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Message: <blockquote data-quote="AbdulAlhazred" data-source="post: 6111819" data-attributes="member: 82106">Meh, your average level 1 1e character is considerably more capable, relatively, than a 'towns person' than they would be in 4e where a level 1 stat block is marginally inferior to a level 1 PC. A level 0 human town guard in 1e is almost certainly not as well equipped as a PC, has a worse chance to hit, has about half the hit points, and probably wields a d6 weapon (spear, short sword, etc). In neither case is such an opponent totally outclassed, but the PC should probably win. 1e is less deterministic, but overall the situation is about the same. Admittedly, the 4e level 1 fighter has numerous options, but they're factored into his overall effectiveness. IMHO gritty has to do with focusing on the small details and especially the small difficulties of a setting. In a 'gritty' game the DM carefully tracks supplies, inflicts difficulties like bad weather, etc on the PCs. This stuff will of course range all the way up to deadly (critical hits, infected wounds, highly realistic physical prowess where can't broad jump 20 feet in armor, etc). Such a game might or might not be especially deadly, though generally speaking a sense of the fickle arbitrariness of fate is present. In such games characters rarely advance in terms of personal power beyond human limits, etc. Low level D&D CAN be used to do a gritty game. You can even do it to some extent at higher levels, though it gets increasingly difficult to keep a consistent tone when PCs can have 50 hit points and high level spells. So, IMHO starting weak doesn't really especially support a 'gritty' game. You'll soon pass those levels, anyway, and if you're achieving a gritty tone still at level 9 then you certainly didn't NEED to have a weak level 1 and 2 to achieve it.</blockquote>

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