EvilDwarf
Explorer
Since you're willing to house rule some things anyway, maybe the problem could be reconceived.
Giving bonuses, etc. to the lower level characters is just essentially making them, well, higher level characters, which they are not, and if the players are into roleplaying, may not want to be--yet, until they "earn" the higher levels.
Instead of thinking of the problem as some higher level characters traveling with some lower level characters, maybe you could think in terms of Party rather than Characters.
For instance, maybe the Party could pool its Healing Surges, and you would have a pool to draw from. Arguably, the lower level PCs would need more Surges, and the higher level PCs fewer, so take all the Surges that each character gets and pool them, and whoever needs them can use them. This could reflect the "team spirit" or encouragement from the other PCs, for role playing purposes.
You could also house rule Second Wind so that if a newbie PC gets in trouble, he or she could take a full action to catch a breath and draw from the Surge pool, and also alllow that action multiple times.
You could also try something like expanding or house ruling Aid, so that if a lower level is fighting adjacent to or within a certain range of a higer level, there could be bonuses. The roleplaying aspect could be along the lines that the characters could "learn" from or be inspired by their more experienced Party members. I know, for example, that if I'm playing a new sport with more experienced players, I try to emulate and get tips from them. And I've noticed that I play a little better when I'm playing with people better than me, too.
Yes, this may seem like the "just give them some bonuses" solution--which is not a bad idea--but it adds some strategy and a roleplaying element.
One more Party vs. individual PC aspect I can think of is something like Feat or Ability Sharing. The lower level PCs wouldn't get extra feats, but some of the PCs could "pool" abilities (within reason) and feats and you could make a Party Feat Pool that any PC could draw from. I'm thinking these would have to be mostly tactical type feats and abilities.
Using the Party Feat Pool would allow the lower level characters access to some cool things to do, could help get them out of a tight spot, or let them access the Party's talents and experience to deal extra damage, slide or shift an opponent, etc. Again, the roleplaying aspect could include a more experienced PC "showing the ropes" or a new trick to a lower level PC, or yelling something at them to do, or again saying the lower level PC has learned a neat "trick" from a higher level buddy.
So maybe thinking in terms of Party instead of individuals might help?
Giving bonuses, etc. to the lower level characters is just essentially making them, well, higher level characters, which they are not, and if the players are into roleplaying, may not want to be--yet, until they "earn" the higher levels.
Instead of thinking of the problem as some higher level characters traveling with some lower level characters, maybe you could think in terms of Party rather than Characters.
For instance, maybe the Party could pool its Healing Surges, and you would have a pool to draw from. Arguably, the lower level PCs would need more Surges, and the higher level PCs fewer, so take all the Surges that each character gets and pool them, and whoever needs them can use them. This could reflect the "team spirit" or encouragement from the other PCs, for role playing purposes.
You could also house rule Second Wind so that if a newbie PC gets in trouble, he or she could take a full action to catch a breath and draw from the Surge pool, and also alllow that action multiple times.
You could also try something like expanding or house ruling Aid, so that if a lower level is fighting adjacent to or within a certain range of a higer level, there could be bonuses. The roleplaying aspect could be along the lines that the characters could "learn" from or be inspired by their more experienced Party members. I know, for example, that if I'm playing a new sport with more experienced players, I try to emulate and get tips from them. And I've noticed that I play a little better when I'm playing with people better than me, too.
Yes, this may seem like the "just give them some bonuses" solution--which is not a bad idea--but it adds some strategy and a roleplaying element.
One more Party vs. individual PC aspect I can think of is something like Feat or Ability Sharing. The lower level PCs wouldn't get extra feats, but some of the PCs could "pool" abilities (within reason) and feats and you could make a Party Feat Pool that any PC could draw from. I'm thinking these would have to be mostly tactical type feats and abilities.
Using the Party Feat Pool would allow the lower level characters access to some cool things to do, could help get them out of a tight spot, or let them access the Party's talents and experience to deal extra damage, slide or shift an opponent, etc. Again, the roleplaying aspect could include a more experienced PC "showing the ropes" or a new trick to a lower level PC, or yelling something at them to do, or again saying the lower level PC has learned a neat "trick" from a higher level buddy.
So maybe thinking in terms of Party instead of individuals might help?
