Campaign starting a 0-level?
- Thread starter WinnipegDragon
- Start date
Simplicity
Explorer
Henry said:I played in one from the Greyhawk Adventures book back in the late 80's - I played a 0-level who eventually became a magic-user who could use a handaxe.It was all right, but it was only for one session. I couldn't see spending more than one session that way.
I think that's the trick of it.
A lot of DMs want to try out 0-level characters, but a lot of players get annoyed by being so weak. So if you do it, keep the session SHORT, and be sure that being 0-level winds up giving the players some tangible benefit. For example, the ability to customize their class a bit more.
Whizbang Dustyboots
Gnometown Hero
Letting the NPC class level not count against their character class level -- i.e. 1st level NPC + 1st level PC = level 1 character for XP and other issues -- might be more than enough. The only question is how to do the skill points.Simplicity said:
WinnipegDragon
First Post
Well, to be clear the 0-level events would only be one session, maybe one and a half. They wouldn't (at that point) be capable of any spellcasting, armour wearing, etc...
I know it realistically takes more than, say, one week of training to become a level one fighter, but if you read any of the classic-style coming of age fantasy stories, the fighter-types learn to fight when they have no choice. Mages find a few simple spells written in a book ,and they expand their knowledge from there...
Here's a rough outline of the campaign start as I see it:
The first session is all about the standard small town (500 people or so) life. A spring festival is upcoming and the young people of the town (including 3 of the 5 characters) are all helping prepare. They are aware of each other but do not know each other personally. Of course, this is the age when daughters are looking for husbands, and sons are noticing them, so the characters mingle a bit. A week or two before the festival, a small caravan of people (including the other 2 players) arrives from a fairly distant, much smaller village looking somewhat travel weary. Something is moving in the woods, there is a rumour of coming war, and they are fleeing for safety.
The inhabitants of this distant village are not often seen in this town, and the locals tend to think them and their customs odd. In fact, both PCs from this village are Psionic, so it gives them a little mystique that should fit well with their classes.
The level 0 characters are involved in a simple search party/patrol at this point while the mayor tries to assess any real threat to the town. They might have one simple encounter here, a lightly armed goblin scout or two. I would most likely have them traveling with a town militia man, War1 or War2.
At this point the town is aware that there is a real threat. They move into a defensive mode, and the young villagers are clearing woods, digging out rusted weapons, helping the blacksmith, the fletcher, etc...
They gain their first level here. Fighter-wannabes are working with the blacksmith and learn to sharpen a sword, fit armour, and in the process they hear some tales of when the blacksmith was in the Royal Guard twenty-odd years ago. He shows them how the handle a sword and use a shield, how to don armour etc...
The two Psionic characters are a little harder since they don't need 'training' to be Psionic. I was thinking that they both knew that they were 'special' but needed a jolt, either physically or from the stress of the goblin ambush, to awaken their inner voices.
Other characters could learn from the fletcher (Rangers and Barbarians), tavernkeeper (Bards and Rogues), apothecary (Wizards and Sorcerors), or clergy (Clerics and Druids).
The character is now level 1, and they can embark on their first real adventures. They can continue to train with their local masters until at around level 3 or 4, when I envision the town being overrun, and the townsfolk slain except for the few youngsters that are returning to the town from another quest.
At the end of this introduction, we should have a nicely tied together background, a common foe, and more than enough reason for the PCs to strike out on their own.
I know it realistically takes more than, say, one week of training to become a level one fighter, but if you read any of the classic-style coming of age fantasy stories, the fighter-types learn to fight when they have no choice. Mages find a few simple spells written in a book ,and they expand their knowledge from there...
Here's a rough outline of the campaign start as I see it:
The first session is all about the standard small town (500 people or so) life. A spring festival is upcoming and the young people of the town (including 3 of the 5 characters) are all helping prepare. They are aware of each other but do not know each other personally. Of course, this is the age when daughters are looking for husbands, and sons are noticing them, so the characters mingle a bit. A week or two before the festival, a small caravan of people (including the other 2 players) arrives from a fairly distant, much smaller village looking somewhat travel weary. Something is moving in the woods, there is a rumour of coming war, and they are fleeing for safety.
The inhabitants of this distant village are not often seen in this town, and the locals tend to think them and their customs odd. In fact, both PCs from this village are Psionic, so it gives them a little mystique that should fit well with their classes.
The level 0 characters are involved in a simple search party/patrol at this point while the mayor tries to assess any real threat to the town. They might have one simple encounter here, a lightly armed goblin scout or two. I would most likely have them traveling with a town militia man, War1 or War2.
At this point the town is aware that there is a real threat. They move into a defensive mode, and the young villagers are clearing woods, digging out rusted weapons, helping the blacksmith, the fletcher, etc...
They gain their first level here. Fighter-wannabes are working with the blacksmith and learn to sharpen a sword, fit armour, and in the process they hear some tales of when the blacksmith was in the Royal Guard twenty-odd years ago. He shows them how the handle a sword and use a shield, how to don armour etc...
The two Psionic characters are a little harder since they don't need 'training' to be Psionic. I was thinking that they both knew that they were 'special' but needed a jolt, either physically or from the stress of the goblin ambush, to awaken their inner voices.
Other characters could learn from the fletcher (Rangers and Barbarians), tavernkeeper (Bards and Rogues), apothecary (Wizards and Sorcerors), or clergy (Clerics and Druids).
The character is now level 1, and they can embark on their first real adventures. They can continue to train with their local masters until at around level 3 or 4, when I envision the town being overrun, and the townsfolk slain except for the few youngsters that are returning to the town from another quest.
At the end of this introduction, we should have a nicely tied together background, a common foe, and more than enough reason for the PCs to strike out on their own.
WinnipegDragon
First Post
Simplicity said:
That's a good idea, and one that I will run with. Let them end up with one weapon proficiency or a few extra skill points in something that would eventually be cross-class.
Whizbang said:
Hmm, also a good idea. Perhaps they get standard 1x skill points from the NPC class, and they get their 4x (or 5x) at the first character level.
Keep the ideas coming! You guys are gold!
jmucchiello
Hero
I have a 10 page PDF coming out real soon (I hope by the end of the week) that addresses less than first level characters. It is called Notebook Essentials: Before Level One. Could you remember to look it up when I announce it for real (and have the webpage up) in a few days?
The basic premise is that the 4x multiplier for skills represents 3 pre levels and the 4th set of skill points is your 1st level set of skills. So I have 3 pre level 1 levels where you have but a few skills and once you reach 1st level, you have your full complement of skills and abilities. It also has alternative microclasses for those who start out as a blacksmith's apprentice and switch to fighter at 1st level.
The basic premise is that the 4x multiplier for skills represents 3 pre levels and the 4th set of skill points is your 1st level set of skills. So I have 3 pre level 1 levels where you have but a few skills and once you reach 1st level, you have your full complement of skills and abilities. It also has alternative microclasses for those who start out as a blacksmith's apprentice and switch to fighter at 1st level.
Last edited:
WinnipegDragon
First Post
Sounds very interesting! Need a proofreader/playtester? 
RandomPrecision
First Post
It's okay if people make rules for 0-level characters, but for me, the 1st level of each class is 1st level. Having characters start below the normal experience for PC's could be done by making characters begin as an NPC class. After all, if there are levels before 1st, it seems that they must have an extremely small experience requirement.
jmucchiello
Hero
Yes, the XP requirements are low, but then, the CRs are also very low so it balances out. I used 100, 250 and 500 for the first 3 sublevels and then you just need 500 more to get to 1000. A CR 1/4 critter is worth 75 xp. So those low levels move even faster than 1st to 2nd level.RandomPrecision said:
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