Pathfinder 1E How do you guys handle young characters?

[BigVanVader]

..I have not dealt with a character under the age of 14. Aside from the stat reductions, I think that they are generally not considered as playable due to the ideology that responsible adults would not agree to put children in hazardous situations. Realistically, I just cannot see a party of hearty adventurers taking an eight year-old into a dungeon. Unless you ran an adventuring party of all children, which could be an interesting challenge.

Dude, it could be a 'party' of kids trying to escape the ludicrously unsafe industrial factory they work at and were locked in. That would be as brutal as it would be Metal.

 

[was]

Dude, it could be a 'party' of kids trying to escape the ludicrously unsafe industrial factory they work at and were locked in. That would be as brutal as it would be Metal.

LoL...that totally gives me a Christmas adventure idea
...kids = gnomes
...ludicrously unsafe industrial factory = evil Santa's workshop
..BBEG/Santa = evil puppetmaker wizard who traps souls in toys/dolls given to children

 

[BigVanVader]

Duuuude, that would be sick. Gnome-eating reindeer, the candy cane machine that pulls off fingers if you aren't careful, rampaging Abominable Snowmen...that would rock.

 

[Celebrim]

Because most PCs are immature. It was der humor ja.

Sorry. I pretty much have no sense of humor. Sometimes I can't work out if something is supposed to be funny.

Now, if you'd said most players are immature...

 

[Celebrim]

Unless you ran an adventuring party of all children, which could be an interesting challenge.

One of the several campaigns I have bumping around in the back of my head that I'll probably never get to do, is have the group make characters ahead of time (my usual practice), and then start the first session as a prequel, with everyone playing the 12 year old version of themselves.

 

[prosfilaes]

Why stress about it? It's like in GURPS 3, there was a skill point of max of twice the character's age in years, but not in GURPS 4. Sean Punch said that that was because people didn't actually follow the rule, and that it was realism where realism wasn't fun. If they want to play a 12 year old and the DM and the players want to go along with that, why stress with crunch at all?

 

[Puxido]

..The youngest character that I have seen in a PF campaign was a 14 year-old sorceror. Given that most 12-14 year-olds functioned as adults in medieval socities, we did not impose any restrictions.
..I'd suggest imposing stat limit maximums in certain stats at certain ages rather than negative adjustments. For example, maybe in your campaign you decide an eight-year fighter shouldn't have an 18 strength and impose a maximum limit of 16.
..I have not dealt with a character under the age of 14. Aside from the stat reductions, I think that they are generally not considered as playable due to the ideology that responsible adults would not agree to put children in hazardous situations. Realistically, I just cannot see a party of hearty adventurers taking an eight year-old into a dungeon. Unless you ran an adventuring party of all children, which could be an interesting challenge.

I don't mean to be crude, and your idea makes the most sense. But personally, limiting what they can have in certain stats doesn't really seem in the spirit of the game.

 

[was]

I don't mean to be crude, and your idea makes the most sense. But personally, limiting what they can have in certain stats doesn't really seem in the spirit of the game.

..Just brainstorming on limiting starting statistics. The OP was clear that he wanted the characters' stats to improve with both adventuring and age. The idea was not about building any type of permanent cap to any stats.
...I guess it comes down to how much realism that you want in your game. Yes, it's fantasy but I don't think ruling an eight year old child being limited to a 16 starting Strength really goes against the spirit of the game.
...But I recognize there are those who have differing opinions. Some people do enjoy high fantasy with absolutely no limitations. For example, the last time I had this argument I was told that a half-dragon pixie faerie barbarian with a 22 strength was totally reasonable.

 

[Puxido]

..Just brainstorming on limiting starting statistics. The OP was clear that he wanted the characters' stats to improve with both adventuring and age. The idea was not about building any type of permanent cap to any stats.
...I guess it comes down to how much realism that you want in your game. Yes, it's fantasy but I don't think ruling an eight year old child being limited to a 16 starting Strength really goes against the spirit of the game.
...But I recognize there are those who have differing opinions. Some people do enjoy high fantasy with absolutely no limitations. For example, the last time I had this argument I was told that a half-dragon pixie faerie barbarian with a 22 strength was totally reasonable.

Wait, it seems I misunderstood that. It's a starting stat of 16, can he get stronger over time?

 

[was]

Wait, it seems I misunderstood that. It's a starting stat of 16, can he get stronger over time?

...Hmm...maybe I misunderstood. I was under the impression that younger player characters would also gain stat bonuses when they progressed to the next age. My original thought was to cap starting stats but allow them to increase with age and adventuring. So yes, the player would get stronger over time.
...Say for example you have that 8 year old fighter with a 16 strength. If you keep accurate track of campaign time you could cover years of game time in months of real time. So let's say the character is now 10, and you rule that he/she is in a new age category. You could allow him/her a +1 to Strength. When you combine that adjustment with stat bonuses every 4 levels, I think it it balances out pretty quickly.
...The hardest part of this would be to determine what starting stat limits you feel are appropriate for which ages. Then you have to decide at what level you believe that they should gain bonuses.