When to Build a Secondary Character? [Archive] - Wizards Community

When to Build a Secondary Character? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Vanadium
02-17-07, 09:42 PM Hello all. Just returned from my first play session in a long while.

It was a very harsh mod and I was thinking that I might wish to start a new character.

Not because I feel the character is weak, but that I realize the situations in mods are hellish at times (like an Encounter level 10 fight immediately followed by an EL 4 at APL 4). If I were to die (especially with this character, who is my only character. He can't afford a raise at this point), I would be left with no one to fall back on.

So, I guess I wanted to know when people build secondary characters around here. I guess it is as soon as there is something you wish to play, and that really seems to be the way it is around here.

I mean, there is a level 7 guy in the area and people talk about him as if he were a living legend.

That might also prompt me to build a new build. I mean, if I can play APL 8 and no one else can, what's the point?
Adolfo_Mondschein
02-17-07, 10:08 PM Maybe you should ask yourself, "Why not?". If you can't come up with a good reason... then go ahead... you can use your knowledge of previous games and experiences to build better suited characters... and it's always nice to start fresh...

If your experienced (which I assume you are), you could make another character and try to join up with some newbies. That would help everyone... especially if your good at explaining things.
Lomiat
02-17-07, 10:19 PM I built my 2nd when I ran out of TUs on my first. I built my 3rd when I wanted a fighter to play in a new region. I built my 4th when I wanted a cleric and figured there were some Core mods I could still play. I built my 5th when I got a character-creation favor. And I built my 6th when someone wanted to run an intro mod.

So it goes...
UMiskatonic
02-17-07, 11:10 PM I also played out my first before moving on to number two.

Now, I try to space out the characters APL-wise, so I can sit down an play at any table. If you're 7th level, APL 6 or 8 is easy, and APL 4 is barely ok, but you can't play APL 2.

Therefore, you need a 1st-3rd level character, so you can handle both. Should mean more opportunities for you.
Southernskies
02-17-07, 11:21 PM The best time to build a new character is as soon as your lowest level PC hits 4th level.

The main reason is that you don't usually want to play down to APL2 with a 4th (and is rare for calculations to reach that) and there are usually several new Introductory adventures available to get you up to 2nd level.

I find it best to maintain my stable of characters with around 3 levels difference to allow you access to every tier of play. If you play a character out of TU, that usually puts them around 6th-7th level for the year, leaving a large gap to reach your local playgroup when you start the next PC.
_metz_
02-18-07, 12:32 AM I built my first character to supplement the party - we had no clerics in the area at the time - he reached level 6 and ran out of TUs.

I then built a rogue - as we didn't have any of those around here either (we had arcanists, a couple of fighters, druids, bards, etc)

The rogue, not being in Any Meta Orgs is now one game off level 8. :)

My Third Character is level 2, a Dwarven Traditional Fighter with a waraxe.

Basically each person should have characters to cover all APLs they can. ANd also whatever they want to play.

Soon I will cover all APLs to 10, that is what I am after.
Mommy was an Orc
02-18-07, 12:38 AM So, I guess I wanted to know when people build secondary characters around here. I guess it is as soon as there is something you wish to play, and that really seems to be the way it is around here.

It should be extremely natural this year to build secondary characters - there's the Scourge of the Howling Horde ADP and the Ruins of Greyhawk adventures - all of which I believe are only playable by 1st level characters.
Jay_Ibero_911
02-18-07, 12:51 AM Personally, I think it's not a bad idea to start a new character whenever all your other characters are level 2-3...If you have no other 1st levels, doesn't hurt to whip up a new one. And while I haven't consciously decided to follow this patter, it has somewhat been a natural result of the groups I play in...Currently I've got a level 1, two 2's, one 4, one 7, one 9, and one 11.
Hariman
02-19-07, 02:28 AM The general advice I get from the local LG groups is:

Once your primary character is level 5 (Or perhaps level 4), create a second character to play APL 2 mods. Try to keep the storylines intact for each character. (IE: Have one Bright Sands character, one Greyhawk Ruins character, etc.)

BTW: I think that the first Greyhawk Ruins mod isn't level 1 only, but you have to play it while your character is level one to gain the Greyhawk Ruins benefits. At least, I think that is the case. I can't be sure as I haven't seen the actual documentation yet.
LachlarlanIII
02-19-07, 10:04 AM I most often make new characters on a whim.

I've posted at least 4 different Fighter variants in the last week or so.
bhale187
02-19-07, 10:21 AM BTW: I think that the first Greyhawk Ruins mod isn't level 1 only, but you have to play it while your character is level one to gain the Greyhawk Ruins benefits. At least, I think that is the case. I can't be sure as I haven't seen the actual documentation yet.

This is from Greyhawk Ruins Campaign News *click* (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/lgcn/20061205a)

'Only new or 1st-level characters can play in Greyhawk Ruins. (That is the AR for the first adventure must appear in your stack before you reach 2nd-level). If you create a new character for the arc, you can choose the Domain of Greyhawk as your home region'
Bosstone
02-19-07, 11:42 AM I'm still fairly new to LG, but I've already got sheets drawn up for four different characters, one of which I'm saving for Greyhawk Ruins. The way I see it, even if they're all still APL 2, they fill different roles. I've got a primary character, but if there happens to be no divine caster at the table, for example, I can pull out the cleric instead.

This also lets me have a character ready to go in case the first accidentally dies, a lesson I learned a couple weeks ago when my only character died in a morning adventure and I had to skip lunch to whip up a new character on the spot for the afternoon module. :weep:
mlund
02-19-07, 12:42 PM I've built a lot of secondary characters lately. For one thing, it helps to have a variety of levels on your characters to make tables for store game-days.

If you've got a higher level primary, you need a Secondary to take advantage of Fane of the Drow.

My primary also just wandered off into the Red Hand of Doom, os my "Secondary" is going to be my LG primary at most venues for the bulk of the year.

I've also got a Wizard as another project because an acute lack of Arcane Casters in my area frustrated me leveling my primary.

I've even got a Favored Soul as a stop-gap for APL2 tables that just don't seem to have any healing at them.

More than anything, though, I've got a core stable of character concepts that all have back-stories and character. They have homes, goals, and background ties that make them more or less likely to be interested in particular adventure hooks.

If something involves a coastline or slavers, my ex-galley-slave Aspiring Dread Pirate is likely to turn up.

If something involves a chance at great glory, defeating fiends, the legacy of the Great Kingdom, or the Duchy of Almor, my Knight Errant will likely answer the call.

If there's a wiff of cash on the wind and some intensive role-playing to be had, expect to see the Reverend Jeb Laukes, Preacher of Pelor to turn up somewhere.

Like anything in Living Greyhawk, you make and play a secondary when it makes the game experience more fun.

- Marty Lund
Cardinal Teplin
02-19-07, 06:33 PM Create a new character whenever you have an idea that you think will create a character that lasts. No point creating a character for purely mechancial or admin reasons that won't stand the test of time.

And then play him when the numbers work out that you should. After a while you may want to play certain characters with certain groups or in certain storylines, to keep to your character;'s personal storyline and motivation. Some groups welcome this kind of dedication, others regard it as some kind of selfishness, not to assign your characters to missions on strict lines of APL and table mustering.

But in general, play a new character when it gets too difficult to play the old one all the time. There is no hard-and-fast rules on this, because it all comes down to the dynamics of the groups you play with.
Sieylianna
02-19-07, 10:56 PM Once your main hits third or fourth level, I'd start a secondary. If you go to cons regularly, you'll end up with open slots to play intro modules.

Ed
ithardin
02-20-07, 01:11 PM I have found that since getting HeroForge I have "created" a half-dozen new characters.

It always helps to have PCs that can play different APLs, so the "starting a new one when your previous one hits 4th level" is advice I would take.

I also have some PCs that are special, in that they are usually played under certain circumstances. As an example I have a Dwarven Cleric who is part of a team that tries to play tables with as many other members of that team (in this case they are all members of Clan Rockhall of the Lortmil Mts.) Judges seem to get a kick out of a table where there are RP as well as game-mechanic tie-ins between the PCs.

I try to create a new PC for each region I visit so I can at least play their intro mods. I'll read up on their website about the region and then build.

Having multiple PCs helps in that when there is a dedicated storyline you can concentrate a PC on it and spread out your hobby, addiction, etc. amongst many PCs.

Ian
Randall Montgomery
02-20-07, 01:38 PM Personally, I didn't create a second LG character until my primary was 10th level. I play mostly in a home group, and since we also play a home campaing, as well as MoH and all four Xendrik factions, we rarely play enough LG to use up all our TUs. We decided to start a new set of characters due to the year 6 reset in our region, which would have basically made all regionals but one unplayable for our current characters.

Basically, I'd say don't create a second character until you have another character idea you'd like to do, or if you're willing to jump into a low-level table that could use another player.
Hariman
02-20-07, 09:21 PM This is from Greyhawk Ruins Campaign News *click* (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/lgcn/20061205a)

'Only new or 1st-level characters can play in Greyhawk Ruins. (That is the AR for the first adventure must appear in your stack before you reach 2nd-level). If you create a new character for the arc, you can choose the Domain of Greyhawk as your home region'

That's still just like I remember it. We need that sourcebook! Once we get the ssourcebook I'll know whether or not I create a new character for Greyhawk ruins.
clannagh
02-20-07, 10:45 PM I personally see no point in rushing through the levels .. in fact in my experience people who power level a character in a class they are unfamiliar with often cannot play the character effectively at the level it now plays and are a detriment to the party.

Hence after nearly 3 years in LG my highest character is still not yet 8.

I am currently trying to get a character at every level (level not APL).

The current spread is:

level 2
level 2 about to level to 3
level 4
level 5
level 5 about to level to 6
level 7 about to level to 8

This will give me after a couple more games 2,3,4,5,6 and 8 leaving a gap at 7 .. but i will shortly hold back the highest character and let the others catch up to fill the gap.

I will of course also create a new charcter for the upcomng greyhawk series.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Vanadium 02-17-07, 09:42 PM	Hello all. Just returned from my first play session in a long while. It was a very harsh mod and I was thinking that I might wish to start a new character. Not because I feel the character is weak, but that I realize the situations in mods are hellish at times (like an Encounter level 10 fight immediately followed by an EL 4 at APL 4). If I were to die (especially with this character, who is my only character. He can't afford a raise at this point), I would be left with no one to fall back on. So, I guess I wanted to know when people build secondary characters around here. I guess it is as soon as there is something you wish to play, and that really seems to be the way it is around here. I mean, there is a level 7 guy in the area and people talk about him as if he were a living legend. That might also prompt me to build a new build. I mean, if I can play APL 8 and no one else can, what's the point?
Adolfo_Mondschein 02-17-07, 10:08 PM	Maybe you should ask yourself, "Why not?". If you can't come up with a good reason... then go ahead... you can use your knowledge of previous games and experiences to build better suited characters... and it's always nice to start fresh... If your experienced (which I assume you are), you could make another character and try to join up with some newbies. That would help everyone... especially if your good at explaining things.
Lomiat 02-17-07, 10:19 PM	I built my 2nd when I ran out of TUs on my first. I built my 3rd when I wanted a fighter to play in a new region. I built my 4th when I wanted a cleric and figured there were some Core mods I could still play. I built my 5th when I got a character-creation favor. And I built my 6th when someone wanted to run an intro mod. So it goes...
UMiskatonic 02-17-07, 11:10 PM	I also played out my first before moving on to number two. Now, I try to space out the characters APL-wise, so I can sit down an play at any table. If you're 7th level, APL 6 or 8 is easy, and APL 4 is barely ok, but you can't play APL 2. Therefore, you need a 1st-3rd level character, so you can handle both. Should mean more opportunities for you.
Southernskies 02-17-07, 11:21 PM	The best time to build a new character is as soon as your lowest level PC hits 4th level. The main reason is that you don't usually want to play down to APL2 with a 4th (and is rare for calculations to reach that) and there are usually several new Introductory adventures available to get you up to 2nd level. I find it best to maintain my stable of characters with around 3 levels difference to allow you access to every tier of play. If you play a character out of TU, that usually puts them around 6th-7th level for the year, leaving a large gap to reach your local playgroup when you start the next PC.
_metz_ 02-18-07, 12:32 AM	I built my first character to supplement the party - we had no clerics in the area at the time - he reached level 6 and ran out of TUs. I then built a rogue - as we didn't have any of those around here either (we had arcanists, a couple of fighters, druids, bards, etc) The rogue, not being in Any Meta Orgs is now one game off level 8. :) My Third Character is level 2, a Dwarven Traditional Fighter with a waraxe. Basically each person should have characters to cover all APLs they can. ANd also whatever they want to play. Soon I will cover all APLs to 10, that is what I am after.
Mommy was an Orc 02-18-07, 12:38 AM	So, I guess I wanted to know when people build secondary characters around here. I guess it is as soon as there is something you wish to play, and that really seems to be the way it is around here. It should be extremely natural this year to build secondary characters - there's the Scourge of the Howling Horde ADP and the Ruins of Greyhawk adventures - all of which I believe are only playable by 1st level characters.
Jay_Ibero_911 02-18-07, 12:51 AM	Personally, I think it's not a bad idea to start a new character whenever all your other characters are level 2-3...If you have no other 1st levels, doesn't hurt to whip up a new one. And while I haven't consciously decided to follow this patter, it has somewhat been a natural result of the groups I play in...Currently I've got a level 1, two 2's, one 4, one 7, one 9, and one 11.
Hariman 02-19-07, 02:28 AM	The general advice I get from the local LG groups is: Once your primary character is level 5 (Or perhaps level 4), create a second character to play APL 2 mods. Try to keep the storylines intact for each character. (IE: Have one Bright Sands character, one Greyhawk Ruins character, etc.) BTW: I think that the first Greyhawk Ruins mod isn't level 1 only, but you have to play it while your character is level one to gain the Greyhawk Ruins benefits. At least, I think that is the case. I can't be sure as I haven't seen the actual documentation yet.
LachlarlanIII 02-19-07, 10:04 AM	I most often make new characters on a whim. I've posted at least 4 different Fighter variants in the last week or so.
bhale187 02-19-07, 10:21 AM	BTW: I think that the first Greyhawk Ruins mod isn't level 1 only, but you have to play it while your character is level one to gain the Greyhawk Ruins benefits. At least, I think that is the case. I can't be sure as I haven't seen the actual documentation yet. This is from Greyhawk Ruins Campaign News click (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/lgcn/20061205a) 'Only new or 1st-level characters can play in Greyhawk Ruins. (That is the AR for the first adventure must appear in your stack before you reach 2nd-level). If you create a new character for the arc, you can choose the Domain of Greyhawk as your home region'
Bosstone 02-19-07, 11:42 AM	I'm still fairly new to LG, but I've already got sheets drawn up for four different characters, one of which I'm saving for Greyhawk Ruins. The way I see it, even if they're all still APL 2, they fill different roles. I've got a primary character, but if there happens to be no divine caster at the table, for example, I can pull out the cleric instead. This also lets me have a character ready to go in case the first accidentally dies, a lesson I learned a couple weeks ago when my only character died in a morning adventure and I had to skip lunch to whip up a new character on the spot for the afternoon module. :weep:
mlund 02-19-07, 12:42 PM	I've built a lot of secondary characters lately. For one thing, it helps to have a variety of levels on your characters to make tables for store game-days. If you've got a higher level primary, you need a Secondary to take advantage of Fane of the Drow. My primary also just wandered off into the Red Hand of Doom, os my "Secondary" is going to be my LG primary at most venues for the bulk of the year. I've also got a Wizard as another project because an acute lack of Arcane Casters in my area frustrated me leveling my primary. I've even got a Favored Soul as a stop-gap for APL2 tables that just don't seem to have any healing at them. More than anything, though, I've got a core stable of character concepts that all have back-stories and character. They have homes, goals, and background ties that make them more or less likely to be interested in particular adventure hooks. If something involves a coastline or slavers, my ex-galley-slave Aspiring Dread Pirate is likely to turn up. If something involves a chance at great glory, defeating fiends, the legacy of the Great Kingdom, or the Duchy of Almor, my Knight Errant will likely answer the call. If there's a wiff of cash on the wind and some intensive role-playing to be had, expect to see the Reverend Jeb Laukes, Preacher of Pelor to turn up somewhere. Like anything in Living Greyhawk, you make and play a secondary when it makes the game experience more fun. - Marty Lund
Cardinal Teplin 02-19-07, 06:33 PM	Create a new character whenever you have an idea that you think will create a character that lasts. No point creating a character for purely mechancial or admin reasons that won't stand the test of time. And then play him when the numbers work out that you should. After a while you may want to play certain characters with certain groups or in certain storylines, to keep to your character;'s personal storyline and motivation. Some groups welcome this kind of dedication, others regard it as some kind of selfishness, not to assign your characters to missions on strict lines of APL and table mustering. But in general, play a new character when it gets too difficult to play the old one all the time. There is no hard-and-fast rules on this, because it all comes down to the dynamics of the groups you play with.
Sieylianna 02-19-07, 10:56 PM	Once your main hits third or fourth level, I'd start a secondary. If you go to cons regularly, you'll end up with open slots to play intro modules. Ed
ithardin 02-20-07, 01:11 PM	I have found that since getting HeroForge I have "created" a half-dozen new characters. It always helps to have PCs that can play different APLs, so the "starting a new one when your previous one hits 4th level" is advice I would take. I also have some PCs that are special, in that they are usually played under certain circumstances. As an example I have a Dwarven Cleric who is part of a team that tries to play tables with as many other members of that team (in this case they are all members of Clan Rockhall of the Lortmil Mts.) Judges seem to get a kick out of a table where there are RP as well as game-mechanic tie-ins between the PCs. I try to create a new PC for each region I visit so I can at least play their intro mods. I'll read up on their website about the region and then build. Having multiple PCs helps in that when there is a dedicated storyline you can concentrate a PC on it and spread out your hobby, addiction, etc. amongst many PCs. Ian
Randall Montgomery 02-20-07, 01:38 PM	Personally, I didn't create a second LG character until my primary was 10th level. I play mostly in a home group, and since we also play a home campaing, as well as MoH and all four Xendrik factions, we rarely play enough LG to use up all our TUs. We decided to start a new set of characters due to the year 6 reset in our region, which would have basically made all regionals but one unplayable for our current characters. Basically, I'd say don't create a second character until you have another character idea you'd like to do, or if you're willing to jump into a low-level table that could use another player.
Hariman 02-20-07, 09:21 PM	This is from Greyhawk Ruins Campaign News click (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/lgcn/20061205a) 'Only new or 1st-level characters can play in Greyhawk Ruins. (That is the AR for the first adventure must appear in your stack before you reach 2nd-level). If you create a new character for the arc, you can choose the Domain of Greyhawk as your home region' That's still just like I remember it. We need that sourcebook! Once we get the ssourcebook I'll know whether or not I create a new character for Greyhawk ruins.
clannagh 02-20-07, 10:45 PM	I personally see no point in rushing through the levels .. in fact in my experience people who power level a character in a class they are unfamiliar with often cannot play the character effectively at the level it now plays and are a detriment to the party. Hence after nearly 3 years in LG my highest character is still not yet 8. I am currently trying to get a character at every level (level not APL). The current spread is: level 2 level 2 about to level to 3 level 4 level 5 level 5 about to level to 6 level 7 about to level to 8 This will give me after a couple more games 2,3,4,5,6 and 8 leaving a gap at 7 .. but i will shortly hold back the highest character and let the others catch up to fill the gap. I will of course also create a new charcter for the upcomng greyhawk series.