Age adjustment [Archive] - Wizards Community

Age adjustment [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sezarious
11-05-07, 08:59 AM If i were to start off playing a game that involved my character being younger, like an 8 to 12 or group of 8 to 12 year old kids, what stat adjustment could you guys see?
I can see an adventure close to town where the kids use rumours and town gossip for their adventures. Perhaps they may search for an old Wizards keep where it's rumoured he left some valuable equipment. Maybe the kids may find the abandoned mine and look for stuff. Just would like a general explore as a kid concept to begin with, then maybe age the character later and give him a proper campaign.
-Winter-
11-05-07, 09:10 AM -2's to everything.

then its easy to age them. just give them eventual +2's to everything.
Sezarious
11-05-07, 09:18 AM Really? Should i give them a size mod or a bonous to dex or something? Maybe a bonous to listen checks?
-Winter-
11-05-07, 10:12 AM I wouldn't give them any bonuses, Just compare a 12 yo to a 16-21 yo and think what they are better at, even being small and flexy and nimble doesn't really compare to the developments in motor co-ordination you make as you grow up as far as a Dex bonus goes.

Small size maybe but most 12 yo kids are taller then your average halfling. 3 feet tall is very small, depends on race a bit i guess.

Depends on the campaign too. As a single child character in a party of adults you're better off just spending point buy or allocating your rolls to show child-like stats.

An all kid campaign might want to go for something like a stingy point buy system or variant rolling method with a cap at 14 or 16 say. And then gift the Characters with some extra point buy points (or a flat bonus) as they age to distribute how they like.

Edit: It does sound like a cool idea though.
Dei
11-05-07, 10:49 AM I'd say -4 to str and con, -2s to everything else. Could also maybe give a -2 or more on all saves since his body/mind haven't fully developed to resist the rigours of his chosen lifestyle.

I'd say that small size could be justified as even though they're likely to be of similar height to a full grown dwarf they've not got the stocky build and weight that allows dwarves to be treated as medium characters.
Legdiwena
11-05-07, 11:33 AM No class levels either
DrMorganes
11-05-07, 03:16 PM Meh.

The youngest starting age I allow for humans is 12. I'll allow a reasonable starting age along the same guidelines for any PC race. Regardless of age or race, the PC begins the game with the same attribute array as the rest of the party. Anything else is unfair to the rest of the players. Consider:

3 PCs begin with normal starting ages, but PC 4 starts with a smart-mouthed pre-teen rogue. The rogue gets penalized to ALL his stats (but still has to spend the points to buy a pre-adjusted ability score), making him less effective on all fronts, and gains no special bonuses to compensate for the loss. Then, four game years into the campaign, the rogue suddenly gets a boatload of ability score adjustments just because he managed to live to age 16. (Granted, this may be a near-epic accomplishment for a smart-mouthed pre-teen of any stripe, but that's neither here nor there.)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sezarious 11-05-07, 08:59 AM	If i were to start off playing a game that involved my character being younger, like an 8 to 12 or group of 8 to 12 year old kids, what stat adjustment could you guys see? I can see an adventure close to town where the kids use rumours and town gossip for their adventures. Perhaps they may search for an old Wizards keep where it's rumoured he left some valuable equipment. Maybe the kids may find the abandoned mine and look for stuff. Just would like a general explore as a kid concept to begin with, then maybe age the character later and give him a proper campaign.
-Winter- 11-05-07, 09:10 AM	-2's to everything. then its easy to age them. just give them eventual +2's to everything.
Sezarious 11-05-07, 09:18 AM	Really? Should i give them a size mod or a bonous to dex or something? Maybe a bonous to listen checks?
-Winter- 11-05-07, 10:12 AM	I wouldn't give them any bonuses, Just compare a 12 yo to a 16-21 yo and think what they are better at, even being small and flexy and nimble doesn't really compare to the developments in motor co-ordination you make as you grow up as far as a Dex bonus goes. Small size maybe but most 12 yo kids are taller then your average halfling. 3 feet tall is very small, depends on race a bit i guess. Depends on the campaign too. As a single child character in a party of adults you're better off just spending point buy or allocating your rolls to show child-like stats. An all kid campaign might want to go for something like a stingy point buy system or variant rolling method with a cap at 14 or 16 say. And then gift the Characters with some extra point buy points (or a flat bonus) as they age to distribute how they like. Edit: It does sound like a cool idea though.
Dei 11-05-07, 10:49 AM	I'd say -4 to str and con, -2s to everything else. Could also maybe give a -2 or more on all saves since his body/mind haven't fully developed to resist the rigours of his chosen lifestyle. I'd say that small size could be justified as even though they're likely to be of similar height to a full grown dwarf they've not got the stocky build and weight that allows dwarves to be treated as medium characters.
Legdiwena 11-05-07, 11:33 AM	No class levels either
DrMorganes 11-05-07, 03:16 PM	Meh. The youngest starting age I allow for humans is 12. I'll allow a reasonable starting age along the same guidelines for any PC race. Regardless of age or race, the PC begins the game with the same attribute array as the rest of the party. Anything else is unfair to the rest of the players. Consider: 3 PCs begin with normal starting ages, but PC 4 starts with a smart-mouthed pre-teen rogue. The rogue gets penalized to ALL his stats (but still has to spend the points to buy a pre-adjusted ability score), making him less effective on all fronts, and gains no special bonuses to compensate for the loss. Then, four game years into the campaign, the rogue suddenly gets a boatload of ability score adjustments just because he managed to live to age 16. (Granted, this may be a near-epic accomplishment for a smart-mouthed pre-teen of any stripe, but that's neither here nor there.)