UngeheuerLich
Legend
Seems like it is very easy to have level zero characters:
Chose Race and Background
HP = Con Value
done.
Chose Race and Background
HP = Con Value
done.
Level 0 rules
DogBackward
First Post
You could easily start at -1000xp.
Or, if you want to keep it simpler; once you get 1000xp, you become level one, but start over at 0 XP.
Kinak
First Post
This seems like it could be a very fun option. I can't speak for everyone, but I know my players would love putting off some of the big decisions (class and theme) until they've gotten to understand the world and their character a bit.
Start everyone at 0 with just background and race. Then, after each adventure, let people grab class and theme if they want. Keep XP flowing like normal so nobody's "falling behind" as they make their choices.
If there are numbers, I think making level 1 shorter is better than adding a totally new level 0. So put the level 1 marker at 500 XP or even 100 XP, still starting people at 0 and keeping level 2 at 1000.
Cheers!
Kinak
I don't think that's how I'd handle it.jadrax said:
Start everyone at 0 with just background and race. Then, after each adventure, let people grab class and theme if they want. Keep XP flowing like normal so nobody's "falling behind" as they make their choices.
If there are numbers, I think making level 1 shorter is better than adding a totally new level 0. So put the level 1 marker at 500 XP or even 100 XP, still starting people at 0 and keeping level 2 at 1000.
Cheers!
Kinak
Skyscraper
Explorer
DCC for the win!
I just bought the book and need to go pick it up at the post office now. The level 0 idea is cool.
FireLance
Legend
I think some people might complain that starting with Constitution score hit points makes PCs too tough. One-quarter Constitution score might be better (so that the PCs have a maximum of 4hp). They might also want the PCs to earn their background, which shouldn't be too much of a problem since they can just get by on raw ability score checks until they do so.
Abstruse
Legend
Based on what backgrounds are supposed to represent, they should start off with them. Backgrounds are supposed to be your upbringing and life before getting your first class level. It's the skills you learned growing up on a farm, in the city, as a squire, serving as an apprentice under a herbalist or wizard, whatever.
I also think that class and theme should come at different times. Start with race + background, then add your class, then add your theme. Maybe at 250XP for your class, 500XP for your theme, and finally 1250XP for Level 2 (it takes 2000XP to get to second level in Next according to the character sheets). That symbolizes that you've chosen a class that defines what you can do, then you specialize further with a theme indicating how you perform within that class.
Another good house rule for this would be to have the DM make the choices for the players based on their actions (taking the player's choices into consideration, of course). The player is running up to everything and hitting it with an axe, that's a fighter. They use a shield to go along with that axe and use it to protect their allies, that's the guardian theme. The player is standing back and trying to puzzle through all the problems, that's a wizard. Player sneaks around a lot, rogue. So on and so forth. This approach requires a lot of trust in your DM and in your players' ability to roleplay their characters, though.
