Leveling Up

[Snoring Rock]

Hey, I just ran into something and wanted to see what everyone else thought. Who here allows players to level characters up twice? If a party gets lucky and takes out a big baddy that is say twice their level or even higher an the treasure is big; if they get enough experience, do you allow them to level more than once?

[Arduin]

Hey, I just ran into something and wanted to see what everyone else thought. Who here allows players to level characters up twice? If a party gets lucky and takes out a big baddy that is say twice their level or even higher an the treasure is big; if they get enough experience, do you allow them to level more than once?

I've never run into that. If my players run into something that has enough XP that it would cause them to level 2X (if defeated), they run away or, die...

[alcyone]

I can't say it's happened to me. I'd like to hear about the circumstances of how this situation came about. Lucky random treasure roll? What is the average level of the party?

If it's because of a massively lucky treasure roll, I'd cap how much went straight to XP. An instant 2 levels isn't something I'd likely allow.

[Omote]

I never do. I've run into this only a few times in the many years I have run these games. I place the PCs 1XP short of the next level. PCs can't advance more than 1 level per regular session in my games.

~O

[Snoring Rock]

They have a mix, a 3rd level druid, 3rd level paladin, 2nd level rogue, 3rd level wizard, 2nd level elf (thank you Omote), and two 2nd level fighters.

They had escaped pirates and were on a ship. They were unable to control the thing and ran it aground on a beach near Tegel (Wilderlands). That evening as they camped on the ship, the Monster (age category 3 black dragon) of Derfingle Swamp (random encounter) was prowling for fresh meat.

The party detected the presense of the dragon and went below deck as the dragon boarded the ship to sniff around. They cast obscuring mist but the dragon following their sounds to the rear of the ship. There he busted a hatch door and breathed acid, killing the rogue and leaving the first fighter unconscious. The druid cast swarm and the dragon dropped into the lower deck when the elf (ready with arrows laid out) used the CKG rules on 2 shots per round. He got lucky on both. The dragon attacked fighter number two and left him with 1 hp. The wizard used magic missile and on the next round the druid stopped concentration on the swarm (lasts two more rounds) and cast it a second time, thus doubling up on damage. The elf called a shot, got maximum damage.......

So they have a rnager in town they know, who led them to the lair in the swamp. According to "horde" rules the coins get multiplied by 100. I rolled 4000gp. That is a whopping 400,000gp.

[Arduin]

According to "horde" rules the coins get multiplied by 100. I rolled 4000gp. That is a whopping 400,000gp.

So, the Black Dragon was carrying around 400,000 G.P. on his back? Also, black Dragons are ambush hunters (especially when little) AND, they don't live alone. So, unless the dragon was hauling around 400,000 G.P while hunting, the PC's would have had to 1) find the underwater VERY hidden lair, 2) fight off the 2-3 other other dragons in it. 3) figure out how to get all that HEAVY loot to the surface and away...

[Omote]

That's some outstanding rolling Snoring Rock, and, you're welcome. It's a miracle the players survived that encounter! The description of that encounter sounds so awesome. *jealous*

~O

[mabon5127]

They have a mix, a 3rd level druid, 3rd level paladin, 2nd level rogue, 3rd level wizard, 2nd level elf (thank you Omote), and two 2nd level fighters.

They had escaped pirates and were on a ship. They were unable to control the thing and ran it aground on a beach near Tegel (Wilderlands). That evening as they camped on the ship, the Monster (age category 3 black dragon) of Derfingle Swamp (random encounter) was prowling for fresh meat.

The party detected the presense of the dragon and went below deck as the dragon boarded the ship to sniff around. They cast obscuring mist but the dragon following their sounds to the rear of the ship. There he busted a hatch door and breathed acid, killing the rogue and leaving the first fighter unconscious. The druid cast swarm and the dragon dropped into the lower deck when the elf (ready with arrows laid out) used the CKG rules on 2 shots per round. He got lucky on both. The dragon attacked fighter number two and left him with 1 hp. The wizard used magic missile and on the next round the druid stopped concentration on the swarm (lasts two more rounds) and cast it a second time, thus doubling up on damage. The elf called a shot, got maximum damage.......

So they have a rnager in town they know, who led them to the lair in the swamp. According to "horde" rules the coins get multiplied by 100. I rolled 4000gp. That is a whopping 400,000gp.

This seems a bit excessive. Regardless of the "rules" I would not have given out this amount of treasure. This is probably more gold than exists in my game world let alone being hauled around by a small black dragon. I daresay its retirement time for the characters as they have enough gold now to retire handsomely. I agree with Arduin's post that a bit more work needed to be done to win the hoard. Need to look at my rulebook on that one...

Morgan

Yup the rules indicate that all was done correctly. The only caveat being the horde is the treasure in the beastie's lair. I guess it depends on the value of gold in your campaign but it seems over the top. On average an age category 12 Black Dragon will have 10,400,000 gold pieces of value in just coins within its "Hoard".

Dag.

Morgan

[Snoring Rock]

No, the dragon was not carrying loot. They party has a friend in town who is a ranger, who assisted them in finding the lair. This dragon is not alone, however this lair is much too small for more than one dragon at a time. There are several of them of the same brood, but not all present as they move nightly from one lair to another (3 in all). This one specificaly terrorizes this little villiage. So they found the horde and one of the secret entrances from the side of a hill above a submerged portion of the lair. They have been looking for this for some time

My plan is to have one of the other brood members come on to the scene as they are trying to lug some of the treasure out. I think if they get away, it will be with a small portio of the treasure. That should fix this.

C&C puts a lot of gold in dragons dens.

[mabon5127]

No, the dragon was not carrying loot. They party has a friend in town who is a ranger, who assisted them in finding the lair. This dragon is not alone, however this lair is much too small for more than one dragon at a time. There are several of them of the same brood, but not all present as they move nightly from one lair to another (3 in all). This one specificaly terrorizes this little villiage. So they found the horde and one of the secret entrances from the side of a hill above a submerged portion of the lair. They have been looking for this for some time

My plan is to have one of the other brood members come on to the scene as they are trying to lug some of the treasure out. I think if they get away, it will be with a small portio of the treasure. That should fix this.

C&C puts a lot of gold in dragons dens.

Sounds like a good solution!

Morgan

[Snoring Rock]

So, who thinks that treasure for dragons is just a bit over the top? I did determined mine randomly and shazam!!

[Omote]

So, who thinks that treasure for dragons is just a bit over the top? I did determined mine randomly and shazam!!

Nope. Not even a little. It's time to stop comparing other games to this one. The game is never wrong. If the CK gave out too much moolah, it's squarely the CKs mistake. The rules are mearly a suggestion. The CK is the rules.

~O

[Arduin]

So, who thinks that treasure for dragons is just a bit over the top? I did determined mine randomly and shazam!!

No. The treasure that your PC's got was for 2-5 dragons of which, they should have had to confront and defeat in order to get near it. They would have died if they did. So, they would not have gotten any treasure... You have to play dragons carefully. The black dragons in question would have had an underwater lair unreachable by the low level PC's. Dragons have centuries to set up defenses...

[Snoring Rock]

Technically speaking, the encounter is not over. The treasure has not been moved and the party is in the cave trying to decide how to proceed. There is an escape path should I have one or more (as in both) of the other dragons pop up out of the water entrance to the lair. I am thinking they may make it out alive and possibly no treasure...er perhaps what they have in their little hobbit pocketses.

What they have not realized either, is that the ship, which they traded for some help, belonged the the helper's friend, who they double-crossed, now knows about the lair and possibly the loot. They may have other visitors as well and lots of folks trailing them for a share.

Could get ugly.

[mabon5127]

So, who thinks that treasure for dragons is just a bit over the top? I did determined mine randomly and shazam!!

I think the horde multiplier makes the amounts of gold way too much for my campaign. As a guideline I would probably multiply by the number of dragons in the lair.

Being able to find and defeat them probably means the characters are saving up to build strongholds!

Morgan

[serleran]

In sheer amount of gold pieces, I would agree the numbers might get high. In the amount of actual loot (non-coinage), I would say it is somewhat low. But, then, I like my dragons to be like unto Uncle Scrooge.