Probably get locked, but oh well

[Stormbring3r]

I'd agree with IKP on the sweet spot. Level 5-7ish for me was always a golden time, both in PnP and alfa. Got a few hps, got a few tricks, and a few fun spells (lightning bolt!, vampiric touch!).

Also echoing IKP on the rapid rise in levels vs taking it easy...

With Jessel (the first keeper pc since my return to alfa2) I hit the statics and dms pretty hard when i came back. So many statics in BG! I was trying to play "catchup" with some of my former buddies so that I didn't feel so useless when out adventuring with them. And jessel leveled pretty fast between the static xp, the dm xp, and the rp xp i was getting just from the long hours. I think I got to lvl 4 in 5ish weeks? maybe. And to be honest, his xp increased faster than his personality did. A bit of a hollow pc to be honest. And one I began not to enjoy. So I retired him.

Then with Wolf I took it a lot easier. The only XP he gets is from RP and DM. I havent touched a static, he doesnt go looking for critters to beat up. This time I am just enjoying the ride. And this time it will be his personality maturing faster than the XP, not the other way around. I have found it a lot more satisfying. He is currently a lvl 3 punching bag (Most lvl 1s could take him down easily), but he is still RP awesome.

I have to agree with Rumple on this. I am on my 1st PC since returning. So I am not in a big hurry to level but I need to so I am not useless in battle unless I get freakish rolls (crit+Bastard Sword VS. wounded ogre=Dead Ogre). Still fleshing out PC personality which is hard to do when your diety hates undead and the server is covered with rumors of them But I feel I can make it work and RP almost as good as I used to. Still working on getting back up to par.

[Stormbring3r]

I can always make another character.

This. This is the attitude we need to nourish in ALFA. If we do, 99% of our drama and other issues will be solved.

I had a 7th level ranger who died on TLR during a DM quest. DM asked if I wanted to have her rez'd I chose not to. Wish I would have later on but by then I was on my 4th chracter since her. But ALFA is almost like PNP but you can only have one PC. For PNP I have like 30 different one's I can play at a given time just depends on level/geograpical setting or timeline. So its cool if you choose to keep a PC alive. And its cool if you don't care to roll a newbie up at any give time.

But remember it is just a game setting in which our imagination takes over and we actually become the character.

As long as we remember to keep our swords sheathed in public its all good. And don't feed the dragon's your neighbors cows. And I almost for got to change the litter box on the kobolds in the basement.

[oldgrayrogue]

IMO attitude about starting over is the key, for many of the reasons posted here.

For the record, I think level 1-3 totally sucks and would prefer a level 3 start (which would also encourage turnover), however having lots and lots of level 10+ PCs playing in ALFA will suck for all of us in the long run. Turning over characters is healthy for ALFA. Accepting PC death is healthy for ALFA. Adventuring is a deadly calling after all.

And I'm not trying to ram anything down anyone's throat, just stating a personal opinion.

[Adanu]

I totally support a level 2-3 start. I hate level one with a burning passion. That being said... if a person likes their PC and that PC is level 10, who is ALFA to say they can't play that PC anymore? Starting down that slope would be bad.

[Stormseeker]

One thing that always bothered me about dnd either in pnp form or digital was that you where limited by the age and experience of your toon. When dealing with a theme like alfa it is hard to make a middle or above middle age character without having some form of brain damage,curse,etc being in their bio. Its not the levels that hamper you but the knowledge that comes with age.I would love to see a option where those who wanted to could come into the game at level 3 with customize gold/gear for that level. I would be willing to to have a dm level up only on toon and level cap of 7.
I have always felt that alfa has hampered itself by not having one of these options, for a such a organization to put rp first and then to limit all pc's to 1st level limits the options for toons and the rp that could come from playing a more mature and experience characters.
lol there are a reason why the majority of stories written about the realms are about characters with experience under their belts. Maybe alfa should try that too.

[Heero]

The level 1 start has never stopped anyone from writing epic deeds and amazing exploits into their character bios.

[Stormseeker]

True enough,but none of those stories really happend do they? Anybody ever had a bio kicked back do to 1st level character not having the experience/gold/knowledge to do what they have submitted?

[t-ice]

One thing that always bothered me about dnd either in pnp form or digital was that you where limited by the age and experience of your toon. When dealing with a theme like alfa it is hard to make a middle or above middle age character without having some form of brain damage,curse,etc being in their bio. Its not the levels that hamper you but the knowledge that comes with age.

The Realms is, supposedly, full of middle aged and older lvl1 people of all races. It's only when one of these develop a "PC" tag, that they suddenly start doing amazing deeds and shooting up the curve. There's no way you can make it fully make sense, but eh, such is the fantasy world. I think players rolling so predominantly young PCs is more about lack of thinking outside the box and about relating to character.

The level 1 start has never stopped anyone from writing epic deeds and amazing exploits into their character bios.

With that I've read bios I would not agree.

[I-KP]

Starting down that slope would be bad.

Only bad now because no-one thought to look down that hill beforehand.

Very high level PCs do as much damage to fluid and inclusive gaming as the starting level ones: with starting level PCs on an event any decent DM would be at pains to ensure that said low level PCs are not exposed to unwinnable conditions whilst in the same breath keep things busy for the rest of the party, which does compromise that DM's creativity somewhat; and with the presence of a very high level PC the DM must carefully expose said PC to a suitable challenge without allowing it to a) spill over into being an unwinnable PK event or b) set the high level PC up as being a deus ex machina interventionist, which also compromises that DM's creativity.

Very high level PCs are generally only exposed to danger through tailor-made DM events and because very high level PCs are relatively few in number this results in a rather expensive use of DM time (cf. non-inclusivity). The net and demonstrable result of this is that very high level PCs are rarely challenged and continue to level even higher thus compounding the problem. I'm pretty sure that neither DM nor player are comfortable with this situation.

In short, very high level PCs are a net drain on ALFA's creative resources and arguably a cap should have been put in place a long time ago; not as a punitive rail against all high level PCs, but as an effective tool at maintaining a broadly inclusive gaming environment.

I do agree with you that should a cap be introduced those players with PCs that currently sit beyond the cap would face a choice, and doubtless one or two noses might get knocked out of alignment. The thing is tho, once one starts down "that slope" one only need do so once, then it's done and everyone reaps the benefits thereafter; furthermore, it's not as if this would be a downward spiral scenario with no discernable end - arguably we're up to our necks in just such a downward spiral scenario right now by not preventing PCs from levelling beyond ALFA's capacity to cater for them adequately.

[Adanu]

The level 1 start has never stopped anyone from writing epic deeds and amazing exploits into their character bios.

It does, actually. When I first started Zyrus, I was told by two DMs that I had a couple very 'uncommon' aspects to his bio and that I should rewrite those aspects to make them more 'common'. Level ones do not get epic and amazing exploits without eyebrows raising.

[I-KP]

The level 1 start has never stopped anyone from writing epic deeds and amazing exploits into their character bios.

It does, actually. When I first started Zyrus, I was told by two DMs that I had a couple very 'uncommon' aspects to his bio and that I should rewrite those aspects to make them more 'common'. Level ones do not get epic and amazing exploits without eyebrows raising.

Quite. Writing 'epic' exploits into a Lvl1 bio is a non sequitur.

[Stormseeker]

lol so your b.s. got a little to deep for the dm boots. So there is a example of a kick back.

[Xanthea]

The solution to high level characters making party balance a concern is to allow people to play more than one PC at once so the high levels have the freedom to switch to playing a low level character when needed.

[Heero]

I agree with I-KP. The e6 or e8 stuff is really the way to go.

[FoamBats4All]

Thank God this isn't the community's majority opinion and that the admins won't go for such a decision.