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| #1CPTGravisJun 01, 2015 12:02:48 | Hey Guys,
I'm sorta new to the whole AL league and OP scene. I played once I think in 4E, and then a handful of Living Greyhawk under 3.5. Otherwise most of my experience comes from AD&D 2nd edition with my budies all through high school.
I'm looking at getting back into it, especially with all the great things I hear about 5E. Even though I never got into it too much in 3.5 and 4, I think this style of OP is just awesome, especially for us adults with careers and familys who have a very hard time getting to gether regular play groups to run a campaign.
I'll be going to Gencon again this year, and doing as I usually do and playing in one large miniatures tournament. Other than that there is a half-day for vendor hall, and I spend the rest of the time looking for other things to do. I figured this was a great opportunity to try out some 5E AL! So that brings me to my first question: generally how long does it take to get a character from 0 xp to 5th level? I ask because I registered for quite a few events, and I'm suddenly wondering if I need to be planning on having more than one character for the weekend, and which I'd want to do which modules. So far I have registered for DDEX2-1, DDEX2-11/12, DDEX2-16, DDEX3-1, DDEX3-2, DDEP-2, and DDEP3-1. If I would have a 5th level character by the end of all that, I have time for DDEX3-3 on Sunday morning.
So my next question is more about the AL storyline. Where does it fall in relation to the novels? I haven't read any, but I have been doing my internet research on a couple of character concepts, and am running into situations where novels only a couple months old are greatly affecting the concept. The prime example would be my Half-Orc from Many Arrows. Are the novels factored into the AL storyline as soon as they are released? Or is there some other method of telling what is, for a lack of a better term, 'canon' with regards to AL?
Thanks in advance! |
| #2PauperJun 01, 2015 13:07:24 | Welcome to the campaign! And you should have a great time at GenCon -- I know I'm looking forward to it. Regarding your questions:
- Speed of leveling
Be aware that DDEX 2-1 and DDEX 3-1 are organized a bit differently from other adventures -- they're one-hour (or at GenCon, 90 minute) slots for characters of level 1 or 2. A level 1 character that plays in three such slots should reach level 2, and will definitely reach level 2 after four (each module has five 'scenarios' that can be played, so you won't likely run out of options for play).
I've never played in an Epic, so I can't speak to how those usually go, but I can tell you that the other mods are going to be four-hour Expeditions. You'll definitely be level 3 after two of them (and maybe even only after one depending on how many X-1 scenarios you've played). Level 3 to level 4, though, is a bit of a stretch for one character -- you need to go from 900 to 2700 XP in mods that will generally max 600-750 per shot, and that's after you've played in the mods that get you from level 1 to level 3. If you can do all the mods with one character, you'll have a shot, as once you get to level 4 you can use the Catching Up rules to go straight to level 5, but if you end up having to take Faction Charity or don't max out XP in a given module, you might not make it before the end of the con.
Given that, and that you're planning to play two different seasons' modules (some are season 2, others are season 3, depending on the first number after the letters -- DDEP 2 is the Season 2 Epic, while DDEP 3-1 is the Season 3 Epic, for instance), I'd plan on bringing two characters, one built using Elemental Evil rules, and one built at GenCon (or close to it) when the Rage of Demons rules are released. You can play Season 3 mods with a Season 2 character, and vice versa, and that way you'll have a character built for each storyline, and you'll have maximum flexibility if, say, the rest of the guys at your DDEX 2-1 table really want to run the scenario you already played with your Season 2 character.
- Storyline versus novels
As I understand it, the novels take place in different areas of Faerun than the adventures in AL; though folks at WotC have ultimate say over what appears in a mod, my guess is that the events in the modules don't really impact events in the novels and vice-versa, though later modules might incorporate info from an earlier novel if the module writer is aware of it and can find a way to work it in. One of the Content Managers might be in a better position to give a more complete answer on this, though.
-- Pauper |
| #3BRJNJun 01, 2015 14:51:03 | Your character can certainly say "I'm a half-orc born in Many-Arrows. By great good fortune I was away on a journey when King Obould the Last fell before his foes. I have not yet tried to 'go home' because ... I suspect that what I find will break my heart." The DDEX modules are set around the Moonsea, and Many-Arrows is far far to the west. The character will not have to worry about nasty side-effect consequences. As a half-orc, your 'day job' could easily be Caravan Guard. This gives you an excuse to be ANYWHERE in Faerun you want / need to be.
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| #4TyranthraxusJun 01, 2015 18:39:52 |
Hi,
I took a look at your list. I would say that I dont think you will get to level 4 over that weekend. Its 2700 exp to get to level 4. Generally Ive noted it takes 5-6 (1-4) level scenarios to get to 4 and then you can always make the jump to level 5 by spending 20 downtime. (A lot of people do this). As for the epic, I believe this will be able to be played by any level characters at the convention if previous epics are anything to go by.
As to your Q about the setting, you should be fine with whatever you come up with. As stated, Expedtions are set in the Moonsea which lends itself to consistency of storytelling (last season was set in Phlan, this season in Mulmaster and next season will be set in Hillsfar). This means they can take story elements from previous settings and intergrate them.
I would look at the Mulmaster background document http://dndadventurersleague.org/state-of-mulmaster/#more-2823
It has a wealth of Info on Mulmaster ( I made a Priestess of Leira out of it). Keep in mind that the reset of the Realms was supposed to bring it back to the 3.5 era. The way I see it its like the Time of Troubles has only just ended and most of the Gods in the PHB seem like they are from that era.
The background feature of making a character is wonderful about this. Whilst most backgrounds are of course that.. the past of the character dont be afraid to carry them over to the game too. A character can not ever truly escape their past. A Guild Artisan background could mean your character is a representative in their spare time from Waterdeep's many merchants Guilds who is an envoy to Mulmaster. There is a thriving Criminal underclass via the Zhent Ghetto in Mulmaster.
There is a character in my expeditions games (I mostly run), who is playing a Rogue who was born in Phlan and was a member of the Welcomers.. or is a member (he purposely cut off his left ear). Hes been travelling between Phlan and Mulmaster scouring for wealth and has had a lot of near escapes from Death. But he got his character idea straight from the information they released on Phlan in Season 1.
In fact, I often find the best way to make a character is to find something you see in game and then expand on that. You might meet a priest of X and think 'Thats an interesting god/religon, Ive got a great idea for xxx'
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| #5CPTGravisJun 03, 2015 8:08:14 | Great, thanks for the feedback everyone! So it sounds like I probably won't reach 5th level by the end of the weekend, so I don't need to worry about out-leveling any of the events I'm signed up for (save for probably DDEX3-1, due to the way things line up my character will probably be level 3 by the time I get the chance to play that one). It sounds like a good idea though to have several characters ready just in case, though; and I like the suggestion of having at least one made up using the new season's rules when they are released.
When you create a character using a new season's rules, you can still use that character in prior season modules, correct? So conceivably would I be able to create a character at or just prior to Gencon (whenever the new rules are released) and play that character throughout the entirety of the weekend? Or are there maybe hard dates that would prevent that? I see none of the Season 3 stuff starts until Saturday (August 1st), so conceivably Season 3 may not start until August, and the new rules wouldn't be allowed before then (meaning the character wouldn't be valid for the Season 2 modules I'm plalying in on Thursday and Friday)?
As far as the Half-Orc goes, my issue wasn't really just being from Many-Arrows. As was suggested, it would be easy to say I was away from there. My concept, however, was to be a sort of envoy of Many-Arrows to the Moonsea region, and a representative within the Lords' Alliance. That concept would gradually change based on whether or not the events of Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf are considered to have occured already within the AL timeline. |
| (Reply to #5)TheBreen |
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| #7devlin1Jun 03, 2015 9:07:42 | I know at least both DDEX3-1 and DDEX3-2 will be at GenCon, because I'm signed up for them. |
| #8CPTGravisJun 03, 2015 9:20:27 | Yeah, there is definitely quite a bit of Season 3 going on at Gencon. You can see above where I list all that I am signed up for. There will be DDEX3-1,2,3, and 4. As well as DDEP3-1. Also, from Season 2, are DDEX2-1, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and DDEP-2. |
| #9TyranthraxusJun 03, 2015 21:07:48 | Also Keep in mind that if you are playing outside Cons (there is far more people playing Expeditions outside than inside Conventions) that there is a Month Lag time. Something that debuts at say Gencon in August wont be available for store play until 1st September. |
| #10CPTGravisJun 04, 2015 7:37:44 |
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| #11KalaniJun 04, 2015 8:29:56 | There's always PotA (it's a good story) |
| #12CPTGravisJun 04, 2015 9:39:14 |
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| #13shaterbaneJun 04, 2015 11:13:37 | When you get into your 40s and 50s, there is an upside to slower play schedules. For me, I can do once a week, but every two weeks feels like every week used to with my sense of time passage flying by now.
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| #14Enevhar_AldarionJun 04, 2015 12:15:40 |
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| #15shaterbaneJun 04, 2015 12:42:53 |
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| (Reply to #15)Pauper |
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| #17TyranthraxusJun 04, 2015 17:55:31 | As a non Con goer ( at least in terms of 5e) Ive never had an issue with waiting for the scenarios as thats all I know!
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| #18AinulindalionJun 05, 2015 9:47:44 | Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf takes place in 1485 DR (The Year of the Iron Dwarf's Vengeance). The Sundering is completed in 1487 DR (The Year of the Rune Lords Triumphant). Season 1 of AL begins in 1489 DR (The Year of the Warrior Princess). Season 2 of AL begins in 1491 DR (The Year of the Scarlet Witch).
The fall of the Kingdom of Many Arrows and Dark Arrow Keep is likely known over most of the continent by this time in AL. The Cormyr/Sembia/Dalelands/Myth Drannor/Netheril war is essentially over due to the destruction of Myth Drannor and Netheril.
One presumes that the Lord's Alliance (which includes many of the cities of the North, including the Dwarven Kingdoms, Waterdeep, and Neverwinter, as well as Cormyr) was formed sometime in the gap between the completion of the Sundering and the beginning of AL season 1. |
| (Reply to #18)TheBreen |
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| #20CPTGravisJun 05, 2015 12:04:24 |
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| (Reply to #19)Ainulindalion |
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| (Reply to #21)TheBreen |
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| #23BRJNJun 05, 2015 17:58:52 |
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| #24BRJNJun 05, 2015 18:05:48 |
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| (Reply to #22)Pauper |
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| #26Enevhar_AldarionJun 09, 2015 22:49:58 | Seeing as how the Faction splash page on WotC's own website has this sentence:
"Many paladins and clerics of Tyr, Helm, Torm, and Hoar have joined this NEW organization, seeing it as—finally—a way of making common cause against the evils abroad in the world."
https://dnd.wizards.com/dungeons-and-dragons/story/factions
I would say that it is a brand new organization created for 5th Ed stories. And emphasis in the above sentence is mine.
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| #27TyranthraxusJun 10, 2015 20:13:13 | Im still getting over having Paladins of HOAR. Tyr sure, Torm , Absolutely. Hoar? hmmm
He's into vengeance yeah but with Hoar its like fighting a House Fire with a flamethrower. |
| #28abanathieJun 10, 2015 22:42:50 | If you eat up enough oxygen with a flamethrower... It should put out the fire... |
| #29BRJNJun 12, 2015 16:44:15 |
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