Any of the 'new classes' in use?

[Thelandrin]

*shrug* I'm just commenting on what the books say.

[irdeggman]

So then as a consequence he cultivates so little skill despite a millenium to do so? Certainly regardless of what Fhileraine wants, he must undertake actions that would, after so long a life, make him greater than 14th level. One would surmise anyway, so how does one explain his low number of character levels and his long life span?

Age does not equal experience (in D&D terms).

So just because a character is "older" (or immortal, like an elf) this does not translate into character levels. It is one of those "issues" with how the game system is designed. Also, as written, there is no experience gained for domain actions only adventure ones. (again, another one of those "game" issues).

[kgauck]

No one has argued that age=experience, in D&D terms or in any terms at all. There is no generalization to contest about age and its relationship to the single specific case of Fhileraine. What is his personal and specific reason for being so low in level given his age and the particular circumstances?

Perhaps
1) He does not encounter CR's sufficient to give him much experience these days.
2) He's a layabout and spends all his days reading poetry and contemplating the shapes the clouds make.
3) His youth occupies a very large part of his life, so his total life span is decieving in such matters
3) The elves don't let him take risks much, he's mostly a vessel for his bloodline. See also case #1
4) Its a mistake, Queen Isaelie of Sielwode is a Wizard 13, and so much more powerful, plus there are several human Wizard 10, so the description is a mistake.

These are four distinct answers to my own question. They concern the world in which the prince dwells, and the challenges available to him; his personal nature and ambition; the culture of his society and the limitations on a regent, and the people who made the book in the first place.

Irdeggman, if Fhileraine were a PC in your campaign, what would he look like at his age? He's not a PC, and that is something of an explanation right there, but it can be described in terms like ambition or engaging in some other kind of activity, or being shielded from danger, or just the limitations you impose on characters of a certain level.

[AndrewTall]

KGauck: No one has argued that age=experience, in D&D terms or in any terms at all. There is no generalization to contest about age and its relationship to the single specific case of Fhileraine. What is his personal and specific reason for being so low in level given his age and the particular circumstances?

Andrew>
Interesting one, particularly as he was written in 2e when a F7/M7 needed only the same xp as a single classed L8 character although progression was slower.

A potential reason you missed out was forgetfulness - I see nothing to stop an elf who doesn't use class skills in a few centuries from losing them, he could have trained as a rogue before taking an interest in rulership and simply never made use to the skills again. (To many years ago I apparently spoke German and knew chemistry according to some old school books I found while cleaning up recently - now it's all greek to me, skill ranks from apparently quite reasonable to nil in a decade and change)

A reason that he has the great mage reputation is possibly simply the mystery of the unknown - with only 1-2 mages in any realm very few people could tell them apart with any real degree of skill and it's not like they get into duels frequently or the like. Fhileraene is therefore a great sorceror because he's lord of Tuarheviel - and everyone KNOWS that the elves are great wizards...

[Thelandrin]

Just as a thought, what reason do rich carefree Sidhelien have to do anything, least of all do something difficult like gain levels?

To continue with Fhileraine, he might be 7/7 simply because he's dossed around for 1000 years and that 125,000 odd XP is all he's been bothered to collect.

[kgauck]

What reason do rich carefree Sidhelien have to do anything, least of all do something difficult like gain levels?

None at all. But if this is true, and its also true that he is one of the greatest wizards in Anuire (putting aside the rather numerable wizards who are greater than 7th level), does he remain a figure of awe and amazement in a typical campaign? If so, how?

[Thelandrin]

Well, he is a Sidhe and a powerful regent and a very reasonable wizard. Other than that, I'm out

[AndrewTall]

I can see the Sidhe as mayflies who pick up a lot of different classes, etc, as they go along rather than focusing on one or a 'killer combo', but given that spending 2-4 decades adventuring in one class as barely more than a passing phase for them I would see high level as relatively normal amongst the Sidhe.

I also see the Sidhe as having the regent do a lot of the action - they don't have a large bureaucracy to leap into action to solve any problems - the regent themselves has to do it all - and that's a lot of adventure opportunities over a century or so.

On the reputation point for the prince I would stick to the wisdom of distance - one never seeks wisdom near to home, instead gurus on far off mountains and the like are seen as the font of knowledge, in the same way the local mage is just 'old Stiele' who gets his laundry done by old mother Tara like everyone else - the far off exotic Prince Fhileraene on the other hand is a 'real' wizard...