In a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, your group will experience various tiers of gameplay. These tiers influence everything about your adventure, including the atmosphere, conflicts, and even the monsters you may encounter. The progression through these tiers is a significant aspect of your journey.
Whether you’re a new Dungeon Master (DM) or guiding seasoned players, it’s important to adjust your gameplay according to the appropriate tier. But how exactly do these tiers work? This guide will provide you with all the information you need to understand and utilize tiers in your campaign.
Understanding Tiers of Play
In Dungeons & Dragons, there are four main tiers of play that determine the adventures a party embarks on. These tiers are based on the group’s combined levels and help shape the nature of their quests.
|
Tier of Play |
Level |
Details |
|---|---|---|
|
Local Heroes |
1-4 |
The party will face lower-stakes challenges, such as protecting farms or towns from minor creatures. |
|
Heroes of the Realm |
5-10 |
The party may deal with issues affecting a kingdom or territory. |
|
Masters of the Realm |
11-16 |
At this tier, adventurers are entrusted with the destiny of a nation, continent, or even the world. |
|
Masters of the World |
17-20 |
The party will embark on quests across the multiverse, influencing the fate of entire realms. |
Most campaigns begin at the Local Heroes tier, but you can start at a higher level if your group prefers.
However, it’s not advisable to begin at Masters of the World, as it limits the tonal progression of your campaign’s adventures.
Local Heroes
Local Heroes is usually where most gameplay begins, even if characters start slightly above level one.
This tier features low-stakes adventures, allowing players to explore their capabilities while learning the essence of heroism.
Chapter Four of the 2024 Player’s Handbook offers several adventure hooks suitable for this tier and others.
Example Adventure Hooks for Local Heroes
Here are a few potential adventures that might suit Local Heroes:
- A village is under threat from a band of goblins.
- A family of farmers requires protection as they travel through a perilous forest.
- A group of climbers is trapped after an avalanche and needs assistance.
Generally, these quests will not be lethal for the group and will involve less impactful favors and low-level adversaries.
Heroes of the Realm
As the party reaches levels beyond five, they transition into Heroes of the Realm, meaning they will face stronger creatures.
As players level up and move between tiers, create a memorable roleplaying moment to mark this change, underscoring their sense of advancement.
This tier is marked by higher stakes and more formidable monsters, with the party’s choices impacting a larger area, whether it’s a region, city, or kingdom.
Example Adventure Hooks for Heroes of the Realm
Consider these adventure ideas for the Heroes of the Realm:
- A plague of magic is spreading across a kingdom.
- A crime syndicate plots to overthrow a ruling nation.
- A cabal of mages seeks to steal magical artifacts for nefarious purposes.
Masters of the Realm
Once the party hits level 11, the stakes must increase dramatically. This stage signifies that they should have engaged in various high-stakes missions with significant outcomes.
At this level, powerful adversaries like Ancient Dragons and Archmages can serve as antagonists.
The party must now prove their capabilities by defending a continent or a large population in their world.
Example Adventures for Masters of the Realm
Here are some suggested quests for Masters of the Realm:
- Two kingdoms are at war, on the brink of using magical weapons of mass destruction.
- A dangerous cult aims to resurrect an ancient creature of horrific origins.
- Extraterrestrial beings are invading from another dimension, seeking chaos and bloodshed.
Masters of the World
The final tier is for characters at level 17 and above, marking the peak of your campaign. This tier should feature the climactic moments, where players face their most formidable threat yet.
Keep in mind, tone is as critical as Challenge Rating or creature type when setting a tier of play. As players advance, enhance the severity and high-stakes atmosphere of their challenges.
By this stage, players should have a good grasp of their abilities, and the threat of death looms large. Challenges must be lethal, with serious implications for the Material Plane and beyond.
Example Adventures for Masters of the World
Consider these adventures for the Masters of the World:
- A cunning lich seeks to ascend to godhood.
- A tyrant from the Material Plane threatens to enslave all existence.
- A Mind Flayer cult plans to unleash a plague to wipe out humanity.
