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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mort" data-source="post: 583746" data-attributes="member: 762">There is a fine line between background and baggage.When I start a campaign (assuming it’s the typical start at first level kind) I ask players for a reasonably sized paragraph worth of background and no more. I’ve found that the “16 pages” of background just ads baggage to the campaign I don’t like to deal with (“Why haven’t we encountered Dirg the evil Necromancer I so carefully detailed on page 15 of my background, huh? Huh?).         I prefer for the PC’s (in most campaigns) to grow and develop along with the campaign and take their input during it. I don’t want my campaign bogged down before it even starts. Further, I’ve found that way too many players use “background” as an excuse to twink their character to high heaven and when confronted fall back on the “but It’s role-playing and character development” excuse.       As for the “why can’t I have an older character” question – well why can’t you? The trick is that that character will not be any more powerful for being older (your supposedly playing him for the roleplaying challenge not the benefits)– just give the guy a higher wisdom lower dex etc. and boom 50 year old. Skills can fall into place with DM’s approval etc.  Look at Velendo in Piratecat’s campaign for the perfect example of a character started in Middle age.</blockquote>