What's the point?

[Hannibal]

I have a very experienced gaming group, although they sometimes seem to play at 16-year-old rookies, in the same vein as KC's argument of how players often play in ways more reflective of low level/inexperienced characters. None of them (myself included when I play rather than GM) want to start at level one... with all the time and effort invested in current characters (started level one, now up to level 9 or 10), no one is particularly interested in starting all over. And even though they may not always play "up to their characters' experience level," that's a lot less important to me as a GM than them having a good time and me not making them play new characters/campaigns in which they're reluctantly starting anew. There's a real sense of accomplishment getting a character leveled up... I think it's natural to want to play him/her out at the high level and experience the hard-earned benefits.

Further, on a practical note, I can think of many real life examples of "experienced" people doing just absolutely dumb stuff, so it's not that much of a stretch to imagine their characters acting sometimes immaturely. Happens in real life all the time!

[Killer Cyborg]

Further, on a practical note, I can think of many real life examples of "experienced" people doing just absolutely dumb stuff, so it's not that much of a stretch to imagine their characters acting sometimes immaturely. Happens in real life all the time!

I remember reading an article about a professional skydiver who was making a "how-to" video, but who loaded himself down with so much camera equipment that he forgot his chute.

So, yeah... it can happen.