I play lots of role playing games, I am a father of 4 afterall, and the one thing I’ve been toying with is; What level should players start?
Traditional D&D starts at level one with the players already set into their class types. Is this the right way to go?
Should they rather start as a generic level 0 character, using the rules of the game to open their eyes to the game world before they choose their path?
What do you think? Post a comment below.
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I’m about to try this now in fact – I could have SWORN that one of the older (I play 2E) rulebooks covered this — maybe one of the supplemental releases? I’ll continue looking through what i have but my approach will be based on the following items:
1) PC characters are young and just getting started 13-14 y/o
2) Class isn’t settled but all abilities have been rolled
a) given their youth I am going to allow for the possibility of upward movement just about any of their scores over the course of the next – haven’t figured out the math but it won’t be hard
3) I have set 3 types of possible encounters for them to get started in this new campaign. Only types One and Two align with the idea of advancing from level 0 to level 1 and a definitive class. (The type 3 events are being set as appropriate for level 1-2 PC’s so I can stay ahead of my players of course)
4) The early encounters and challenges will emphasize exploration, problem solving and RP more than combat although some combat can easily occur….based on how they perform in given situations (and making possible upward adjustments for treasure etc) — they will advance from some “negative EXP level” as the previous poster noted — to level 1.
5) Key events along the way should have an impact on how the character develops — so figure that in however it makes sense to you. Also, I’m asking them ahead of time what classes they are leaning towards – and they’re getting one NWP each as well —- sometimes even one NWP tells a lot about a character’s background and can inform on where they’re headed!
enjoy!!
Here is my answer, what age are the players starting at? I mean you do have NPC classes to use also but the real idea of starting @ lvl 1 is that these people are late Teens to early 20s (adjust for race norms) so they have been most of their lives training for these jobs. It not they woke up one day and walked out and said, “Today I am going to be a Fighter.” No they have trained and went to say fighter school or what not to become knowledgeable in their weapons and armor. So really starting a PC at 0 level sorta gimps their characters because technically they can do nothing.
Now I have run a 0 level game before but it wasn’t technically 0 level it was negative levels. Basically the players had to work of exp debt in training to earn enough xp to earn level 1. The PC average age was 10-12 and the game took place in the prestigious adventures training academy. Unless back story said other wise most skills were all untrained and at minuses. Armors, weapons, spells everything was hard for them to use due to the fact they were learning to properly apply them. Just like when you started school and had to learn to use the tools you were given for classes.
I think starting at level zero would be about learning the ropes of the game, there as a teaching tool – possibly an optional teaching tool. Same thing goes for level progression, and the reason why I don’t go past level 4. I think level 5 would be about adding another layer of complexity to the game as well.