Questions tagged [character-advancement]
For questions about character advancement, the process by which a character gains competence upward or laterally.
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Can I save up spell learning "for later"?
As a level 3 Warlock, I didn't learn any spell at level 2 (mainly because I just couldn't decide which one to pick, so the DM told me to tell him when I make up my mind about which spell I wanted to ...
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Does the Martial Adept superiority dice scale up alongside the Battle Master fighter's superiority dice if you acquire the subclass after the feat?
Assume two 1st level Rogues, Alice and Beatrice.
Alice gained 3 levels of Rogue and on her 4th level of Rogue, instead of an ability score increase she picked up the Martial Adept feat. She later ...
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How can I give one of my players a powerful plot-device weapon without making the other players feel left out?
I am building a custom setting that is medieval fantasy (technology level is almost steam engine) where some pieces of ancient technology (ours) can be found.
Players' weaponry is based off the ...
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What does a test advance?
What does a test (difficult or challenging) advance exactly? Does it mean advancement for both skill and its respective stat, or does it only advance either skill (if you have it) or stat (if you don'...
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Retraining favored class points
Taking the retraining rules from Ultimate Campaign's Campaing systems, how would a character retrain a favored class point to be used for a different purpose? Would it fall under retraining skills? ...
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How can I achieve greater City/Civilization Upgrade details?
When playing Dawn of Worlds, we usually spend a lot of time coming up with neat things for cities and civilizations to develop. Unfortunately, the only thing such upgrades are used for in the base ...
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Can the UA ranger's animal companion get a feat instead of an ASI?
I'm creating a revised beast master ranger and decided to get a pet panther. Since my pet gains ASIs whenever I do and we're using the optional feats rule, then can my pet get feats instead of ASIs ...
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In Out of the Abyss, do the NPCs get a full share of XP?
This is my first time GMing. I am unsure as to whether the fellow escapee NPCs could be leveling up with the PCs. I do not see any rules for it, but it doesn't make a great deal of sense for them ...
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What happens to the old spell when a ranger replaces it?
I just need to figure out how this works. Since rangers don't write their spells down anywhere, what happens whenever I replace a spell that I gain from leveling? Is the spell just gone or am I able ...
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How are experience points given to back-up characters?
I've been playing D&D 5e for a while now, but I've recently run in to a new issue. I am going to be starting a new game soon with a new DM, and this campaign is going to be primarily nautical ...
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Why do some players write XP separate and does it really matter?
So me and almost everyone I play with, even when multi-classing write out our xp as, 1000, 10000, 50000 (ect) as its accumulated. But one to two players who are not in the majority of our games. Being ...
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The DM allowed me to wield two shields, how can I get the most AC and HP, as a Bear Barbarian?
I'm making new character, a level 5 Lizardfolk using two spiked shields. I want to build him as a wall of HP and AC but not sure how best to do this.
So i'm thinking of being a Bear Totem Barbarian ...
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With a negative Constitution modifier, can you lose hit points when levelling up? [duplicate]
The PHB states that a wizard add 1d6 + constitution mod per level after first level. Would I subtract hit points when I level up if I have a negative constitution modifier and roll badly?
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Character advancements with talents "(any X)"
Question was asked to me as GM about advancing from Apprentice Runesmith to Journeyman Runesmith.
Apprentice has talent list containing one position: “Rune (any two...)”.
Journeyman has “Rune (any ...
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Can a Familiar level up with its master during their adventures?
Can a Familiar level up with its master during their adventures and improve their stats, abilities and skills, or are they fated to stay as written in the Monster Manual?
I want to know because I'm ...
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Can I make the Level Up move not require so much time without breaking the game?
As written, the level up move in Dungeon World says that one must "spend some time (hours or a day)" in order to level up. Why is this the case? What mechanical or fictional benefit does this provide? ...
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How much AC do you need for it to remain relevant per level?
While I can't find the exact place, I remember someone once saying that AC to be considered a tank went something like:
Level 1: 18
Level 5: 25
Level 10: 30-35
Level 15: 40
Level 20: 50
Or something ...
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Can I have net negative maximum HP per level with a negative CON modifier?
For the sake of an example, assume I'm a level 1 Sorcerer or Wizard who's somehow had the misfortune of winding up with 1 CON. Maximum HP at level 1 is determined by the highest possible roll on your ...
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Should I replace Improved Unarmed Strike with Dirty Fighting?
I have a melee druid I plan on playing specifically in wild shape form. I have tailored my hero to specifically be a specialist of grappling. My current/future feats include:
Level 1 Improved Unarmed ...
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4
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When can I change Careers?
Note that I'm only asking about using 100 xp to take a listed Career Exit, not using 200 xp to change to a Basic Career.
The rules on changing careers are really confusing, and it's hard to tell ...
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How do class tiers in Pathfinder shift through levels?
I have read some explanations of abilities that make T1 classes so strong, and what makes T6 classes so useless.
However, most of such explanationes mention very high-leveled abilitites, or even ...
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Do you improve your ability score at every level?
Since I'm new to Dungeons & Dragons 5e, I don't understand how ability scores work. I searched the Basic rules and the Player's Handbook, but I can't find any clarification on this question: Do ...
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Character Advancement in Numenera Starter
I recently purchased the Numenera starter set. I'm planning on running through this adventure with a group who have no prior experience with Numenera (myself included).
The starter set doesn't have ...
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Is it okay to skip XP, and just award levels at the end of each story arc?
I'm interested in DMing and want to know: would it be okay to award levels to the PCs at the end of the story arc instead of keeping track of XP?
The benefits I can see are:
I don't want to write a ...
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I've become attached to my weapons. Can I upgrade them, so I can keep them as I level up?
My character started at level 1 and after many battles against goblins and such, has become slightly renowned. However, with renown comes people looking to me for help. To help I need proper equipment ...
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How does a character know when she's leveled up?
As we play we gain experience. The players know when they can level up because they can either see if they have enough experience or the DM will tell them they can level up. How does the character ...
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Are Constitution changes retroactive when calculating max HP?
Lets say I'm a fighter that just leveled up to level 4, and decide to bring my Constitution up from 16 to 18. How many hit points do I have?
Level 1 = 10 (base) + 3 (Con mod) = 13.
Level 2 = 10 + 6 (...
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Can “× Int” skill ranks only be used for Int-based skills?
When a character levels up they get a number of skill ranks based on their class and race. But the core rulebook says that a character gets × Int skill ranks.
Does that mean those skill ranks can ...
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NPCs becoming PCs
I am running the Rage of Demons D&D 5e campaign and there is a serious possibility that one of my players decides to take over one of the NPCs. How do I handle character progression in case of ...
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Do you gain current HP when you level up?
Let's say your hero is at max HP and he/she is levelling up.
PHB p. 15, "Beyond first Level" says about HP increase when levelling up:
add the total to your hit point maximum
Will she/he need ...
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4
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Feats for an Advanced, Mindless Plant Creature [duplicate]
So for story purposes I'm advancing a CR 2 Plant Creature called a Yellow Musk Creeper to a CR 20.
Now when I read over the rules of advancement, they talked about giving the advanced creature feats. ...
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How do I deal with a player disappointed with the progression system?
I'm trying to start new group of Ars Magica (mix of 4 and 5).
I'm the storykeeper and had played it for years and it's one my favorites RPGs.
This a new System & Scenario for the players, they ...
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How to optimize epic progression for an arcane/divine spellcaster?
My player has decided to play an arcane/divine spellcaster. He has just completed progression of an arcane hierophant and is advancing next 7 levels in mystic theurge class.
The campaign will end up ...
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How are ability modifiers affected by leveling?
I'm a new player. I've been poring over the 5e player's handbook, and I don't see this explained anywhere in "Beyond 1st Level" or in the details for my class.
I understand when leveling up how hit ...
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In what ways are main characters suboptimal in Order of the Stick? [closed]
A motif of the Web comic Order of the Stick—which largely uses Dungeons and Dragons 3.5 rules—is its subversion of that game's stereotypes. Some commentators suggest that, from an optimzation ...
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When you have Con damage and level up, do you use current or original Con for hit points?
I am running a group in D&D 3.5 and this past Sunday they won a hard fight against some stirges. In winning, they gained enough XP to level up, but during the fight some of them had their ...
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Skipping directly to level 4
I bought a Pathfinder Adventure Path, but the store only had second chapters (presumably everyone only buys the first and never finishes the campaign), which means my PCs are starting at level 4.
I ...
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How do Unseen Seer and similar prestige classes affect the spell-casting progression of a character with Assassin levels?
Assassin is prestige class from DMG with 10 levels and arcane spells progression. However, it does not progress arcane spells of existing class, but it has its own spell list and spells progression in ...
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Do animals gain experience and level?
I am running a game for my son and his friends. My son bought a mastiff. I am wondering if the dog should gain experience and advance in levels. I have not thought of how to do this. If the dog ...
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Is the Battle Master Martial Archetype missing a level 18 feature?
I've been reading through fighter martial archetypes, and I am a little confused. As far as I can tell the Battle Master Martial Archetype is missing its level 18 feature, unless they're counting the ...
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How important to game balance is the class differentiated experience table?
I'm considering how to handle a game that is intended to bring a group of characters through a grand tour of D&D editions. I'm running into the first big question. When I switch between editions ...
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Does raising magic due to essence loss require Initiation?
Playing a mage in Shadowrun who was created with a Synaptic Booster, which lowers essence (and therefore MAG). He was also created with an exceptional attribute of MAG too, so the MAG attribute ...
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Why is advancement in Demon Hunters capped at d12?
Is there a particular reason to cap advancement at the level of d12?
In contrast, in Fate Core you can extend your pyramid to new heights for an additional cost. Translating to Demon Hunters ...
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Is advancement in Demon Hunters one or two pyramids?
While Demon Hunters is based on Fate Core and FAE, it differs from both in that there are Approaches and Disciplines, one of each apply to every check. Each Approach and Discipline is assigned one of ...
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Can a wizard's level-up spells choices be from outside their school?
Does a wizard have to choose spells from their school? I understand scrolls or other methods could come in to play to learn specific spells through interaction with the world. But what are the ...
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Is there a way to change my race? Do I get the bonuses of that race?
Right now I'm playing as a Gnome. Right now it's alright, but for the most part I don't have any use for the illusion bonuses or +1 AC or anything that comes with being a Gnome. I really just wanted ...
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The number of Feats and Talents gained each level seems excessive. Is my reading right?
I'm using Exodus to start up a new post apocalyptic campaign but I'm not sure if I'm reading the advancement rules right.
A character gains a Feat and Talent at level 1, then a Feat every level that ...
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Optimizing a Dwarven Rogue 7 for front-line combat in a tank-free party [closed]
Started playing D&D with a new group and got 7 levels into my Dwarf Rogue before deciding I didn't what to do next. I was up to now playing as a stealthy thief, two weapon fighter. But our combat ...
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How can I have characters advance in dramatic situations in Savage Worlds?
I'm designing mechanics for a Naruto campaign using Savage Worlds, and was thinking about how characters improve in media and in RPG's. In RPG's characters usually earn XP each session or each ...
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Can your Attributes go beyond 10?
I have been playing in my first campaign of Tenra Bansho Zero (TBZ) and have ran into a disagreement with my fellow players and the GM regarding how far stats can be increased in the game, since there ...
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