Younger Characters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Younger Characters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Jarsallen
10-10-07, 05:28 PM I'm not 100% sure where this goes, but fundamentally it's a race question-

My gaming group recently discussed the nature of the starting ages in the PHB.

Here's my question for the community:

What is the best way to approach the situation where a player wants to play a character significantly younger than the starting ages shown- a 10 year old human, or a 20 year old elf?

This is a question that has three elements as I see it.

The first is a 'universe' question- Are 50 year old elfs the equivalent, biologically speaking, as 13 year old humans? Is a 20 year old elf the equivalent of a 5 year old human? I'm curious how different gaming groups handle this issue. If humans, dwarfs, and elves (to use stock races) all mature at the same rate, then the 20 year old elf is physically and mentally as acute as the 20 year old human (and they must wait a decade or five, respectively, before going out and adventuring). On the other hand, if they do not mature as quickly, then a 20 year old elf is still playing with building blocks.

The second is the rules mechanics question. There is an aging chart in the corebook that baselines off early adulthood (18 for humans, something like 30 for dwarfs and 90 for elfs), and as characters get older they take certain penalties and bonuses. Should a chart of a similar nature be applied to younger characters in the form of strengh, intelligence and wisdom penalties for children? Presumably the answer to the first question will provide some guidelines for what a chart would look like.

The final question is one of playability and story telling. Many parties form based around the idea that they have all known one another prior to their decision to go out and adventure. It makes life easier on the GM and players to be able to write in this backstory together, and the old gaming standby of 'we all grew up together' doesn't fly if the elf can respond 'well, you guys grew up together. I've was born when your father was just a twinkle in his grandfather's eye". It's also more difficult as a GM to keep track of what a 100 year old character knows- What is ancient history to the human players is within living memory of elven and even dwarven starting characters.

I've looked for some formal position on this issue around the Wizards boards and FAQs, but I suspect this question is not frequently asked. I'm curious what the impressions of the community here is, and would appreciate any insights you have.
InkBlot
10-10-07, 05:50 PM The second is the rules mechanics question. There is an aging chart in the corebook that baselines off early adulthood (18 for humans, something like 30 for dwarfs and 90 for elfs), and as characters get older they take certain penalties and bonuses. Should a chart of a similar nature be applied to younger characters in the form of strengh, intelligence and wisdom penalties for children?
That's how they do it in D20 Modern. There's a chart for age-based stat penalties for characters younger than adult. They don't get any bonuses - only penalties. Although I suppose if they're young enough then they'll get the +1 to attack and AC for being small.

Obviously the chart in Modern is for humans only, but it's easy enough to extrapolate it to fit other humanoid species.

A lot of your questions about backstories can be answered more easily by people from the Character Development (http://forums.gleemax.com/forumdisplay.php?f=97) board. Maybe even in the stickies.
Jarsallen
10-10-07, 06:01 PM Thanks for the link. I checked out the sticky and poked around a bit but it turns out that discussions of the intellectual and physiological development speed of extremely long-lived species as pertains to character generation and starting age isn't a frequently discussed topic.

Or I could just be missing the right thread...
RollaD20
10-11-07, 09:22 PM in order to interpret the human pnalties at ages is to divide the human age (like where you think adolescent will fall in age for an elf and a human) by the elfin age (or watever race you are using) and then decrease str, con, int, and wis by that percent after adding racial bonuses. give them a bonus to dexterity for they have cutesy little fingers.

i personally get a +10 to my dex score because i can crack every joint in my body and contort myself :D i creep my party out when i do that

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Jarsallen 10-10-07, 05:28 PM	I'm not 100% sure where this goes, but fundamentally it's a race question- My gaming group recently discussed the nature of the starting ages in the PHB. Here's my question for the community: What is the best way to approach the situation where a player wants to play a character significantly younger than the starting ages shown- a 10 year old human, or a 20 year old elf? This is a question that has three elements as I see it. The first is a 'universe' question- Are 50 year old elfs the equivalent, biologically speaking, as 13 year old humans? Is a 20 year old elf the equivalent of a 5 year old human? I'm curious how different gaming groups handle this issue. If humans, dwarfs, and elves (to use stock races) all mature at the same rate, then the 20 year old elf is physically and mentally as acute as the 20 year old human (and they must wait a decade or five, respectively, before going out and adventuring). On the other hand, if they do not mature as quickly, then a 20 year old elf is still playing with building blocks. The second is the rules mechanics question. There is an aging chart in the corebook that baselines off early adulthood (18 for humans, something like 30 for dwarfs and 90 for elfs), and as characters get older they take certain penalties and bonuses. Should a chart of a similar nature be applied to younger characters in the form of strengh, intelligence and wisdom penalties for children? Presumably the answer to the first question will provide some guidelines for what a chart would look like. The final question is one of playability and story telling. Many parties form based around the idea that they have all known one another prior to their decision to go out and adventure. It makes life easier on the GM and players to be able to write in this backstory together, and the old gaming standby of 'we all grew up together' doesn't fly if the elf can respond 'well, you guys grew up together. I've was born when your father was just a twinkle in his grandfather's eye". It's also more difficult as a GM to keep track of what a 100 year old character knows- What is ancient history to the human players is within living memory of elven and even dwarven starting characters. I've looked for some formal position on this issue around the Wizards boards and FAQs, but I suspect this question is not frequently asked. I'm curious what the impressions of the community here is, and would appreciate any insights you have.
InkBlot 10-10-07, 05:50 PM	The second is the rules mechanics question. There is an aging chart in the corebook that baselines off early adulthood (18 for humans, something like 30 for dwarfs and 90 for elfs), and as characters get older they take certain penalties and bonuses. Should a chart of a similar nature be applied to younger characters in the form of strengh, intelligence and wisdom penalties for children? That's how they do it in D20 Modern. There's a chart for age-based stat penalties for characters younger than adult. They don't get any bonuses - only penalties. Although I suppose if they're young enough then they'll get the +1 to attack and AC for being small. Obviously the chart in Modern is for humans only, but it's easy enough to extrapolate it to fit other humanoid species. A lot of your questions about backstories can be answered more easily by people from the Character Development (http://forums.gleemax.com/forumdisplay.php?f=97) board. Maybe even in the stickies.
Jarsallen 10-10-07, 06:01 PM	Thanks for the link. I checked out the sticky and poked around a bit but it turns out that discussions of the intellectual and physiological development speed of extremely long-lived species as pertains to character generation and starting age isn't a frequently discussed topic. Or I could just be missing the right thread...
RollaD20 10-11-07, 09:22 PM	in order to interpret the human pnalties at ages is to divide the human age (like where you think adolescent will fall in age for an elf and a human) by the elfin age (or watever race you are using) and then decrease str, con, int, and wis by that percent after adding racial bonuses. give them a bonus to dexterity for they have cutesy little fingers. i personally get a +10 to my dex score because i can crack every joint in my body and contort myself :D i creep my party out when i do that