Spartan Training

MaxKaladin · Nov 23, 2003

I'm trying to set up a group on my world that has a training program for their youth similar to the brutal conditions under which the Spartans raised their children.

Assuming someone had basically been through having all "defective" children killed at birth and 14 years of Boot Camp from ages 7 to 21...

* Would you give them any kind of bonuses and penalties to stats?
* Any other special abilities?
* What class would they be? Prestige class, fighter and/or warrior NPC class?
* What level do you think they would be?
* Assuming some of their number were seperated out about halfway through to be trained as clerics, wizards or sorcerers, how would that change your answers to those questions?

Thanks!

Ace · Nov 23, 2003

MaxKaladin said:
I'm trying to set up a group on my world that has a training program for their youth similar to the brutal conditions under which the Spartans raised their children.

Assuming someone had basically been through having all "defective" children killed at birth and 14 years of Boot Camp from ages 7 to 21...

* Would you give them any kind of bonuses and penalties to stats?
* Any other special abilities?
* What class would they be? Prestige class, fighter and/or warrior NPC class?
* What level do you think they would be?
* Assuming some of their number were seperated out about halfway through to be trained as clerics, wizards or sorcerers, how would that change your answers to those questions?

Thanks!

The quick way to show the difference between a Spartan army and a regular one is to treat all of the Spartans as Fighters with 4d6 drop 1 stats. TReat regular joes as Warriors using average dice (+1 or 2 for prime stats)

As for the Wizards et all, well that depends on the -- highly stressed Wizards might be less effective than non stressed ones. Probably the easier solution is to make the surviving Wizards (and many would die in training) high level than normal; for their age.

The Trojans (FREX) might have say a bunch of 3-5 level mages average age 20 something. The Spartan warcasters would be 6 level with a level or 2 of maybe Warcaster or some cool PRC

MaxKaladin · Nov 23, 2003

Ace said:
The quick way to show the difference between a Spartan army and a regular one is to treat all of the Spartans as Fighters with 4d6 drop 1 stats. TReat regular joes as Warriors using average dice (+1 or 2 for prime stats)

As for the Wizards et all, well that depends on the -- highly stressed Wizards might be less effective than non stressed ones. Probably the easier solution is to make the surviving Wizards (and many would die in training) high level than normal; for their age.

The Trojans (FREX) might have say a bunch of 3-5 level mages average age 20 something. The Spartan warcasters would be 6 level with a level or 2 of maybe Warcaster or some cool PRC

Well, I imagine the surviving wizards would be very good under stress having grown up with so much of it and surviving. I can see them being higher level and/or having a couple of levels of some more militant class/prestige class due to their very, um, focused childhood and adolescence. Perhaps the warrior NPC class or a level of Rogue or two...

I suppose a different dice rolling method would be better to represent their training than a set of stat bonuses and penalties, though I can see those applying as well.

Thanks

the Jester · Nov 23, 2003

Since only the cream of the crop survives, roll their stats best 3 of 5d6.

hong · Nov 23, 2003

"The only traditions of the Spartan army are rum, sodomy and the lash." -- probably not Winston Churchill

Nifft · Nov 23, 2003

hong said:
"The only traditions of the Spartan army are rum, sodomy and the lash." -- probably not Winston Churchill

Greeks had Rum?!?

-- N

hong · Nov 23, 2003

Nifft said:
Greeks had Rum?!?

"The only traditions of the Spartan army are olive oil, sodomy and the lash." -- still probably not Winston Churchill

Hong "not to mention fetta cheese" Ooi