Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Madacapa 09-26-06, 04:03 PM	I have seen this on other web sites, but I am wondering what you all think. I think its levels in what your character did before you attained 1st level. It it 0 level? I don't know. It makes sense that a 1st level Fighter from a urban city would be different than one from a rural village.
GypsyComet 09-26-06, 10:02 PM	I have seen this on other web sites, but I am wondering what you all think. I think its levels in what your character did before you attained 1st level. It it 0 level? I don't know. It makes sense that a 1st level Fighter from a urban city would be different than one from a rural village. That's what those ranks in Craft and Profession are for. For the really dedicated, the Regional Feats (started in the Forgotten Realms books) will go futher in that direction. Alternately, start a new campaign at 2nd level and require that 1st level have been one of the NPC classes...
CzarGarrett 09-27-06, 08:48 AM	Background is usually moreso astethic rather than influentatial. Profession skills and perhaps a handful of other skills could be derived from background. However, speaking for myself, in the more difficult campaigns, I will, after reading a comprehensive backstory for each of my PCs, allow them a virtual NPC level. So if they have a backstory of being a farmer who decided to try his luck, free level of commoner. A blacksmith apprentice? Expert. The levels add a few hp and skill points, but thats about it. It allows for being a little tougher and gives more of a tangible
Madacapa 09-28-06, 09:58 AM	I would suggest a level 0 background level, which is also called the Apprentice Level. Then you could make a Cleric from a Noble background different than a Cleric from a Poor background.
Tony Vargas 09-28-06, 02:27 PM	I have seen this on other web sites, but I am wondering what you all think. I think its levels in what your character did before you attained 1st level. It it 0 level? I don't know. It makes sense that a 1st level Fighter from a urban city would be different than one from a rural village.It's an old idea. 1E had 'secondary skills' I think it was called - you rolled on a table and got some mundane skill, like boyer/fletcher or something. In 3E the same concept can be done by putting a few ranks into a profession or craft skill at 1st level. You do get 4x as many skill points to spend at 1st level, some of those could be seen as representing past experience.
Madacapa 09-28-06, 03:41 PM	In 3E the same concept can be done by putting a few ranks into a profession or craft skill at 1st level. You do get 4x as many skill points to spend at 1st level, some of those could be seen as representing past experience. What I am suggesting is different. It would look like a class level, like the apprentise levels in the DMG, but it would have different skills for different backgrounds: noble, poor, middle-class, underwater, underground...how about an example? Ok, lets see...
Emeramber 09-28-06, 03:55 PM	Take a look at D20 Modern. They have backgrounds which provide a very similar effect to what you are looking for. I don't have the book here, but (as I remember it) they provided things like alteration to starting money or equipment (though probably not to FR levels...) or a few skills that would always be considered class, etc.