Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DaddyDik 09-21-06, 10:46 AM	Ill be playing my first LG game though have been gaming for many years. There are some APL4, APL6 tables at a Con this weekend. Do i have a chance to walk out of them alive? Thank You.
trollbill 09-21-06, 11:09 AM	That all depends on how much you wish to participate in the adventure. If you mostly stay in the back, only engage in combat with the flunkies and don't trigger traps you can be okay at APL4 and maybe 6. Remember that if you are at APL-5 than there is an equivalent of 5 more levels worth of characters over the APL to average it out. So they really won't have a problem handling the mod without your assistance. Of course, you will likely be bored with lack of things to do, feel bad about not contributing and suffer from getting only half the XP for taking on the greating risk. So I highly recommend avoiding this if you can. The only time I have ever done something like this was with a 3rd-level character who had a 7th level fighter and 12th level druid in the group which averaged it out to APL6. I spent most of the mod watching the 2 higher levels walk through everything and only contributed by taking out flunkies in the final battle and acting as party face since I had the points in it. It was not very much fun, especially when I found out there was no difference on the AR between APL 4 & 6.
Sieylianna 09-21-06, 12:24 PM	Ill be playing my first LG game though have been gaming for many years. There are some APL4, APL6 tables at a Con this weekend. Do i have a chance to walk out of them alive? Thank You. You're not going to survive APL 6. APL 4 is probably suriviable if you are careful, especially once you get three modules in to make 2nd level. Ed
Bogjob 09-21-06, 07:43 PM	You can survive easy enough by basically staying out of everything which isn't much fun, on the upside you'll get better access's and cash than someone else of your level. If you have no other choice play but personally I'd try and find a different group to play in and have more fun without worrying about getting killed with the first blow.
RedKnightofKet 09-21-06, 08:54 PM	You're not going to survive APL 6. APL 4 is probably suriviable if you are careful, especially once you get three modules in to make 2nd level. Ed Actually, I'm pretty sure he can't play APL 6 - too much difference. I would strongly recommend that, as a first level character, APL 2 is your way to go. Maybe once you reach 2nd you can be brave and try the APL 4, but there is no point in playing up like that: 1/2 gold, 1/2 XP, and increased chance of death.
pedr 09-22-06, 06:00 AM	Actually, I'm pretty sure he can't play APL 6 - too much difference.You can (as in 'are allowed to') play up or down as much as you like, unless your PC is four or more levels higher than the maximum APL that the module supports. The wisdom of such things is a different matter of course.
Lomiat 09-22-06, 12:26 PM	Oddly enough, as bad as APL 6 is for a 1st-level character, APL 8+ might not be that bad. By that point, the PC gets more XP and GP per adventure than he/she would at APL 2, and clerics are likely to have Delay Death memorized. That way the PC can spend most of the adventure unconscious and bleeding, but alive! Of course, the problem is that the APL 8 table probably has very little interest in supporting some gold-digging 1st level "tank" (who at APL 8 isn't a "tank" at all, but a kitty chew-toy).
celexter 09-27-06, 02:30 AM	I suggest APL 2 if you really want to play. At APL 4, you are at more risk but earn only 1/2 XP and 1/2 GP. At APL 6 and 8, well... As they say, you are likely not a tank, and not able to contribute at all.
Rerednaw 09-27-06, 05:13 PM	Given that you are at a Con, and the occasional soft-balling at local LG game days probably will not be as frequent (if present at all), I'd stick with APL4 tops. I've played up 3 levels a few times and while it is tricky, it is doable. I'd rather stick to within 1 level up as a general rule though. On a risk-reward analysis it is usually not worth it. I have played up and got less xp/gold for more risk and the same access if I had not. Just my 2 cents.
DuctShuiTengu 09-27-06, 09:27 PM	Given that you are at a Con, and the occasional soft-balling at local LG game days probably will not be as frequent (if present at all), I'd stick with APL4 tops. I've played up 3 levels a few times and while it is tricky, it is doable. I'd rather stick to within 1 level up as a general rule though. On a risk-reward analysis it is usually not worth it. I have played up and got less xp/gold for more risk and the same access if I had not. Just my 2 cents. I'd say it depends on what your character is. A tank playing up is potentially going to suffer greatly from not having enough hitpoints, good enough weapons and armor, etc, and if that was their one area of expertise, they could be crippled as they don't have the HP to tank at that level, and don't have anything else they can contribute instead. Clerics/Druids will probably want to stay out of melee more than they would if they were playing at APL. Otherwise, see my thoughts on Wizard/Sorcerers A Sorcerer/Wizard playing up isn't going to have the high-level spells, but they can probably still contribute reasonably well with the ones they do have. They won't be as good as a caster of the appropriate level, of course, but unless the mod requires a spell that they won't get until next level, they're hardly crippled and should be protected enough that the lack of hitpoints, while a little problematic, shouldn't be as much of a problem, especially if they give the rest of their party a bit of a heads-up ahead of time that they're not as good at this and need a little more guarding. Rogues are in a similar situation. They're probably going to want to stay out of melee, and they won't have as many points in the critical skills, but with a little warning to the others, a couple reasonably long-term - or just well-timed boosts can put them in good enough shape to do their job. Archer's probably suffer the least from this. They don't have as high of an attack bonus, or as nice of a bow, but in general won't have too much trouble continuing to sit back and shoot at stuff. As with the Wizards and Sorcerers, they won't do as well as a char of the appropriate level, but it's hardly going to cripple them.
celexter 09-28-06, 12:12 AM	Given that you are at a Con, and the occasional soft-balling at local LG game days probably will not be as frequent (if present at all), I'd stick with APL4 tops. I've played up 3 levels a few times and while it is tricky, it is doable. I'd rather stick to within 1 level up as a general rule though. On a risk-reward analysis it is usually not worth it. I have played up and got less xp/gold for more risk and the same access if I had not. Just my 2 cents. Yup. Couldn't agree more. It's just not mathematically correct (I think). More risk for less XP and GP? The only exception is if you are hoping to chalk up a lot of AR Access before your character starts to actually grow. As you earn less XP (and GP), your character grows slower, but will chalk up plently of AR Access compared to one who grows normally at same level.
kenobi65 09-28-06, 10:20 AM	Yup. Couldn't agree more. It's just not mathematically correct (I think). More risk for less XP and GP? Well, if you read another thread on this board, you'll see that the original poster's apparent motivation is that his buddies are at like 8th level, and he wants to play with them.
celexter 09-28-06, 11:38 AM	Well, if you read another thread on this board, you'll see that the original poster's apparent motivation is that his buddies are at like 8th level, and he wants to play with them. Ah. I got what you mean. Well... Let's just put it into figures. You are Level 1. If you play APL 2, you get max 450 XP and 450 GP. I STRONGLY recommend this if you can find such a table. If a character plays at a higher APL that is his level +3, then he will only gain half XP and half GP. Therefore: If you play APL 4, you get max 337.5 XP and 325 GP. If you play APL 6, you get max 450 XP and 450 GP (which is the reward for APL 2, albeit the AR Access). APL 6 generates the same reward as APL 2, but you are likely to be at significant risk and expect to become a burden to the veterans. APL 4 is rather safe. Though you will suffer the penalty, you are much likely to survive and perhaps be of some use. Three APL 4 will level you up and you can gain the max rewards normally from then on. Good thing you didn't mention APL 8. Although you can level up with only two APL 8, the chances of you surviving is thread-thin. I expect enemies to be flinging Fireballs and Lightning Bolts (or worse) by then.
Namarus 09-28-06, 01:56 PM	Your build, and the roles of players at the table can really make or break playing up though. Smart play by you also makes up the rest. I recently had a level 4 barbarian/fighter play in an APL 10. He single handedly (with buffs) killed the main boss in an unteired encounter. The rest of the party were left with jaws dropped.
clannagh 10-01-06, 11:48 PM	If this is a home game with people you know (rather than a random games day) you can quite legally get them to "bankroll" your character a bit if they are willing. For example fullplate at 1500 gc is beyond a first level character. But if his level 6 "older brother" buys a set and lends it to him for a few games and then sells it again once the low level can afford his own, the high level character only loses 750 gc which over 3 or 4 games is negligible for a level 6. Bare in mind you can only borrow gear off otehr pc's during a game at the end of each mod it goes back to the original purchaser.