What level Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) 5e characters do you prefer to play? I prefer low-level characters. If I can get away with it, and my Dungeon Master allows it, I prefer to start at level zero! Why, you ask!? Simple. The game is more fun that way for me and is rife with character development, opportunities to role-play, and more of the focus is on these aspects of the game than on game mechanics, which can be the case at higher levels as characters start to gain more abilities.

And at these lower character levels is when the fun begins! I know some player’s favorite levels are levels two and three because that is when they get to pick their subclass(es). That’s fun, I must admit, and opens up whole new worlds of game play, character development, and opportunities to role-play, and I like those levels too. I like it best when I start the game and my character has limited supplies and abilities, with nothing but my wits to rely on for my character’s survival.

The majority of characters are in the level one to six range, according to D&D Beyond through the Bell of Lost Souls. Since that is the case, as around level seven is when characters start to leave the realm of mortals and ascend to having god-like powers and abilities, that’s just one more reason for me to extend out the low-level play by one more level and start at level zero. (Which, as D&D Beyond notes in their study, only a small fraction of players are playing level zero characters.)

I’d rather MacGyver myself out of situations through creative thinking, having my wits about me, and be accompanied by trusty, stalwart companions at the lower levels than play at the higher levels where it seems that anything is possible. That’s just me. What are your favorite D&D 5e character levels to play and why?

P.S. If you want to dig into this topic a little more, go here.