You all meet in a cell

[Spatula]

The eladrin PC is a one-in-a-million guy who decides to go adventuring on the prime.

That doesn't follow. They completely changed the halfling around because the idea that PC halflings were one-in-a-million members of their race who decide to go adventuring in the outside world is bad, or something. Anyway, the current Dungeoncraft articles talks up an eladrin community in the woods that surround the starting village, I believe, so I don't think they're meant to be rare.

I do think fey-step (and other combat teleports) will require LOS. Which leads to some interesting folk tales in D&D land... "Be sure to close the shutters before going to bed, or the fey folk will steal your pies!"

Well, in 3e, I'd be reluctant to do this. Low level combat is already so swingy that I don't think I'd want to start the players off without the best equipment their starting gold can buy.

Well hell, why not? Daggerfall didn't have a problem sticking a naked 1st level character in the middle of a massive monster-filled dungeon with no way to equip yourself. Worst designed CRPG evar (Morrowind is 110% awesome, though).

I think the result in 3e would be basically the same as it would be in 4e. The casters eliminate the first batch of guards, the non-caster-types equip themselves with the guards' stuff, and you bust out. The 4e characters have the benefit of being able to "last" multiple encounters, but without stuffz they're not getting very far, either. It's hard to be a defender with a 10 AC and a chair for a weapon.

Also, the difference in "the best equipment their starting gold can buy" and what guards come equipped with is rather slim. It's not like you get to start off at 1st level with plate armor and masterwork weapons in 3e. You're wearing (studded) leather or scale mail and using normal weapons, same as your average guard is.

 

[JohnBiles]

I played in a Dirty Dozen style campaign in 2E; it was a lot of fun; we went renegade after a few missions.

And yeah, I think the superior starting toughness of first level 4E people would make it more viable.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

Well hell, why not? Daggerfall didn't have a problem sticking a naked 1st level character in the middle of a massive monster-filled dungeon with no way to equip yourself. Worst designed CRPG evar (Morrowind is 110% awesome, though).

Buuuuh? Daggerfall was easily the best of the Elder Scrolls series. Easily. And I'm pretty sure it's just habit for all games in that series to start in a prison, or dungeon, or something like that.

As for meeting in prison, I've actually enjoyed that start a lot. It gives the characters an immidate reason to start working together, as tavern meetings typically go: "Hey random stranger, let us trust one another with our lives and fortunes!"

 

[hong]

That doesn't follow. They completely changed the halfling around because the idea that PC halflings were one-in-a-million members of their race who decide to go adventuring in the outside world is bad, or something. Anyway, the current Dungeoncraft articles talks up an eladrin community in the woods that surround the starting village, I believe, so I don't think they're meant to be rare.

I am altering the fluff the better to promote showboating. Pray I do not alter it further.

 

[Nytmare]

So, instead of starting your campaign with, "You all meet in a tavern", why not "you all meet in a prison cell" and have to escape?

"Escape From Jail", the other white meat!

I want to start my next campaign where all the characters escape from a tavern only to discover that they're jailers.

[EDIT] With amnesia.

 

[Fallen Seraph]

The tried and tested technique I most often use to start off campaigns, is to have the characters start off in medias res.

My most common of that, is them hiding somewhere after escaping from being chased.

 

[WhatGravitas]

No, it's the default alignment.

You know, that's so totally true.

Cheers, LT.

 

[AtomicPope]

Well hell, why not? Daggerfall didn't have a problem sticking a naked 1st level character in the middle of a massive monster-filled dungeon with no way to equip yourself. Worst designed CRPG evar (Morrowind is 110% awesome, though).

I think the result in 3e would be basically the same as it would be in 4e. The casters eliminate the first batch of guards, the non-caster-types equip themselves with the guards' stuff, and you bust out. The 4e characters have the benefit of being able to "last" multiple encounters, but without stuffz they're not getting very far, either. It's hard to be a defender with a 10 AC and a chair for a weapon.

Also, the difference in "the best equipment their starting gold can buy" and what guards come equipped with is rather slim. It's not like you get to start off at 1st level with plate armor and masterwork weapons in 3e. You're wearing (studded) leather or scale mail and using normal weapons, same as your average guard is.

No way. I've played in many games that tried that and it became clear the DM was fudging:
1) Casters need components
2) Only monks are designed, as a class, to fight w/o weapons
3) 3e was "gear intensive" - no gear means no chance. As a general rule your AC never improved
4) Clerics need holy symbols

In the game I played I was the caster. No components, no spell book, and no spell mastery feat - so no spells. Lame. The Rogue used Escape Artist to start the break out. Everyone was rolling 1's and 2's for damage on the guards. After the Fighter was dropped we quickly discovered that the mean HP of the guards was "magically" lowered. The guards that took 6hp of damage were dropping at one.

Uber lame.

I don't see that being as much of a problem anymore. Guards would be minions. Using any Power with your fists as a fighter would still cause serious damage. Once you took out the initial guards you "gear up" and HEAL up without a cleric. Several major diffences already.