Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 psinorm Jul 28, 2011 10:03:10	I am planning an Eberron campaign (just working an idea for the plot right now), and I was wondering if there was a simple reference listing the different locations by the suggested level of the characters. If I had such a list, it could help me shape the story in a way that progresses well with the players. Thanks.
#2 Ogiwan Jul 29, 2011 17:24:03	....um....do you mean like, "Breland is level 2, and Thrane is for level 6 characters"? 'cause there really isn't any of that. Anywhere. I mean, sure, the Mournland is bad ju-ju, but in 3e, the Forgotten Forge adventure arc took the party into the Mournland at....level 2, maybe?  What is the plot you have in mind?
#3 CorrinAvatan Jul 29, 2011 21:28:31	....um....do you mean like, "Breland is level 2, and Thrane is for level 6 characters"? 'cause there really isn't any of that. Anywhere. I mean, sure, the Mournland is bad ju-ju, but in 3e, the Forgotten Forge adventure arc took the party into the Mournland at....level 2, maybe?  What is the plot you have in mind?  In 3.5, here are some examples of CRs that you could run into, and which could happen ostensibly anywhere: Blood of Vol Priest:  CR 5. Dragon Below Cultist:  CR 4 Cannith Magewright:  CR 2 Tharashk Bounty Hunter:  CR 4 Wayfinder Explorer:  CR 8 Recurring enemies are given at 4th and 9th levels, with CRs of 4 and 8, respectively. Now, what should be noted here is that each one of these enemies could be encountered in a level 1 day of walking through Sharn.  Now, most of these guys would have even MORE folks with them:  A Blood of Vol priest would likely have 1-2 guards of CR 1-2 with them, and maybe 3-4 CR 1/4 followers. So, you could easily run into a CR 7 encounter on a PC's first day in Sharn while they are level 1.  Heck, I could easily see a CR 10 in Sharn (My first game of Eberron, we ran into a CR 9 encounter.  We recognized it as such and ran like hell.). 4e is the same.  You could have an entire campaign that occurs only in Sharn (my second to last campaign basically did), and my game ran from level 1-21.  I used the Emerald Claw a lot, and in 4e, they were only statted out for level 4 or 5, I think, but I had them fighting at level 21.  I just took other soldiers and re-skinned them and gave them the Fanatic power scaled for the level.  I mean, if you look at it, I wanted to have Erandis Vol be a major part of my campaign, and she's a level 19 Elite Controller.  That's a FAR cry from the level 5 soldiers that are statted out for her. So, don't worry about "leveling zones" so much.  You're more than free to have the story develop in one location, with more and more awesomeness happening as more powerful interests flex their muscles and the PCs interact with them.
#4 kare Jul 31, 2011 5:52:25	Hey, Okay, so, obviously, there's no monsters or opponents anywhere unless you as DM put them there. So any zone can be a low level zone. Just put thematically appropriate monsters in the zone to be a suitable threat for the characters level. Alternatively, create ways for them to avoid a combat encounter with a higher level monster, either by negotiation, capitulation, or straightforward fleeing for their lives (monster knowledge checks, with easy DCs, are your friend here). If what you're asking is: Would it break my players suspension of disbelief not to die by going into a particular area then I guess we can say that some places are dominated by safe locations - for example, most of the five nations is 'safe', unless you go into a tomb or dungeon or forbidden forest or get involved in some criminal or political intrigue. Conversely, most of the Demon Wastes is not safe, and you might encounter a threat in the normal course of living at any time except in certain safe places like Blood Crescent. But it doesn't feel wrong for that threat to be level-appropriate for the characters whereever they go. Yours, JMH