High level babies born from high level PC's?

[Klaus]

High hit dice monsters are born with (or grow up to have) higher hit dice due to size, physical construction, etc. Class levels don't represent the same thing.

Now, if you go by the "PCs have a unqiue aptitude for heroism that other don't" (ala Eberron), the offspring of two PCs might well have a higher chance to have a PC class.

The scro would be an example of this - their ancestors were all orc "PCs" rather than orc "NPCs" and so they all have superior abilities/PC classes, whereas normal orcs are usually warriors.

Moogle is correct.

Racial HD = physical toughness and overall badassiness.

Class HD = Combat training and the ability to turn a deadly attack into a near-miss.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I actually roleplayed this out with some players of mine back in 2E days. It is amazing how, under parental controlled conditions, fast their decendents can safely gain levels.

I had an NPC who was trained by cultists of Demogorgon to fight starting at a young age against summoned creatures. Whenever he died they gave him a true ressurection and continued him on his fighting ASAP. It was expensive, but he became a really powerful (if insane) weapon for them.

Good times... good times...

 

[Treebore]

I did a very similar thing with a lawful good Paladin raised from birth to believe Iuz was a good guy. That turned into an excellent "encounter" then adventure. Went a 100 times better than I ever dared hope.

 

[Dragonbait]

Epic character + Epic character = High level baby? Sounds like those monster breeding games. Can we freeze the Epic characters before they die, and magically merge them?


Races would only be born with biological traits (Darkvision, low-light vision, keen hearing, etc..) and not cultural stuff. Well, unless you follow the 3.0 DMG, then everyone has the ability to see in absoulte darkness (so says the example of the human raised by dwarves..) and most likely other 'biological' traits. Unless a halfling rased by trolls can learn how to regenerate their body and a human raised by an elf never sleeps and is immune to sleep spells. Hmm...

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Unless a halfling rased by trolls can learn how to regenerate their body and a human raised by an elf never sleeps and is immune to sleep spells. Hmm...

Plot bunnies... breeding too quickly... need shotgun!

I actually use infusion of magical energy (in the form of XP) as a vehicle for Lamarckian evolution in my setting. It's minor, though-- there are no superhuman babies, but the child of two epic heroes is probably going to be PC classed (and thus Gestalt) by default and possibly sixth or seventh level by the time they reach adulthood.

The aristocracy is, in fact, self-sustaining and that's a large part of why people flee the Core Worlds for Frontier Space to make their marks. One, it gives them some room to breathe and two it allows them to develop the XP that their "social betters" are hogging at home.

 

[Krieg]

What's the difference?

The difference is that you haven't sat down and written up the stats for it yet.

Once you're done get back with us and we'll be happy to critique as needed.

 

[Tatsukun]

Class levels don't come into it. But then again, if two 32 point-buy people have a kid, I guess it's more likely to be a 32 point buy kid than the standard human.

-Tatsu

 

[lukelightning]

What if a Duskblade and a Cleric have a baby? Would it be a super broken munchkin baby?

(p.s. I'm joking, I don't have any opinion on the possible "broken-ness" of these classes)

 

[Maldin]

Hey Jay! Been a long time! ;-)

So, are high-level babies born from high-level PC's?
High HD monsters are born from high HD monsters right?
What's the difference?

Dat's just crazy!

Its the difference between innate physical morphology, such as hide toughness (rhino), large size (elephant), muscular development (bull), speed (cheetah), dexterity (monkey), etc., all determined by genetics, versus learned experience and training.

I have a PhD in geology (arguably making me a "high level academic"), but I wouldn't expect my children to be born with my knowledge and skills. Although that sort of thing (racial knowledge, or knowledge that can be passed on to offspring in other ways) has been utilized in many scifi storylines.

Denis, aka "Maldin"
=============================
Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com
Loads of edition-independent Greyhawk goodness.... maps, magic, mysteries, mechanics

 

[painandgreed]

However, there is a common fantasy theme of the child of a king or great person going on to become a great person also, even if separated from parents or other influences. While I wouldn't give them extra HD, I probalby would give them good stats, a PC class, and make them a named NPC at least.