On Backgrounds for Beginning 4E PCs

[Reynard]

I am curious: will the generally more heroic/powerful nature of 1st level PCs in 4E change the way you design backgrounds for your characters? In other words, since beginning 4E PCs are already pretty tough in comparison to the rest of the world, they don't really fit the mould of the "farm boy with a sword" or "just released apprentice/acolyte" or "street urchin destined for greatness". Will you still use those truly beginner concepts and then flesh out the "in between", or will you create backgrounds that are a little more "heroic" to fit the characte's power level (say, for example, a veteran mercenary for a starting fighter)?

 

[AlexS]

Well, I can see a fighter being reasonably fresh off the farm. He may stand out from the next-door neighbour's boy, who doesn't have the same hand-eye coordination or wanderlust, and spent his youth learning more about cattle whilst the hero was bunking off and learning to fight, but he's still a country-boy at heart. Besides, in a point-of-light setting, I don't see it as particularly uncommon for peasants to figure out what to do with the business-end of a pitchfork, or for a boy to learn how to handle the family sword. What would be more uncommon would be the desire to go exploring the surrounding darkness, for whatever reason.

Why couldn't a wizard be a freshly-released apprentice? I think it would be more unlikely for a wizard to release an apprentice before he was ready to face the world and stand on his own two feet.

The street urchin is perhaps slightly more difficult, if you're looking for a 12-year-old character. Then again, what's stopping an acrobatic young lad developing a handy knack of sticking bits of metal into other people's vital organs?

Why exactly is it so hard to accept that, whether through training, instinct, fate, or sheer blind luck, a 4e character couldn't be just that bit tougher than your average bear, allowing them the chance at greatness?

And are they really head and shoulders above everyone else when they start out? From what I'd heard, traditional low-level fodder such as kobolds were proving an interesting and challenging foe. Yeah, the PCs have a higher power level than level 1 3e characters, but it seems the monsters are higher powered too.

 

[Reynard]

And are they really head and shoulders above everyone else when they start out? From what I'd heard, traditional low-level fodder such as kobolds were proving an interesting and challenging foe. Yeah, the PCs have a higher power level than level 1 3e characters, but it seems the monsters are higher powered too.

It isn't just the characters and their abilities alone -- although, certainly, PC classes are considered rare and special by default. It is also that the whole system is built around PC success. Why are hit points increased and dmaaged reduced? To make PCs more durable. Why is the swingy-ness of crits gone? To make sure PCs don't get downed by a lucky strike? Why are save or die, energy drain and other similar elements gone? Because removing them helps the PCs.

The DMG points out very specifically that the PCs are special and that few NPCs have their capabilities or their same ability to advance. Moreover, a quick perusal of the "human" entry in the MM and the NPC generation guidelines in the DMG show that PCs are far and away more capable than non-PCs, even at 1st level. Even the PHB section on background indicates that determining how a character got to be so special -- i.e. acquired a PC class-- is an important detail.

 

[Scribble]

It isn't just the characters and their abilities alone -- although, certainly, PC classes are considered rare and special by default. It is also that the whole system is built around PC success.

Not true. The system is built around challenging the players skill, and not their luck.

Why are hit points increased and dmaaged reduced? To make PCs more durable. Why is the swingy-ness of crits gone? To make sure PCs don't get downed by a lucky strike? Why are save or die, energy drain and other similar elements gone? Because removing them helps the PCs.

It helps the players.

PCs are not invincible. If you play stupidly you will die! (as several KoTS TPKs have shown)

The difference is now you have a chance to realize you're in dire straights before it's too late.

 

[mattdm]

Why are save or die, energy drain and other similar elements gone? Because removing them helps the PCs.

Hmmm. As a DM, I've gotta say my players were always much better equipped to deal with, say, enervation than my monsters were. Oh, sure, sometimes I could rationalize having an immunity to negative energy, or have an evil cleric with restoration. Or be annoying with heavy-handed SR.

 

[Ydars]

There are lots of ways of explaining the differences between PCs and the general populace, but most do involve some meta-story.

One of my favourites is the idea that during a rite of passage (on the day they become men/women), the PCs all come into contact with the spirits of their ancestors from a past age and gain power from this experience.

Or perhaps they were captured when small children, and taken to live in the Feywild and gained power at the behest of some lord of the Eladrin. He now has some secret purpose for them which they could spend their time either aligning with or trying to thwart.

Or you could use the old summoning standby; i.e. that the PCs are summoned out of the remote past into the present day by an NPC who uses a special ritual. The NPC then dies before he can tell the PCs of his purpose, so that they must piece it together from his journal etc.

 

[Andor]

I think the days of "Bob the Warrior is some yutz off the farm who decided he rather face snarling monsters than the ass-end of a mule." ended with 2nd edition.

Even in 3rd the PC were at least respectable at first level, although many character concepts didn't really solidify until 2nd or 3rd level as multiclassing options kicked in.

But I do think that in 4e you should make a back story that assumes competance. Instead of being the kid who always dreamed of being a swashbuckler you're that same kid 5 years later after he's been the star pupil of the towns greatest fencing master.

My 2¢

 

[Scribble]

But I do think that in 4e you should make a back story that assumes competance. Instead of being the kid who always dreamed of being a swashbuckler you're that same kid 5 years later after he's been the star pupil of the towns greatest fencing master.

My 2¢

Eh... I would say you can still tell the tale of a kid who leaves the farm with his father's rapier, only to find through a little luck he manages to become a great hero...

In prior years I felt like the story was really about Joe Gamer who through a little luck manages to take his PC from level 1 - greatness...

 

[Weregrognard]

Take cue from Conan the Barbarian. The PC "fighter":

- Was captured and made into a slave at an early age:

- Turned a huge mill wheel through most of his childhood and adolescence, possibly explaining an above-average Strength score.

- Sold and made into a pit fighter. Learns fighting skills.

- Brought to the mysterious East where he learned from philosophers and war masters. Develops better fighting skills (i.e. powers).

- Eventually freed by his master.

And so on. An adventurer's life begins.

 

[Reynard]

Hmmm. As a DM, I've gotta say my players were always much better equipped to deal with, say, enervation than my monsters were. Oh, sure, sometimes I could rationalize having an immunity to negative energy, or have an evil cleric with restoration. Or be annoying with heavy-handed SR.

Perhaps, but PCs are subject to those effects far more often than NPCs and monsters were, making their existence a far greater threat to PCs than to NPCs and monsters.