Starting with NPC classes (my players out!)

[Achan hiArusa]

I would just start everyone out as a 1st level commoner with hit points rolled. Then they could advance to apprentice levels from the 3.0 DMG. And then finally I would give them their class level. I would just dip into negative xps so to go from commoner to apprentice would be -1000 xp and from apprentice to level would be -500 xp.

So
Level
-1 -1500 xp Commoner
0 -500 xp Apprentice

And then just give them scads of action points to survive if you want them to.

 

[Grymar]

I had my latest campaign start with the characters 9-11 year old children. We did a short prologue and then jumped ahead 8 or so years to when they were 1st level.

Character creation rules:
Your beginning stats will be 12 12 10 10 8 8.
{they then used this as the base for their point buy}

Do not bother with starting equipment.

Feats -
No feats at this time

Skills -
No class skills, but you get four points to put in any skill (for this one time, all skills are considered class skills). At least one of these points needs to be put in craft or profession that matches what sort of work your family does.

 

[Melhaic]

I had my latest campaign start with the characters 9-11 year old children. We did a short prologue and then jumped ahead 8 or so years to when they were 1st level.

Character creation rules:
Your beginning stats will be 12 12 10 10 8 8.
{they then used this as the base for their point buy}

Do not bother with starting equipment.

Feats -
No feats at this time

Skills -
No class skills, but you get four points to put in any skill (for this one time, all skills are considered class skills). At least one of these points needs to be put in craft or profession that matches what sort of work your family does.

I am stealing this for my next campaign... pure genius. What could better to explore a character than to play them as a child?

 

[Aus_Snow]

Another method can be found here - I use a modified version of it, as I happen to like the idea, but not the execution (entirely.)

There are also a number of other nifty things on that site, IMO.

hth.

 

[Rechan]

Aren't 2 NPC levels = 1 PC level? I know that counts with regards to CR. So just have them start out as 2nd level NPC classes, and treat them as level 1 PCs.

With regards to Casters, I'd give them Practiced Spellcaster feat free (So an NPC2/Wizard1 would be treated as a 2nd level caster for determining duration, etc etc).

 

[Aus_Snow]

Aren't 2 NPC levels = 1 PC level? I know that counts with regards to CR.

NPC class levels == (PC class levels - 1).

 

[Claudius Gaius]

Well, Eclipse: The Codex Persona includes rules for 0-level characters that will develop straight into first-level characters of pretty much any type. That might work out for you.