Wonderful :rolls eyes:

[Paul_Klein]

No need to even break the rules. "Master" doesn't imply that he has the Leadership feat. It's just a social relationship, in-game, between the PC's. There's no reason he couldn't start as a young noble Ari3, along side his Ftr3 bodyguard. Of course, this would heavily depend on the cooperation of the "servant" player, but you would require that cooperation to play a lvl7 master anyway.

I should have mentioned that is isn't D&D we're going to play - it's Star Wars d20. The player in question wants to play a Jedi Knight (level 7+) to an apprentice Jedi (level 3).

That also means that I don't have level-drain as an option.

 

[Epametheus]

I've actually had a campaign with similar circumstances -- most of the characters were new, 8th level characters, but some of the other characters were old characters converted over from 3E. So we had a group of 8th level characters travelling around with a 13th level cleric, among other things.

Two things to help balance it:

1) Scale the XP awards for the lower level characters. Mr. L7 will be L7 for like 8 sessions, but the L3 characters should be, say, L5 by then. He should gain like 1 level for every 3 that the other characters get, until they've caught up to him.

2) Don't give the L7 character equipment appropriate for his level. Either start him on the same footing as the L3 characters, or actually start him lower. The "characters being defined by their stuff" concept goes both ways -- a character that isn't outfitted appropriately for their level is going to be much, much weaker than one that is. In the campaign I mentioned at the top of my post, we also had a L18 character travelling with the L8 party -- but she had so little starting equipment that she was actually less effective than the L8 characters.

3) What class is the L7 guy supposed to be, anyways? If he's anything other than a druid, wizard, or sorcerer, he won't have the killing power to tackle the adventures solo. If he's a cleric then he'll basically be a safety net for the rest of the party, and if he's a fighter-type then he's really just a big tank.

edit: Jedi Knight? Hmm. I've never played Star Wars d20, but I think what I said still stands.

 

[buzzard]

I should have mentioned that is isn't D&D we're going to play - it's Star Wars d20. The player in question wants to play a Jedi Knight (level 7+) to an apprentice Jedi (level 3).

That also means that I don't have level-drain as an option.

In that case you are definitely out of luck. High level jedi in SW start to run away with the game. I don't even see how you can make someone as a credible 'master' using NPC classes in SW D20, but I'm not particularly expert at the system.

I'd look into local game stores to see if they have play space. There's a few which offer such options around me.

Of course I'm spoiled and have plenty of gaming space in my house.

buzzard

 

[Altalazar]

One option to consider - let him go as is, but tell him that until the rest of the party reaches 7th level, he'll earn no experience, because it really isn't a challenge for him to face the perils of a 3rd level group. So he'll start off more powerful, true, but eventually it will all even out.

 

[Endur]

If your game is role-playing based, then it doesn't matter what levels the characters are. If your game is roll-playing based, then yes it matters.

I would ask the other players around the table what they want to play.

Does the apprentice player want to play an apprentice or a Jedi Knight.

Do the other characters want Jedi Knights?

Think Empowerment. Don't think NO. Think Say Yes, but say YES to everyone and its fair.

I should have mentioned that is isn't D&D we're going to play - it's Star Wars d20. The player in question wants to play a Jedi Knight (level 7+) to an apprentice Jedi (level 3).

 

[buzzard]

If your game is role-playing based, then it doesn't matter what levels the characters are. If your game is roll-playing based, then yes it matters.

This is only true if your role players happen to like playing supporting characters. Being a fifth wheel doesn't happen to appeal to everyone.

buzzard

 

[Paul_Klein]

How about this:

1) He get's 1/5 the XP that everyone else gets until they catch up to his level.
2) He is essentially barred from playing combat-centered classes.
3) If his character dies, at any time, his new character comes in at the same level as everyone else.
4) If his apprentice dies at any time before his "graduation", the master PC also goes away and both players have to roll up new characters.

If all that sounds good, then I have another question.

How do I approach him with this without looking like I'm giving-in to him. I know that sounds kind of lame, but hey, I've an ego to protect

 

[fba827]

You have another month before you start playing, right? See if he will consider thinking up another concept -- he has a whole month! Watch the wording, not "make another character." or even "you have to..." just ask "you have a month, will you consider thinking up another character concept in that time that would be on the same level as the other players?"

if he isn't even willing to consider it, then that is crossing the bounderies of being reasonable ... in my opinion.

just my thoughts.

 

[Malin Genie]

Why does he have to be 7th level?

BREAK THE RULES.

No reason a 3rd level character can't serve another 3rd level character.

Wulf

I think Wulf makes an excellent point here. Just because a character can take someone on as an apprentice and have something to teach them, doesn't necessarily mean he's of higher level. Couldn't a 2nd level fighter 'apprentice' himself to a 3rd level wizard and become a 2/1 fighter/wizard (just as an example, I have no idea what the actual classses of the players involved are.)

 

[Starglim]

I should have mentioned that is isn't D&D we're going to play - it's Star Wars d20. The player in question wants to play a Jedi Knight (level 7+) to an apprentice Jedi (level 3).

That also means that I don't have level-drain as an option.

No, you have Sever Force instead. Give the 7th level guy half his Wisdom + 2 in Dark Side Points, and have the Jedi Council cut him off from the Force. (You should tell him about this after he's allocated his skill points.) There's a backstory and a quest for you. He'll be running scared of losing his character, if he gains more DSPs, as well.


edit: 7th level is awfully early for him to be training anyone. Obi-Wan Kenobi was 10th when he took on Anakin Skywalker as a padawan, and look how well that turned out.