dated 98-01-12 22:28:26 EST, you write:
>I have an important question for all of you, and I'd REALLY appreciate as
>many accurate responses as I can get. What level PCs are participating in
>your current or recently-past campaigns? If you have multiple campaigns,
or
>if you are playing in one and running one, please include as much detailed
>information as possible.



Well, I've run one campaign and am currently running another, so I'll throw
in my two cents worth.
Both campaigns have involved the characters starting out as 1st level non-
regents who are slowly brought into the realm game. In my first campaign the
characters didn't even become regents until they were about 4th level. This
seems to be how my current campaign is heading as well. In the first campaign
I had a Paladine Law regent, a thief regent, Priest and Mage, all in Medeore.
They were about 7th through 9th level when the campaign ended.
To tell the truth, I never had a problem with the character's level. I found
that when you are factoring in such things as political threats and war, even
high level characters could be frightened. I actually had MUCH more problems
dealing with the high bloodlines that I mistakenly allowed the characters to
have. Level just doesn't mean as much as Bloodline strength when it comes to
realm actions.
I guess my overall opinion would be that mid-level characters make the best,
and most fun, regents.
Hope that helps,
Blastin

[prtr02@scorpion.nspco.co]

Blastin is here! aawwlllright!

I'd agree with mid-level seems to be the best. Tough enough to fight, not
tough enough to be fearless/indestructable.

Level doesn't seem to matter that much for regents of larger countries,
bloodline strength is more important.

Magic strength and availability seem to be the key to a BR campaign. I'm
toying with the idea of making realm magic harder and perhaps eliminating
higher level spells. For an excellent discussion of this subject see
Player's Option: Spells and magic. Magic is rare on Cerilia, but its power is
great. I don't know if I like the feel this has given the campaigns I've DM'd
and played in. How do I describe it??

little bit o' magic.
little bit o' magic.
hey! a +2 sword.
little bit o' magic.
not many wizards around here...
lot of priests though.
and some of them are pretty tough.
little bit o' magic.
WHAM! BLAST! KERBLOOWY! BIG MAGIC!

I don't know. Does anyone else like or dislike this "feeling"? It revolves
around the power of wizardly magic vs its rarity.

Randax

[Blastin]

>>I don't know. Does anyone else like or dislike this "feeling"? It revolves
around the power of wizardly magic vs its rarity.

Randax
Heh...Good ta be back Randax ;)
Blastin

[Ed Stark]

If my previous message didn't get through, thanks to everyone who responded
regarding the levels and abilities of their PCs. I've input the information
and it's really been very helpful to think about.


-- ->-- ->-- ->--@
Ed Stark
Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division
Asst. Brand Manager, BIRTHRIGHT/GREYHAWK/MARVEL Group
TSR Website: http://www.tsrinc.com
(soon to be http://www.tsr.com)

[Darkstar]

jonathan.w.ingram@exgate.tek.com wrote:
>
> One good way to do this is to put a limit on the number of mages on the
> continent and stick to it! If your PC mage dies off, you're not going to
> get another one. Henchman/lieutenant mages should be even more rare.

This is what I have done in my pbem campaign. I basically set out that
there are around 150 blooded mages in all of Cerilia, not counting
Elves. So if someone is looking for a mage lieutenant and all the
current mages already have employers then they will not get one. It also
means that mages are an important resource and regents must pay for
their alliegence.



- --
Ian Hoskins

e-Mail: hoss@box.net.au
ICQ: 2938300
Home Page: http://www.box.net.au/~hoss/birth.html

From the Darkness we came,
and to the Darkness we will return.