I am a new player and I am creating a campaign, I am wondering how leveling up works and I need some pointers.
When someone levels up can they immediately change their character, like their abilities in a current game? or if they are a wizard can they immediately learn new spells while in the middle of a game?
You gain XP after the battle, or the DM awards it in downtime. You almost never level up mid-fight.
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Life is very busy unfortunately, gone from most Pbp's indefinitely. If you'd like to contact me, I am on Discord at GreatAxeblade#7595, always happy to chat :)
It's up to you. A lot of DMs (admittedly my sample size is tiny) seem to wait at minimum for a long rest to happen - quite a few abilities, particularly spells, won't become available until te character takes a long rest anyway - if not simply for the end of the session, so the players have until next session to think about what they want to do, but if you want to let them get their shiny new level instantly you can go with that too. I usually go with milestone leveling, in which case there's pretty much by definition a lull in the campaign when it happens.
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Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
That stuff is usually up to the DM. I for one don't let my characters level up in the middle of a game. I give them their XP at the end of the sessions so they have to level up in between. I also usually don't allow them access to their new stuff if they are in the middle of a serious thing while we are playing. So if the combat takes 2 sessions and they level up after the first session, they have to wait to get their new stuff until it seems like an appropriate time.
If you don't RP all of the level-up stuff, it is assumed that the classes are working on their new abilities in downtime. It doesn't make a lot of sense to just suddenly learn more magic if you are in the middle of the woods. It is assumed to practise/research has been happening outside of playtime. It's the same with other things like using the bathroom or cleaning yourself/equipment. If there is the opportunity to do so, it is assumed that it is happening if there is ready access to that sort of thing while the players are not playing.
I give them HP at the end of a session/module usually, while every now and then rewarding them XP immediately for a really cool action. But any leveling up happens at the end of the module, particularly if it involves learning new spells. Where would you get the knowledge of the spell, the components etc in the middle of the session? even if it is another spellbook you come across you need to translate notation to your system and practice.
Where would you get the knowledge of the spell, the components etc in the middle of the session? even if it is another spellbook you come across you need to translate notation to your system and practice.
Presumably your character has been working on this off and on whenever they had time all throughout their current level. The finishing touch might not need more than a couple of minutes, or maybe it's just something that clicks when the moment is there. I'd advise to wait for an opportune moment nonetheless, but if it needs to be explained that doesn't have to be a problem.
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Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
As a DM, for the campaigns that I don't use the milestone leveling option, I typically hand out XP to the group at the end of a session. The variance to this "session end" practice being the occasion that the party finishes something big in the middle of a gaming session, when the extra XP might have an impact by not waiting until the end of said session... Part of the reason that I tend to prefer using milestone leveling over earning XP.
As for the characters gaining their levels, I tend to follow two main practices. Which practice I use for a campaign is primarily determined by the intended (or anticipated) playstyle of the campaign.
Rapid Advancement. The PC(s) automatically gains their next level once they gain enough XP to advance and finish a long rest. Along the lines of what pangurjan mentions above, the idea of this method is that the PC(s) spent the time since their last level-up practicing to gain this new. They achieve it after a long rest, so that there is a clear point of when they unlock these new abilities. I typically use this method in campaigns that are fairly quick moving and/or don't have much downtime .
Downtime Training. The PC(s) must spend X-amount of time "training" once they gain enough XP to advance to the next level. PC(s) spend the appropriate number of days during their downtime to learn and/or practice abilities that they gain with their new level. We'll sometimes roleplay through these scenarios, and other times we'll skim through the process and just note that those days were spent in training. I typically use this method in campaigns that are more character focused and/or have more downtime available.
As the others stated, every DM has their own opinions and options on how they handle the "level-up" process. Heck, as I outlined above, I have different processes even for myself depending on the campaign/table. Would also recommend talking directly to your own DM as well, since no matter what wisdom and advice we provide, they might have their own way of handling the process.
Where would you get the knowledge of the spell, the components etc in the middle of the session? even if it is another spellbook you come across you need to translate notation to your system and practice.
Presumably your character has been working on this off and on whenever they had time all throughout their current level. The finishing touch might not need more than a couple of minutes, or maybe it's just something that clicks when the moment is there. I'd advise to wait for an opportune moment nonetheless, but if it needs to be explained that doesn't have to be a problem.
I look at it a little differently, but I can see you POV. When they are maybe Tier 1 or 2, I would not expect them to have the expertise in spells to learn this on their own, although that level could be debatable. At Tier 3, they probably have an advance knowledge of the underpinnings of magic that they can ascertain spells from unfamiliar notation.
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I am a new player and I am creating a campaign, I am wondering how leveling up works and I need some pointers.
When someone levels up can they immediately change their character, like their abilities in a current game? or if they are a wizard can they immediately learn new spells while in the middle of a game?
Please, any information is helpful
You gain XP after the battle, or the DM awards it in downtime. You almost never level up mid-fight.
Life is very busy unfortunately, gone from most Pbp's indefinitely.
If you'd like to contact me, I am on Discord at GreatAxeblade#7595, always happy to chat :)
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It's up to you. A lot of DMs (admittedly my sample size is tiny) seem to wait at minimum for a long rest to happen - quite a few abilities, particularly spells, won't become available until te character takes a long rest anyway - if not simply for the end of the session, so the players have until next session to think about what they want to do, but if you want to let them get their shiny new level instantly you can go with that too. I usually go with milestone leveling, in which case there's pretty much by definition a lull in the campaign when it happens.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
That stuff is usually up to the DM. I for one don't let my characters level up in the middle of a game. I give them their XP at the end of the sessions so they have to level up in between. I also usually don't allow them access to their new stuff if they are in the middle of a serious thing while we are playing. So if the combat takes 2 sessions and they level up after the first session, they have to wait to get their new stuff until it seems like an appropriate time.
If you don't RP all of the level-up stuff, it is assumed that the classes are working on their new abilities in downtime. It doesn't make a lot of sense to just suddenly learn more magic if you are in the middle of the woods. It is assumed to practise/research has been happening outside of playtime. It's the same with other things like using the bathroom or cleaning yourself/equipment. If there is the opportunity to do so, it is assumed that it is happening if there is ready access to that sort of thing while the players are not playing.
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Thanks for all the replies they were very helpful
I give them HP at the end of a session/module usually, while every now and then rewarding them XP immediately for a really cool action. But any leveling up happens at the end of the module, particularly if it involves learning new spells. Where would you get the knowledge of the spell, the components etc in the middle of the session? even if it is another spellbook you come across you need to translate notation to your system and practice.
Presumably your character has been working on this off and on whenever they had time all throughout their current level. The finishing touch might not need more than a couple of minutes, or maybe it's just something that clicks when the moment is there. I'd advise to wait for an opportune moment nonetheless, but if it needs to be explained that doesn't have to be a problem.
Want to start playing but don't have anyone to play with? You can try these options: [link].
As a DM, for the campaigns that I don't use the milestone leveling option, I typically hand out XP to the group at the end of a session. The variance to this "session end" practice being the occasion that the party finishes something big in the middle of a gaming session, when the extra XP might have an impact by not waiting until the end of said session... Part of the reason that I tend to prefer using milestone leveling over earning XP.
As for the characters gaining their levels, I tend to follow two main practices. Which practice I use for a campaign is primarily determined by the intended (or anticipated) playstyle of the campaign.
As the others stated, every DM has their own opinions and options on how they handle the "level-up" process. Heck, as I outlined above, I have different processes even for myself depending on the campaign/table. Would also recommend talking directly to your own DM as well, since no matter what wisdom and advice we provide, they might have their own way of handling the process.
I look at it a little differently, but I can see you POV. When they are maybe Tier 1 or 2, I would not expect them to have the expertise in spells to learn this on their own, although that level could be debatable. At Tier 3, they probably have an advance knowledge of the underpinnings of magic that they can ascertain spells from unfamiliar notation.