Would You Allow an Old Starting PC?

[Numion]

I see opportunities here. At least I can use this to get the player engace in a little more roleplaying - NPCs would be more likely to approach the oldest person (who is human, if approached by humans) when seeking audience with the group.

I'd definately allow it. The only problem that I've encountered is explained how this adventurer made it this far with only getting to level 1... but that's something that is easily hand-waved.

It's easy all right .. if I knew Charm Person spell, I know what I'd do all the time. And that wouldn't be studying!

 

[just__al]

The worst case scenario here is an dirty old man type of adventurer, and I'm not sure I'm ready for that. Can you picture Gandalf laughing maniacally while fireballing his enemies into kingdom come, then high-five his comrades and asking "who's your daddy", flirting with bar wenches one third their age (probably using charm person spells, to boot) and being obsessed with loot?

I used to game with someone who is just like this minus the charm person spells.

I'm not talking about his character, I'm talking about him. He was a pyro expert and has a penchant for 18 year olds and he's currently 38 years old.

 

[just__al]

We had a campaign that started at 12th level. My wizards cohort was old enough to be his son, but since my wizard was a former slave who was discovered by the slavers to be a spell casting prodigy he USED to be much more hale when he was younger and figuring out a way to free as many slaves as possible while still working as a slaver caused him to get much smarter and wiser.

End result, he had aged but he got the same point buy and it was assumed that he used to be stronger and not as wise when he started out.

 

[Chaldfont]

I've even allowed old, experienced PCs who somehow lost their powers. I do this for NPCs too so that low level PCs can have a legendary foe. For a spellcaster, its very easy to come up with some plot device to explain why they are 1st level, even beyond the obvious mechanical devices (multiple death/raise deads, level drain, etc).

* The PC's archenemy used his truename in a ritual that stole all the PCs powers. The PC has to start over (e.g. The Lady in the Black Company novels).
* The PC retired from the adventuring life years ago, and his skills are very rusty--"I've forgotten more than you'll ever know, you little punk!"
* A mistake in a ritual/spell research/magic item construction permanently removed the PCs powers.
* The PC suffered "amnesia" from a catastrophic event and has lost his powers.

Whatever you end up using, you get a ton of hooks for later adventures.

 

[sword-dancer]

Why not?

The worst case scenario here is an dirty old man type of adventurer, and I'm not sure I'm ready for that. Can you picture Gandalf laughing maniacally while fireballing his enemies into kingdom come, then high-five his comrades and asking "who's your daddy", flirting with bar wenches one third their age (probably using charm person spells, to boot) and being obsessed with loot?

No, but I can`t see Gandalf or Aragorn or Legolas do things the it`s standard in D&D, beginning with letting themselves hired on, and looting tombs...

 

[KB9JMQ]

I would allow it, with the stat mods also.
It is refreshing to see someone play a character that actually starts out different.

 

[StupidSmurf]

In our Forgotten Realms campaign, my wife rolled up a middle-aged cleric of Talona. She's considered the RPG answer to Slappy Squirrel!

 

[Crothian]

I'd have no problem with this.

 

[lukelightning]

I have no problems with this, but then again, I give no stat bonuses for aging.

Are old people smarter? No. Are they wiser? Not necessarily. Are they charismatic? Let's see: " I needed a new heel for my shoe, so, I decided to go to Morganville, which is what they called Shelbyville in those days. So I tied an onion to my belt, which was the style at the time. Now, to take the ferry cost a nickel, and in those days, nickels had pictures of bumblebees on 'em. 'Give me five bees for a quarter,' you'd say.

Now where were we? Oh yeah - the important thing was I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time. They didn.t have white onions because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones..."

Why are old people "wise and smart"? Because they are experienced. They have levels. Gramps the wise old man is a level 5 commoner with the skill points to prove it.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

In our Forgotten Realms campaign, my wife rolled up a middle-aged cleric of Talona. She's considered the RPG answer to Slappy Squirrel!

... and hilarity ensues!