Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Beppe63 08-31-05, 10:36 AM	First of all hello!! :D I'm new of the community and I need help for the following problem: Probably I and the players of my group are intentioned to begin a new campaign, but starting with the PCs as child/young. My idea is to give them 2-3 short adventures, inside the city where they live, before they reach the "age" of PCs of 1st level. In the meanwhile the young PCs detemine what type of class they take in future... Now, my problem is: There are any rules to manage this situation (officials or house rules developed by anyone)? Or, there is anyone in the community that can give me any usefull hints? Thanks in advance for the help. -- Beppe63 Italy
DBoot 08-31-05, 11:33 AM	I suggest the following: firstly, have them be level 1 commoners (or warrior, adept, expert or aristocrat if you feel they warrant), which will be replaced with the first level of whatever class they end up taking. For stats I have the following suggestions: -6 to Physical, -3 to Mental for very young, Tiny Size* -3 to Physical, -2 to Mental for young, Small Size* -1 to Physical, -1 to Mental for adolescent, Medium Size* -0 to Physical, -0 to Mentals for young adulthood, Medium Size* *Lower by one category for shorter races Minimum for any physical stat (regardless of age modifier) is 1, minimum for int is 3, wis and cha is 1. Granted this will make there characters exceedingly weak, but then again, children are, at least relative to adults.
Fithero 08-31-05, 07:36 PM	thats a pretty cool idea (kind of like in fable) and i like the idea that was put foward about how to handle their abilities aswell. That could be interesting way to play the game, instead of making up a long backgroung, you could actually get to *play* the background. Which (although it sounds stupid) means that you get more say in how your character turns out, not bad. Ill have to try this one day. Later
obrysii 08-31-05, 10:44 PM	The Star Wars Core Rulebook has rules for playing a child and young adult.
Beppe63 09-01-05, 06:48 AM	The Star Wars Core Rulebook has rules for playing a child and young adult. Duh!! :eek: Where exactly on the book, please?
Gingerbread Guy 09-01-05, 11:13 AM	Hi gang, I did this exact same thing back in 2nd edition, and it worked out REALLY well. I highly recommend you trying it, so long as you have patient players. In terms of the plot, we had all agreed that the PCs were from the same village and grew up together, and the idea hit me. From what I gather, you're doing it the same way as I did - everyone at the same time in the same place. Here's the first problem with that: Unless they're all basicly the same race, you're going to have problems with maturity vs age. Now, I was lucky - the only races in my group were humans and a half-elf, so that was fine. I actually let the half-elf be the oldest in the group (both in maturity and in age) so that when we fastforwarded to the "present" he was approximately the same maturity level as the others. If you have people dying to play dwarves and elves and gnomes, they're going to have to be adults to start with, or they'll never grow up in time. When the prologue started, the PCs were about 12 years old. I was originally considering making them as young as 6, but I figured it was unlikely that they'd actually get involved in the plotline (in which goblins hold the village hostage, until the villagers revolt) at such a young age. I wanted it to be a "coming of age" theme, rather than a "my childhood was stolen from me" deal. Rather than apply penalties to their stats, I cut their Strength and Wisdom by a third, rounding down. Rather than diminish Charisma, I simply limited it at 14 since I feel Charisma represents a certain level of maturity - and yet some people reach their maximum maturity at age 12. lol Dexterity I left alone; children aren't really that coordinated, but then again there are gymnasts at the olympics who can do things adults can't. As for Constitution, I just didn't feel that kids are really any weaker than adults. If anything, they have way too much energy. lol Anyone who teaches elementary school will know what I'm talking about. In terms of hit points, I gave everyone 1d4. Yes, I made them roll it. When they matured and main storyline began in the "present", they had hit points according to their class, and I gave them full HP on the first HD. This way, everyone had more HP when they were older than they did when they were a kid - except for the wizard, who I'm pretty sure had the EXACT same amount. lol Now, were I to do this in 3.5e rules, I'd have to account for feats, skill points, and all that other stuff too. Here's what I'd do: - As children they are one size smaller than usual. Apply the usual penalties, etc. Yes, this means Tiny halflings. Kawaii! - All racial features apply normally. - They can be 1st level members of their classes, but they can chose only one class feature. If they chose spells as their class feature, they can only cast spells one level lower than usual. In the case of bards, this means no spells at all. A fighter can have a feat, wizards can cast cantrips or have a familiar, clerics can have a domain power or cast orizons or turn undead, monks can have unarmed strikes, etc.. - They can have their normal BAB. - Saving throws are all at +0 base. - I'd leave them without any feats (with the exception of fighters) - They can have skill points as per their class, but not x4 as with normal 1st level characters. Max ranks set at 2, cross-class 1. - In terms of hit dice, they get 1d4 HP, but they're considered to be CR 1/3. - Members of classes that provide proficiency with all simple weapons may chose ONE simple weapon with which they are proficient. Members of classes that provide proficiency with all martial weapons may chose ONE martial weapon. Anyone else can chose to be proficient with one weapon with which members of their class are normally proficient. - Armor probably won't be an issue, as no one is likely to have access to armor their size, but for argument's sake say that the kids are proficient in armor one or two categories lower than usual. Allow proficiency with shields. - I wouldn't bother with starting gold, I'd give the kids next to nothing. They can chose some items that make sense, rather than following some die rolls. Don't bother handing out XP. Simply surviving and growing up will be enough to get them to a real 1st level. Don't forget that they'll probably be facing weapon size penalties if they arm themselves, so factor that in. If you want even younger kids, you can further limit ability scores (cut Str and Wis by 50% and limit Cha to 10 for children around the age of 7 to 8, for example), and so on. Best of luck, hope my experience was helpful! ~Ginger
Beppe63 09-07-05, 05:43 AM	Hello again, after reading your usefull suggestions (and also other that I found on ng) I have put down these linear rules: 10 years - Racial Modifier: 1/2 normal (rounded down); - Stat: 2d6 for any placed at choice of players; - Skill Points: 2 (all skills without training are class skills); - HP: 3 + COS mod.; - Language Bonus: Native; - Saving Throw: +1 for 2 times at day at choice of players in any (For, Ref or Will). 13 years - Racial Modifier: Normal; - Stat: +1d6 for any placed at choice of players; - Skill Points: 2 (all skills without training are class skills); - HP: +1; - Language Bonus: One new if INT = or > 12; - Saving Throw: +1 fix at choice of players in one (For, Ref or Will). 16 years - Players choice one NPC class (Adept, Aristocrat, Commoner, Expert, or Warrior) - Stat: +1d6 for any placed at choice of players in sostitution of any previous low throw (similar to 4d6 discard low); - Skill Points: Any missing to arrive at 2nd level SP of NPC class choising [example: Expert (6 + INT) -4 = 2 + INT]; - HP: The same of Skill Points; - Language Bonus: One new if INT = or > 14; - Saving Throw: +1 fix at choice of players in one (For, Ref or Will) - Feat: One for humans. 19 years - Player choise a class at 1st level; - HP: Max Hp for class + COS Mod. - Language Bonus: Any left for high INT; - Saving Throw: Any difference with previous +2 (example: Barbarian class no more because just used the +2); - Skill Points, Feats and Special Ability as usual for the class choising. What do you think? Now I ask again your help for hints and suggestions about brief adventures (no more of two session, better one) suitable for these age. One for 10 years, one for 13 years and one for 16 years. Thanks in advance for any help.
Tuah Shinguru 09-12-05, 10:41 PM	Wow... I was thinking about doing this exact same thing the past few days! I think this will be a great way to start out an adventure, and it'll run all the way from childhood to Epic adventures! My players will start out in a small town, eventually moving into Baldur's Gate (probably easy on me, as I've never DMed an entire campaign!), and will later become 1st level, with an extra feat or something for doing all that. It's gonna be an awesome campaign! We should all make a mini-book called "Complete Campaign" in which it talks about DMing a campaign for different things, like High-Powered, Low-Powered, Low-aged, Epic and such. It could also include editing adventures to fit a different level than intended!
Negi Springfield 09-15-05, 12:31 AM	Those rules are FANTASTIC. While I'm not going to start on a similar campain (I'm going to use an actual young PC for a few campaign), those rules work just fine. Maybe I should start working on my PC right away.....