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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Master of the Game" data-source="post: 3361330" data-attributes="member: 9220">The Lifepath stat basically fills a few very specific roles.  First, it gives characters the number of terms they did before becoming "PCs".Second, it represents general knowledge gained during their previous life.  It's almost like an education stat.  For instance, if Clalibus needed to know about renegade mages, he would roll level+lifepath.  It represents what the character "should know" based on who he is.Finally, it can be used to buy down racial ECLs.  Each +1 is worth 1 ECL.  It throws off the standard balance a bit, but we wanted to try it out and see how bad it is.  One of our players is an ECL 1 race, while the rest are human.  We'll see how much it hurts.As to lifepaths making generation more complicated, you're absolutely right, it does.  But, it becomes a little minigame in and of itself.  It's certainly not for all groups.  I run five campaigns in three games a week, and only one uses this system.  But it does work for what the players wanted...  Veteran characters with some real history behind them.Everyone in my world, from the farmers to the merchants, to the great heroes, are all a bit higher level than your standard DnD game.  Anyone with any reasonable training is at least third level, and many experienced people will be between 5th and 7th.  With this system the players fit right in.The basic idea is to play characters after a big war, where many have survived battles or courtroom intrigue, and are just returning to their own lives.  Somewhat like Firefly.  It just wouldn't have been the same if Mal was just some wet-behind-the-ears farm boy.It might have been fun to play through the war with the alliance, but it would have been a different story than the experienced veterans trying to regain control over their lives.</blockquote>

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