4th edition
IMO removes the 'before they were awesome' stage that has traditionally held the first couple of levels in D&D. I think it's possible to do this with 4th edition, so here's how I would do it:
1.) XP. You could start out at 'level 0'. Getting to level 1 could be accomplished by having one successful fight, or you may want a slower progression. You could make it 500 xp to give a fell of scale. Perhaps you start off at a negative number, like -500 or -1000 xp, and once you reach 0 you are level 1. Or you could bump up all of the xp values for each level.
My preference: start out at level 0 with -500 xp and hit level 1 at 0 xp. It's gives a longer progression and it's easier to modify the system that way.
2.) HP. One option is to start out with your con in hit points. This would indicate that you haven't received the hit points you'd get from class training. Another is to start out with just your class hit points. This doesn't make as much sense to me, as I can't explain why constitution would suddenly come into play at level 1. A third option is to have half the hit points you would normally receive at 1st level.
My preference: I kind of like option 3.
3.) Defenses: You don't receive the bonus to defenses from your class.
4.) Class Abilities: You can pick one class ability.
5.) Powers: You could just start out with no powers. You could also pick maybe one power to have. Another option is to pick just one power. You could also increase all powers by one degree. Pick one at will and it becomes an encounter, and pick on encounter and it becomes a daily.
My preference: I would prefer to start out with no powers, honestly.
6.) Feats: You could start off with no feats, only gaining them at level 1. You could also start off with feats, gaining nothing at level 1.
My preference: No feats at level 0.
7.) Equipment: Starting gold can be a fractional amount or the full starting amount.
My preference: I would probably go with half starting gold (50 gp).
Another option is to have fractional levels.
1/4 level = start at -2000 xp (500 xp per 1/4 level), 1/4 normal 1st level hp per 1/4 level, one class ability per 1/4 advance
For powers, you start out at 1/4 level with no powers. At 1/2 level you pick one at will power and it becomes a daily. At 3/4 level the at will you chose becomes an encounter, and you pick an encounter and it becomes a daily.
This will effectively give you 3 'levels' before you become a normal 1st level 4th edition super hero. What do people think?
Linear Mode
