Question for pen&paper/tabletop gamers.

[alexandraerin]

If you’re playing (or running) a typical fantasy adventure focused roleplaying game, how important is the concept of experience/achievement levels to you? Do you like having a means of keeping score/measuring overall ability, or does it add nothing to the experience for you to know that your character is level 1 or level 11, as long as the game gives you ways to grow in power and ability?

Comments

Does this help?

[triplemare]

Most tabletop gaming that I have seen that use levels have them as a way to mark access to power/ability. Level 1 doesn't have access to XYZ because they're a newb but Level 30 can level mountains with XYZ power. In game terms, I would surmise that it means you haven't practiced/studied/come across that sort of thing because well, see: newb.

Personally, I like having the numbers associated to the levels from an organizational point of view. Also, it gives me a goal to shoot for.
That being said, I am a long term gamer and therefore might simply be unable to shake loose of past systems.