Forked - Level-Based Systems and Non-Heroic PCs

[Thanael]

Whether it's Conan or Doc Savage, these are not Joe Average picking up a sword and doing extraordinary things. And, because a lot of these style of heroes are very popular in genre fiction now, RPG's are simply mirroring popular views.

But Conan was level 2 in the first written story: Conan the Barbarian for Third Edition D&D
He had very un-average ability scores though...

I guess i like that in 3e D&D you can model both hero and zero. If you like a more heroic game you can start the PCs higher level.

You can play a commoner campaign if you want to for a whole different feel. Or you can keep advancing until you are on one ground with demigods and demons like in Tales of Wyre

 

[Aberzanzorax]

I see this as a playstyle issue, and I don't really get the justification for removing it from the game.

I mean, yes, there is a chunk of the game that you might not play if you don't want to play it...but that's also the case for epic levels which seem to (even in 4e) have very little support because few people play it.


I went to look up the commoner campaign Thanael posted as page three of this thread was loading...it's a great example of heroism at low levels and the heroism of action. If you haven't read it, I reccomend you do; it's a heck of a story.

Playing a commoner or everyman is like an ordinary citizen rushing into a burning building, while playing a hero is like a firefighter rushing into a burning building.

My favorite campaign I played in was a 2e hack where the dm started us at "below level one". I'm not sure if he used official rules (e.g. unearthed arcana) or just subtracted powers from level one characters that we then had to earn. I loved having actually played the "backstory" of how I got my powers, established my faith (including some struggles) etc. (I was playing a cleric).


I guess what I'd like to see for games, if we want to have levels and start at level 1 as heroic, is for there to be a level 0 and perhaps a level -1 (everyman and apprentice/trainee).

 

[Rechan]

Heh. I know someone who is making all level 1 PCs take a level of Commoner for their first adventure. Only once they had leveled up were they allowed to take a class.