[RPG] Is a character obligated to advance in level

character-advancementdnd-5ednd-adventurers-league

Kind of a crazy question, but I was wondering if there were any written rules on the obligation of a character to advance in level?

The reason I'm asking is this: since this summer, I have created and played seven different characters with seven different classes. Five of them have reached tier two and only two are left for tier one (Adventurers League) adventures. Both are level four. However, I would like to be able to complete all tier one AL adventures without having to create even more characters.

So, the question is, do the RAW for 5e (and/or Adventurers League) stipulate that all characters are obligated to advance to tier two based on experience collected?

Best Answer

The Adventurer's League FAQ states that characters with sufficient experience must advance at the next opportunity.

When do characters advance in level? [...]

Characters with sufficient experience must advance at the next opportunity: the end of an episode of a multi-part adventure such as D&D Encounters or a published adventure, after a D&D Expedition, or after a long rest. The language indicating that a character can advance after a session is incorrect and will be corrected in future editions of the Player's Guide.

(Emphasis and excerpting added to highlight relevant bits.)