Hello all,
My players have tons of XP. For whatever reason, we’ve been pushing so hard, they haven’t had an opportunity to Make Camp in at least 3 sessions.
A couple of them have enough XP to level up twice, one even has enough to level up 3 levels (he’s got like 31 xp or something – he’s the most pro-active player in the group; and the Neutral Fighter’s alignment move is an XP engine).
Anyway – when they finally do make camp (I predict at the next session), would you let them take all the levels they can? Or only advance one level, and have to make camp again soon.
If you say one make camp session allows them to advance all the levels they can – fictionally, how would you describe what/why that works?
Thanks in advance!
Okay. Up to you. I would think I would let my players level up to their full level: they’ve been adventuring a lot so they’ve gone the distance: why make them wait again?
I would say fictionally, the camp would look something like this. I’m just gonna provide my own descriptions and stuff because it’s easier for me to think that way instead of advise.
“You finally collapse after almost a week of hard walking. Much has happened. Much that you need time to reflect on. And sleep off. After setting up a watch, you collapse into sleep.
Upon waking, the camp is silent as you prepare for the day. The ranger is watching the grass sway. The wizard has finally transcribed a difficult spell to his spellbook. The thief is figuring out why his plans, or lack thereof, went awry. The fighter is making breakfast and looking at his scars, wondering how they could have been avoided.(etc)”
In this manner, I would take up maybe even half a day(fictioninally) of light roleplay. Have them find a serene or safe place to spend at least a few hours after waking to puzzle out their problems, ponder their mistakes and deeds and practice their various arts.
Finally: is the problem that you’re heroes are leveling too rapidly?
Because if that’s the case, try to cut down on die rolls.
To cut down on die rolls:
Ask one player to roll defy danger wisdom for the whole party instead of everyone.
Ask players to put more thought and description into their actions rather than picking off a list of moves.
Make moves that require a response that doesn’t have to involve dice.
Introduce diplomacy more.
Instead of asking for defy danger or hack and slash, ask for descriptions of what they do and tell them what stands in their way or may aid them in their task.
My two cents. Have fun with that game!
I say let ’em level: it makes players happy, and doesn’t cost you anything.
I limit mine to one level per make camp. Usually not a problem as we often skip forward by a week at a time, but if time is in short supply it can keep them from going from zero to hero in one night.
Just from my own perspective, I’d level up one at a time: they haven’t spent any time at level, so how can they skip ahead?
Second, mega-advancement is utterly against the theme of DW and its stablemates.
They were created to step away from Munchkinland!
They haven’t made camp or traveled at all?
Chris Rouillard, the players haven’t yet made camp; they haven’t left the closet.
Chris Rouillard No. We’ve been driving towards what feels like the climax of the adventure, hot on the heels of the boss, who keeps doing the equivalent of lobbing A fireball and then knocking over the melon stand.
Sounds awesome.
I’d just let the players have their full levels when they finally rest (they’ve been so busy that they didn’t even realize how much they’d learned while they were avoiding death).
I probably would have let them have their levels at the end of a session, though — rest or no.