Everyman Heroes
From ENWiki
| Fan Content |
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| D&D 4e |
| This page is fan content for 4th Edition D&D. |
Version 1.0
These are optional rules for creating Everyman Heroes, weaker PCs lacking the power of normal first level heroes. They are adventures who have not yet reached the Heroic tier and are still struggling just to survive.
Everymen are normal, common folk who find themselves caught in adventure. They are often the archetypal reluctant heroes who find greatness thrust upon them. While still capable of great feats in moments of stress, they are less capable and not yet hardened by battle.
Everyman heroes are essentially level 0 PCs; they need to adventure for a time before reaching first level.
Contents |
Creation
Character creation occurs following the standard rules outlined in the Player’s Handbook except where noted below.
GMs might choose to lower the numbers of available points for ability scores. Instead, an additional bonus to ability scores would be granted at first level. Total points should be reduced by 2 or 3.
Alternatively, ability scores could have a maximum number, an ability cap, with an increase to raise a couple statistics upon reaching first level. Or available points could be reduced by 6 or 7 with all scores receiving a +1 bonus at first level.
Choices of race, skills, and feats are unaffected, although race should be influenced by the setting.
Choice of class is normally unaffected, although classes with the Arcane and Divine power sources might be less appropriate in some adventures: it is harder to imagine paladins and warlocks having mundane roles in a community.
One way to accommodate difficult classes is to treat them as a martial class of the same role with a multiclass feat. For example, an inexperienced cleric would be a warlord with the Initiate of the Faith feat. Upon first level they would swap out their powers for those of their true class.
Hitpoints
Hitpoints are reduced according to class. Calculate hitpoints as you would for a first level character, then subtract the number of hitpoints normally gained each level.
For example, a 0-level wizard with a Constitution of 12 would have 16 hitpoints, while a 0-level warlord with a Constitution of 14 would begin with 19 hitpoints
Checks
Being below first level, Everyman PCs do not add half their level to checks like standard PCs. Instead they take a -1 penalty to all checks where they would add 1/2 their level.
Upon reaching first level, the characters effectively get a +1 to all checks raising their modifier to +0 (or 1/2 their level).
Powers
0-level PCs do not have At-Will powers. Players chose Daily and Encounter powers normally, as described in the Player’s Handbook. A single At-Will power is also selected, however this is only usable once an encounter, essentially changing the At-Will power to an Encounter power.
Once all their powers have been expended, 0-level PCs must rely on basic attacks.
Human PCs are able to choose an additional At-Will power to act as an Encounter power. However, only a single At-Will power can be used each encounter; humans simply have a choice of which of their two At-Will power to use each encounter.
Once a PC reaches first level their At-Will powers become usable normally, and they can then choose their other At-Will power.
Equipment
In theory, Everymen PCs begin with the same value of equipment as standard PCs. However, this equipment should not be purchased but handed down and perhaps still being stored away in barns and attics.
Equipment might be dirty or rusted and in need of maintenance, perhaps being a generation or two out of style.
Some PCs might have the equipment supplied to them. A watchman is provided with armour and weaponry while a magician’s apprentice would have a spellbook and a wizardly implement.
Many inexperienced heroes might be limited to improvised weaponry, or rely on farming tools as weapons. Weapons such as the scythe, sickle, and flail would be common. Sledge hammers and wood axes might be represented as warhammers and battleaxes, while a pitchfork functions as a spear.
Using Everymen
Everymen PCs are clumsier and more fragile than first-level PCs. They are common folk dealing with uncommon situations. They might begin in a small hometown or living mundane lives in a city, only to find themselves involved with something larger than themselves.
Most 0-level PCs would have simple jobs, often reflecting their skills. A ranger would make a living as a hunter and trapper while a fighter or warlord would be a member of the town guard.
Adventures
Adventures with Everymen PCs are designed like other adventures; only the PCs might lack standard equipment or begin performing the simplest of tasks. They do not start as heroes that are superior to the common man, although they can still be formidable.
0-level heroes need to rests more often between encounters and will frequently run out of powers. However, not being established heroes who are expected to save the day single-handed, it is more permissible to allow other commoners and allies to assist the PCs. Having a mentor assist the PCs is one way to help keep characters alive. However, while the PCs are not (yet) heroes, they are still the protagonists of the adventure, and should not be forced to watch while their master or employer saves the day.
Monsters and Encounters
Encounters for 0-level PCs should feature fewer creatures that the weaker PCs can gang-up on. Monsters can also be reduced in level, but this should be used sparingly as enemies should feel like a real and formidable threat.
Minions should be rare used against everymen heroes, as rookie adventurers can rarely fell multiple opponents with a single spell or drop an opponent with a solitary strike. Likewise, solo monsters should be exceedingly rare.
Experience
Everymen heroes essentially begin at negative experience. They gain experience normally and, when they reach positive numbers, they have achieved first level. Standard 0-level PCs begin with -750 xp.
Alternatively, the PCs begin at 0 xp but require 750 xp to reach first level, with each additional level requiring 750 more experience. While easier to accept than someone having negative experience it requires constant adjustment for the rest of the PC’s career.
GMs should feel free to adjust the starting balance of experience depending on the needs of their campaign. Those wishing their PCs to remain weak and fragile for only a single session might reduce the negative value to -300 or -400 xp. Those GM who prefer that their PCs to remain 0-level for longer might increase the value to -900 or -1000 xp.
Why Everymen
Everymen make lovely narrative devices where, as they explore the world, the world gets explained to them. It is a good way to explain how a world or setting works to new PCs.
Having characters that begin with humble roots and accomplishing simple adventures also makes it that much more impressive when they eventually save the kingdom or world and perform other heroic and dramatic feats.
In Fiction
There are many examples of Everymen heroes in Fantasy fiction. In fact, there are noticeably few classic examples of wise, experienced protagonists (with many of those designed to deliberately contrast with the typically inexperienced hero).
A few examples are:
- Frodo and Bilbo in “The Lord of the Rings”
- The Pevensie family in “The Chronicles of Narnia” series
- Rand al’Thor in “The Wheel of Time” series
- Gond in the “Earthsea” series
- Garion in the “Belgariad” series
- Richard Cypher in “Wizard's First Rule”
- Thomas Covenant in the “Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever”
- Pug in “Magician”
- Harry Potter
Even popular movies with fantasy elements often feature inexperienced protagonists: Willow, Luke Skywalker, and even Neo.
