D&D (2024) Level Zero

[tetrasodium]

@EzekielRaiden

Here is a level 0 character. The concept is the iconic teenager whose sorcerous powers are starting to awaken.

Afli is sixteen years old. He is staying out of town as a foster with his dads sister, Helga, who is an accomplished blacksmith. His parents want him to become a blacksmith. At his aunts shop, he turns out to be pretty good at blacksmithing and her customers like him. But weird things are starting to happen around him, especially during stressful situations. It is distracting him from his fostership. He is realizing he is the cause of the weirdness, and it responds to his intentions. The other day, his mind was wandering and remembering he needed to ignite kiln, when fire flew from his hand setting the entire kiln ablaze.


AFLI
Species: Human
Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Age: 16 (life expectancy 80)

Hit Points: 8 (5 Size + 3 Constitution)
AC: 10 (!)

Charisma (16): +3
Constitution (16): +3
Strength (13): +1
Dexterity (10): +0
Intelligence (12): +1
Wisdom (8): −1

Human Feat: Lucky
Background Feat: Magic Initiate Arcane
(Note. He just discovered the Produce Flame cantrip. His other cantrip and the slot 1 spell havent happened yet.)

Skills: Nature, Arcana
(Note. The Nature skill handles all natural sciences, including elemental alchemy, metallurgy, structural engineering, and mathematics. The Arcana is intuitive and self-taught.)
Tool Sets: Blacksmith

Combat Training: All Simple Weapons

Equipment: Clothing, Knife, Blacksmith Set, Spear, ...

I'm not going to take the time to build stats and stuff but will throw in another.

Keith is a city guard, so was a relative. Not the guard captain, not a guard with the kinds of prestigious positions left to wealthy scions with the backing needed to buy them... Just a guard complete with a standard mass produced sword some almost functional armor and maybe a few coins to spare after last week's wages finished paying off the gear loan he had to take from the city. Keith is going to make a name for himself and unlike his relative he's going to do it without selling his loyalties to the corrupt for a prestigious position... Maybe that adventurer job he heard about will be the break he's been looking for, he just needs a few other adventurer types he can work with.

 

[Yaarel]

So is this a "zero level sorcerer" or is this a 0 level character that can go any direction?

Afli is a level zero character who can go any direction.

Despite his proclivity for Sorcerer, anything can happen during the level 0 session. Events might happen that put him on the path of any class − Bard, Barbarian, Fighter, anything.

He would probably have a harder time getting into Rogue or Druid tho.

Also: that's a lot of detail for a character about to die in a funnel.

Heh, hopefully the Session Zero has everyone at the table on the same page for what to expect for their level 0 characters.

 

[Frozen_Heart]

I'm amazed about the amount of people who seem to object to even the option of playing below level 1, even if it never effect them in any way.

Then again can't say I'm surprised with this constant push from the community to make level 1 characters more and more powerful, with god stat arrays to start with.

 

[Reynard]

I'm amazed about the amount of people who seem to object to even the option of playing below level 1, even if it never effect them in any way.

I'm amazed you're amazed. It's pretty consistent.

Then again can't say I'm surprised with this constant push from the community to make level 1 characters more and more powerful, with god stat arrays to start with.

Stats aren't that important in the long run.

I still think there should be power level dials separate from character levels.

 

[CreamCloud0]

0th level i'd basically make it as a reduced skeleton of your class you're going to level into, plus species and background features, a 0th level character would have:

your Species Traits and Background Features
+
Class Features
HP: Half of 1st level HP
Armour: class prof teir -1 (heavy prof becomes medium, med to light, light to none) shield prof unaffected
Weapons: based on class prof
simple weapons becomes your choice of 3 simple weapon proficiencies,
at least 1 martial weapon becomes full simple,
full martial becomes full simple and your choice of 2 martial weapon proficiencies
Tools: pick 1 of your class's tool proficiencies (if any)
Saving Throws: pick 1 of your class's saving throw proficiencies
Skills: half(round up) of your class's number of base proficiencies chosen from your class's skill pool
Equipment:
-pick one of -any two simple weapons, -one martial weapon(if proficient), -one of your base class's cantrips (if you have cantrips at 1st) and any non-costed M components it requires.
-pick one of -leather armour, -hide armour -scale mail -a shield.
-one simple melee weapon.
-a backpack, a bedroll, 3 days of rations, a waterskin and 50ft hempen rope OR a tinderbox and 3 torches

 

[tetrasodium]

I'm amazed about the amount of people who seem to object to even the option of playing below level 1, even if it never effect them in any way.

Then again can't say I'm surprised with this constant push from the community to make level 1 characters more and more powerful, with god stat arrays to start with.

I think it comes down to people who want self insert extreme power fantasy find it easier to push for truck-kun's touch at level 1 in the base game than level 5+ with magic items at chargen. Now that 2014 has that sort of power level it's a matter of preserving truck-kun's touch by ensuring that any other starting power level is gated behind a perceived nerf through naming rather than having to go back to horse trading with the GM for a level 5 start or this and that starting boon

 

[Umbran]

sure, but now every character has to be astral elf with magic initiate feat so you can have something interesting.

A character can't be interesting without mechanical abilities? Like, people can't be interesting?

There is a reason that most campaigns in 5E start at 3rd level minimum.

Cite, please?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Googles "truck-kun."

 

[Maxperson]

Negative numbers and subtraction are not the same thing.

But less funny!

 

[tetrasodium]

Googles "truck-kun."

It's the Japanese equivalent of a little kid saying mister truck. It grew into a bit of a meme that grants super powers after so many isekai anime used it to end the MC's boring corporate life and begin their new life in another world with incredible powers far beyond those of everyone around them in that world. It's still pretty common in anime and sometimes even referenced directly.