Age modifiers for young characters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Age modifiers for young characters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Draco_Magus
10-29-05, 11:31 AM If this isn't the right place for this question, please let me know.

Ok, we all know about the ability modifiers for middle aged, old, and venerable, but are their modifiers for characters below 15 in any WotC book? if so, what book?

Any help would be appreciated.
weasel fierce
10-29-05, 12:55 PM Whats with all the child characters lately ?

I doubt you'll find anything published for school children, given that they'd be largely unable to realistically perform in the hack and destroy type of gaming that D&D tends towards.
2y1y1z2
10-30-05, 12:30 AM Flip through the d20 Modern core handbook. It has a table that lists age modifiers for, i think, four catagories below starting age.
Thanqol
10-30-05, 12:37 AM Plus the modifiers for children are *all* minuses. If you want to be some weird child character you're going to bite the bullet for no real return.
Tyler Do'Urden
10-30-05, 01:52 AM Child ability scores would be modified forms of what their adult scores are going to be.

A newborn's Con, Int, Wis, and Cha are 1, and her Str and Dex are 0. She's helpless.

There'd be three child age categories: toddler, juvenile, and young adult. Every age category, the physical ability scores all increase by 1d3 (use the same roll for all three scores), and the mental ability scores increase by 1d4 (again, use the same roll). This random gain never exceeds your adult scores. When you reach adult age (the minimum starting age for your class), your abilities become the numbers you actually rolled.

Sound good?
Nialo
10-30-05, 01:30 AM Strength, Dexterity Constitution, Wisdom and Charisma would all have penalties. For all pre-adult age categories. Intelligence, however, would not. Its generally reflective of your ability to learn and grasp new information (Skill points/level) and things like search which is related to problem solving abilities. And younger teenagers, I think, would have no Dex penalties either.

Truthfully though, D&D's age categories are very crude. I mean, apparently a level one 16 year old can be stronger than a level one 28 year old. Which is a bit far fetched, truthfully - If I'm not mistaken guys still grow physically until around 20.
Dhavaer
10-30-05, 07:47 AM You actually reach prime physical fitness at 27.
D&D will never really be able to represent this, however, unless it starts using a Morrowind -esque advancement system. And that would be hell to balance.
Escef
10-30-05, 08:22 AM Whats with all the child characters lately ?

I doubt you'll find anything published for school children, given that they'd be largely unable to realistically perform in the hack and destroy type of gaming that D&D tends towards.

I dunno. A 12 year old with a few rogue levels can still do some nasty sneak damage. And a fireball from a 6th level wizard is still going to be nasty regardless of that wizard being 6 or 60 (age modifiers on intelligence factoring into save DC not withstanding).

I think a child character can fill most any role in an adventuring group (though I admit I have a hard time imagining an 8 year old tanking). Will an adult character do the job better? Usually, yes. But if a player wants to take the ability score penalties to make the character they want, great, it means they are probably serious about wanting to roleplay this character.
Gellion
10-30-05, 09:29 AM I usually imagine child characters in the role of something like a Rogue or Sorceror. I would just use normal mental stats and perhaps lowered Strength and Con.
Findail
11-01-05, 11:47 AM I don't see why Dexterity would be lowered, except for very young kids (toddlers).

Otherwise, I think a Dex bonus would fit for a child in the 8-12 range.

Maybe -1 on Str, Con, Wis and Cha for early teens (the penalty on the mental stats represents lack of "maturity", less well-integrated personality etc), increasing to -2 with a +1 Dex (and a drop in size category) for a pre-teen (8-12).

Also, decrease the x4 multiplier for initial skill points: triple for the young teenager, double for the pre-teen. Less experience, less practise.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Draco_Magus 10-29-05, 11:31 AM	If this isn't the right place for this question, please let me know. Ok, we all know about the ability modifiers for middle aged, old, and venerable, but are their modifiers for characters below 15 in any WotC book? if so, what book? Any help would be appreciated.
weasel fierce 10-29-05, 12:55 PM	Whats with all the child characters lately ? I doubt you'll find anything published for school children, given that they'd be largely unable to realistically perform in the hack and destroy type of gaming that D&D tends towards.
2y1y1z2 10-30-05, 12:30 AM	Flip through the d20 Modern core handbook. It has a table that lists age modifiers for, i think, four catagories below starting age.
Thanqol 10-30-05, 12:37 AM	Plus the modifiers for children are all minuses. If you want to be some weird child character you're going to bite the bullet for no real return.
Tyler Do'Urden 10-30-05, 01:52 AM	Child ability scores would be modified forms of what their adult scores are going to be. A newborn's Con, Int, Wis, and Cha are 1, and her Str and Dex are 0. She's helpless. There'd be three child age categories: toddler, juvenile, and young adult. Every age category, the physical ability scores all increase by 1d3 (use the same roll for all three scores), and the mental ability scores increase by 1d4 (again, use the same roll). This random gain never exceeds your adult scores. When you reach adult age (the minimum starting age for your class), your abilities become the numbers you actually rolled. Sound good?
Nialo 10-30-05, 01:30 AM	Strength, Dexterity Constitution, Wisdom and Charisma would all have penalties. For all pre-adult age categories. Intelligence, however, would not. Its generally reflective of your ability to learn and grasp new information (Skill points/level) and things like search which is related to problem solving abilities. And younger teenagers, I think, would have no Dex penalties either. Truthfully though, D&D's age categories are very crude. I mean, apparently a level one 16 year old can be stronger than a level one 28 year old. Which is a bit far fetched, truthfully - If I'm not mistaken guys still grow physically until around 20.
Dhavaer 10-30-05, 07:47 AM	You actually reach prime physical fitness at 27. D&D will never really be able to represent this, however, unless it starts using a Morrowind -esque advancement system. And that would be hell to balance.
Escef 10-30-05, 08:22 AM	Whats with all the child characters lately ? I doubt you'll find anything published for school children, given that they'd be largely unable to realistically perform in the hack and destroy type of gaming that D&D tends towards. I dunno. A 12 year old with a few rogue levels can still do some nasty sneak damage. And a fireball from a 6th level wizard is still going to be nasty regardless of that wizard being 6 or 60 (age modifiers on intelligence factoring into save DC not withstanding). I think a child character can fill most any role in an adventuring group (though I admit I have a hard time imagining an 8 year old tanking). Will an adult character do the job better? Usually, yes. But if a player wants to take the ability score penalties to make the character they want, great, it means they are probably serious about wanting to roleplay this character.
Gellion 10-30-05, 09:29 AM	I usually imagine child characters in the role of something like a Rogue or Sorceror. I would just use normal mental stats and perhaps lowered Strength and Con.
Findail 11-01-05, 11:47 AM	I don't see why Dexterity would be lowered, except for very young kids (toddlers). Otherwise, I think a Dex bonus would fit for a child in the 8-12 range. Maybe -1 on Str, Con, Wis and Cha for early teens (the penalty on the mental stats represents lack of "maturity", less well-integrated personality etc), increasing to -2 with a +1 Dex (and a drop in size category) for a pre-teen (8-12). Also, decrease the x4 multiplier for initial skill points: triple for the young teenager, double for the pre-teen. Less experience, less practise.