Is 20 levels of any PC/PrC class really realistic? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Is 20 levels of any PC/PrC class really realistic? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Bounces
11-12-06, 10:04 PM Okay...here's my thought...

Geoff is a sword-swinging fighter (let's say Human Fight5 for metagaming sake). But does it really make sense for Geoff to only have 5 levels of fighter? Was he born with a bastard sword in his hand a set of chainmail on his back?

Did he not spend the first 15 years of his life on his father's farm? Getting happy levels of commoner before the orc raiding party came through burning women, kids, houses, and villages?

Or maybe after the first 10 years of being a brat to his wealthy land owner of a father (read levels of aristocrat) and so he is sent off to an RoTC boarding school where every lucky graduate is enrolled in the queen's army to fight for god and country...or at least for gold.

So the question I pose to you my gentle reader is this. Is it really feasible to say that I am playing a Elf Wiz3 or a Gnome Rouge2 without anything else to define his life? What happened to the years before he took up the mantle of adventurer? What happened to the years of childhood where he should have gained at least one level of an NPC class?

I know that NPC classes aren't any fun...but I think they are realistic...any thoughts?
Save-vs-DM
11-13-06, 12:24 AM Well, one train of thought is that "minors" don't actually have any class levels at all - this is how d20 modern treats it, anyway. I think that in your early ages, you don't have any class levels, all you're really developing are your attributes. Class levels represent special training above and beyond things - if a child got better at farming, maybe his Wisdom just increased from 9 to 10, representing a +1 bonus.

That's how I've played things, though.

Cheers,
Save vs DM
Damionte
11-13-06, 12:37 AM Your point is flawed. The reason you get bonus skill points at lvl 1 is to represent the life experiences you have had until then.

If you were a farmer take profesion farmer. If you were in the circus you take perform skills. If you grew up on a ship you take sailing skills.

Skills are what determine proficiency in non combat things. You have bonus skill points for a reason use them.
Fatalis_902
11-15-06, 10:00 PM I know one good reason it is not feasible to say that someone is playing a Gnome rouge3. A gnome rogue3, on the other hand, well that's something entirely different. Now, as for your question. It's already been answered. In addition to the other posters, let's not forget the ever popular idea of I am a member of race X, and got training that way, or my daddy was class X, so I am, too. That's just the way it is. You begin your training, including for NPC classes, at the start of your adult life, and for some years thereafter. That's the only time you actually need to worry about class levels. Of course, if it bugs you that much, just take levels in the appropriate NPC class, and be on your way.
LiXinjian
11-16-06, 09:13 AM It's no more realistic to think that my 1st level human wizard with 10 Con has 4 hit points, while your 1st level human warrior with the same constitution has 10 hp. That's just one of the aspects of the game.

Another point of view is dedication. Sure, as a kid your character lived on the farm. He knows some farming skills. But mostly, he's just a poor kid doing whatever daddy tells him. After a while, he can do things on his own (he has one or two skill points in Profession: Farmer), but he's not devoting his mind and free time to it. He's doing farmer work, but he's really thinking about the spells he'll be slinging next Saturday in Wizard school.

NPC classes are meant to depict those NPCs that have devoted themselves utterly to a single profession that is not adventurous. They got areas of expertise and skill points enough to make a bard jealous, but those skills they know best are not related in any way to the life of an adventurous fellow like your PC.

So, unless your PC really pursued a career before picking up the old musty tomes at Wizard Academy, he doesn't need NPC class levels. He picked up the few odd ranks here and there, but nothing serious enought to warrant a full character level. On the other hand, if you want to play a bored scribe who picked up wizardry on the side and now decides to go on a treasure hunt to shake things up, feel free to toss in a few NPC levels in the mix.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Bounces 11-12-06, 10:04 PM	Okay...here's my thought... Geoff is a sword-swinging fighter (let's say Human Fight5 for metagaming sake). But does it really make sense for Geoff to only have 5 levels of fighter? Was he born with a bastard sword in his hand a set of chainmail on his back? Did he not spend the first 15 years of his life on his father's farm? Getting happy levels of commoner before the orc raiding party came through burning women, kids, houses, and villages? Or maybe after the first 10 years of being a brat to his wealthy land owner of a father (read levels of aristocrat) and so he is sent off to an RoTC boarding school where every lucky graduate is enrolled in the queen's army to fight for god and country...or at least for gold. So the question I pose to you my gentle reader is this. Is it really feasible to say that I am playing a Elf Wiz3 or a Gnome Rouge2 without anything else to define his life? What happened to the years before he took up the mantle of adventurer? What happened to the years of childhood where he should have gained at least one level of an NPC class? I know that NPC classes aren't any fun...but I think they are realistic...any thoughts?
Save-vs-DM 11-13-06, 12:24 AM	Well, one train of thought is that "minors" don't actually have any class levels at all - this is how d20 modern treats it, anyway. I think that in your early ages, you don't have any class levels, all you're really developing are your attributes. Class levels represent special training above and beyond things - if a child got better at farming, maybe his Wisdom just increased from 9 to 10, representing a +1 bonus. That's how I've played things, though. Cheers, Save vs DM
Damionte 11-13-06, 12:37 AM	Your point is flawed. The reason you get bonus skill points at lvl 1 is to represent the life experiences you have had until then. If you were a farmer take profesion farmer. If you were in the circus you take perform skills. If you grew up on a ship you take sailing skills. Skills are what determine proficiency in non combat things. You have bonus skill points for a reason use them.
Fatalis_902 11-15-06, 10:00 PM	I know one good reason it is not feasible to say that someone is playing a Gnome rouge3. A gnome rogue3, on the other hand, well that's something entirely different. Now, as for your question. It's already been answered. In addition to the other posters, let's not forget the ever popular idea of I am a member of race X, and got training that way, or my daddy was class X, so I am, too. That's just the way it is. You begin your training, including for NPC classes, at the start of your adult life, and for some years thereafter. That's the only time you actually need to worry about class levels. Of course, if it bugs you that much, just take levels in the appropriate NPC class, and be on your way.
LiXinjian 11-16-06, 09:13 AM	It's no more realistic to think that my 1st level human wizard with 10 Con has 4 hit points, while your 1st level human warrior with the same constitution has 10 hp. That's just one of the aspects of the game. Another point of view is dedication. Sure, as a kid your character lived on the farm. He knows some farming skills. But mostly, he's just a poor kid doing whatever daddy tells him. After a while, he can do things on his own (he has one or two skill points in Profession: Farmer), but he's not devoting his mind and free time to it. He's doing farmer work, but he's really thinking about the spells he'll be slinging next Saturday in Wizard school. NPC classes are meant to depict those NPCs that have devoted themselves utterly to a single profession that is not adventurous. They got areas of expertise and skill points enough to make a bard jealous, but those skills they know best are not related in any way to the life of an adventurous fellow like your PC. So, unless your PC really pursued a career before picking up the old musty tomes at Wizard Academy, he doesn't need NPC class levels. He picked up the few odd ranks here and there, but nothing serious enought to warrant a full character level. On the other hand, if you want to play a bored scribe who picked up wizardry on the side and now decides to go on a treasure hunt to shake things up, feel free to toss in a few NPC levels in the mix.