Player Characters

[Colt47]

I don't know about the rest of you guys, but something about the palladium system that always tickled me funny is how they have players stick with a single character for possibly years of playtime to get to the maximum level of experience. Any here ever accelerated the leveling system a bit to let player characters grow faster? I've GMed two games where the characters reach max level within about 3-4 months worth of gaming sessions (three to four sessions a week). Then once the story was over with I let them make new characters and move on.

[Vrykolas2k]

I don't mind my characters taking long periods of time to level up.
If I wanted fast level ups, I'd play video games/ 4th ed. D&D.

[Shorty Lickens]

Theres no rule that says you have to level them up.
Some of the most interesting campaigns we've had started wit 10th level PC's.

[Anthar]

It really doesn't take that long to get up in levels. If you look at the experience system, you just have to capitalize on the experience for using the PC's skills and the points really add up quickly. For instance, during a round of combat a character can be using various skills such as hand to hand skills, WPs and even piloting skills(vehicle or robot/power armor). Then there are the reward's for having a "good idea". There are plenty of experience awards to keep the level advancement moving along just fine.

[Spinachcat]

I rarely use XP in any RPG anymore.

I often start the campaign beyond 1st level and I usually have a clear idea about the length of the campaign in the realistic number of sessions that will exist before we move to the next RPG. Using that number, I decide what level I want them to be at the climax of the campaign and level them accordingly through the sessions. I do eyeball the power level differences and you will level faster with a Human Vagabond than a Promethean Phase Adept.

I don't need XP as a carrot for good roleplay. If people are at my home table, they are by definition good players. I have no time for wankery.

[Northern Ranger]

I'm pretty much a fan of quick leveling, but oddly, even though I level fairly quick (not as fast as most, but certainly faster than they are meant to level up) my players still wind up sticking with their same characters for years. That's not to say they don't make others, it just means that when we sit down to play a new campaign, they have a stockpile to choose from. I like that, it keeps things mixed up and interesting.