D&D 5E Zero Level Suggestions
- Thread starter plisnithus8
- Start date
plisnithus8
Adventurer
I think we are each talking about class once they reach level 1. about
Horwath
Legend
abilities: normal(whatever method you want for they get 1st level), to avoid any fiddling with abilities on level up.
Proficiency bonus: +1
HPs: 4, d4 hit die for restoring.
No armor proficiency,
Weapon proficiencies: Dagger, quarterstaff, light crossbow,
Racial traits/skills and background traits/skill as normal.
Proficiency bonus: +1
HPs: 4, d4 hit die for restoring.
No armor proficiency,
Weapon proficiencies: Dagger, quarterstaff, light crossbow,
Racial traits/skills and background traits/skill as normal.
UngeheuerLich
Legend
I strongly advocate having a proficiency bonus of +2. Otherwise proficiency is worth nothing. It is also consistent with 0 level monsters which do have a proficiebcy bonus of +2.
My take is:
Background + race.
4 hp + con. d4 hit die.
A weapon proficiency from the wizard list. Dagger quatterstaff or dart
A dwarf and elf has the standard proficiencies.
A human variant may chose lightly armored or weapon master as feat of course which may be refunded if you take a class that also grants them.
Attributes are lower than normal so you have some points left to distribute when you finally get your class.
I think as an array I would have 13,12,11,10,8,8.
If you roll it would be 3d6 drop lowest +2 and an extra +2 to your lowest score.
My take is:
Background + race.
4 hp + con. d4 hit die.
A weapon proficiency from the wizard list. Dagger quatterstaff or dart
A dwarf and elf has the standard proficiencies.
A human variant may chose lightly armored or weapon master as feat of course which may be refunded if you take a class that also grants them.
Attributes are lower than normal so you have some points left to distribute when you finally get your class.
I think as an array I would have 13,12,11,10,8,8.
If you roll it would be 3d6 drop lowest +2 and an extra +2 to your lowest score.
Tony Vargas
Legend
Have done in the past, sure. 3e had rules for 0 (or even negative) levels, they were kinda meant for MCing, but could be used the way you described. "0 level" was a thing for NPCs in the classic game, at times I or a DM I was playing under would include the 1d6 hps 0-level NPCs got as just a way of giving first level characters more hps, or even have them play '0 level' for a little bit to get them.
I ran a 3.0 campaign that started above 1st, but you had to begin with 'NPC Class' levels to represent your background, and a brief 3.5 PbeM that started with a first adventure in which you acquired your first 1st-level class.
However, 5e's level 1 is enough like a 'level 0,' that I don't feel a strong need to try anything like that. You could run backstory where the players pick Race, play through bits of their early-life backstory, choose Background, play through a sort of coming-of-age backstory, then choose class and get started with more traditional play, if you wanted to - probably want to avoid much actual combat or anything in that process, though.
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Or run it with combat situations that the players must desperately try to avoid; it seems like that might be a scenario to look at, making it real world. I'd try my best to avoid or talk my way out of a situation with a guy holding a crossbow if I would likely be unarmed and untrained in combat.
Tony Vargas
Legend
That'd be an example of 'avoid much actual combat,' yeah, assuming the players were sufficiently clueful.
Ancalagon
Dusty Dragon
... in warhammer frpg (2nd ed) you can have a party made up of a peasant, a rat catcher, a militia man and a grave robber....
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Valmarius
First Post
This is pretty much what I use level 0 for. The group I mentioned previously was 3/4 new players, so it was a way of playing out some backstory and teaching them mechanics before they were forced to pick their class.
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