Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Aktariel 04-28-06, 10:33 PM	I'm trying to mix up my PC selection a little bit, and was attempting to create a character based around all of the child "Chosen Ones" found in Eastern Mythology - basically a young kid with a few monk levels, around age 12 or so. Are there rules for this in the DMG or the PH? I looked but didn't see them. Does anyone know where I can find them?
kelvinaw273 04-28-06, 10:41 PM	I think it unlikely that anyone has made any rules. I would suggest that you 'predestin' their character class and apply hefty negative mods to most stats, and work from there. For a 12 year old I would suggest something like: 1/2 all stats except con and char, half hit-points. -2 BAB, only 1/4 basic skills,no spell ability above 0-level and reduce the rest as you feel appropriate. I would not rate a character that young as having any levels at all.
Gedrin 04-28-06, 10:42 PM	What adult in their right mind would allow a child to go adventuring? If you play a child, expect the character to be treated like a child. No staying up late. No going to dangerous places. Certainly you would never intentionally be exposed to life threatening situations. Adults will likely go berserk when you are subjected to harm. All and all, children are impractical characters. In my experience people playing child characters always expect them to be treated with equal respect and rights as adults, which is generally stupid. Of course, if you just want to play an adult in a child's body...meh...
Entheogenic 04-28-06, 10:50 PM	IIRC, Quintessential Sorcerer (maybe QS II) has rules for children as PCs, including a feat called "Precocious" that lets you ignore the age penalty to a single ability score. Playing a child character could allow for a lot of interesting RP, if done correctly. Entheogenic
Aminar 04-28-06, 11:06 PM	I'd go with standard small size bonuses(-2 str/+2 dex) Add in another -1 to str+wis, and a -2 on all intelligence based checks(so as to not nerf skill gain) Then I would give 3/4 HP, and a faster rate of HP healing(as if they had the fast healing feat) Kids heal faster than adults. Lastly I would require a good backstory for a child adventurer.
Kapalen 04-28-06, 11:33 PM	What adult in their right mind would allow a child to go adventuring? If you play a child, expect the character to be treated like a child. No staying up late. No going to dangerous places. Certainly you would never intentionally be exposed to life threatening situations. Adults will likely go berserk when you are subjected to harm. All and all, children are impractical characters. In my experience people playing child characters always expect them to be treated with equal respect and rights as adults, which is generally stupid. Of course, if you just want to play an adult in a child's body...meh... Not only are potential lamas(sp?) treated with respect from everyone they deserve it, because they're freakishly mature from their time in monastaries training to be a guide to nirvana. ALso, ageism is a campaign specific thing, Vikings, among other races n the darkages, began fighting around 12.
Reversefigure4 04-28-06, 11:54 PM	I'd go with standard small size bonuses(-2 str/+2 dex) Add in another -1 to str+wis, and a -2 on all intelligence based checks(so as to not nerf skill gain) Then I would give 3/4 HP, and a faster rate of HP healing(as if they had the fast healing feat) Kids heal faster than adults. Lastly I would require a good backstory for a child adventurer. Mechanics wise, I like all these rules (possibly not the intelligence one, depends on the nature of the character). It's hardly an unbelievable occurrence, particularly going with the eastern 'Chosen One' child archtype. Aang, from the Avatar: The Last Airbender cartoon series springs to mind. As a child of destiny, he's obviously going to adventure, and the destruction of his monastery means he isn't accompanied by an older, wiser monk. If you're interested in RP tips, I must suggest being wise but often child-like, and latching onto a 'father-figure' in your group.
Benny BBQ 04-29-06, 12:14 AM	The D20 Modern Core Rulebook gives information on child statistics: -3 to both Str and Con, and -1 to the other stats... I know this may not fit for monstrous races, as the rules in D20 Modern were meant to work with human (or at least humanoid) characters, but it's a start nonetheless... 'hope I helped... -Ben
Order 66(6) 04-29-06, 12:18 AM	While I will agree that there are some stumbling blocks that need to be worked out, I can say from personal experience that playing a child character can be a blast. The group dynamics alone, with some of the better roleplayers becoming very attached to my character like a parent, and the precocious crush he formed on our party's sexy female sea captain provided literally hours upon hours of great roleplaying. However, for it to be believeable, the child has to be exceptional in some way. A unique race, an arcane prodigy, exceptionally strong or intelligent...etc....etc....Also, the group DOES have to address the morality/danger inherent in bringing along a child.
Zeful 04-29-06, 02:27 AM	The kid could be the child of one or two of the adult pc's which makes some very interesting RP.
Pegasos989 04-29-06, 05:16 AM	What adult in their right mind would allow a child to go adventuring? Child might be a runaway from a monastery in which he was taught the monk skills. Child's parents might have been killed in an orc raid. In medieval settings, children started working at 3 years old and 12 years old was concidered almost an adult (hey, people who lived at 50 were OLD). Child might have killed his parents (Tho this is CE child only, so not really good for a monk). Child might be chosen of the gods. (I am not sure that in which age exactly Jesus left home in christian mythology, but I doubt it was 20+.) Also mechanically... If you WANT you could ask to make child have a race with LA +1 and template "child" with LA -1 (not sure if that term exists RAW) so that the races's bonuses just "happen" to be exactly same that being a child takes away. This would let you have all the RPing of being a child but still not really make you weaker mechanically.
Reighnhell 04-29-06, 11:33 AM	And remember that "child" encompasses alot of different developmental stages. Early Childhood (1-4 human years):Your small, weak, uneducated and entirely helpless. Don't bother with stats, a child this young simply cannot adventure. Middle Childhood (5-10 human years): Possible, but it is a stretch. The child is still learning and growing and is less developed physically and mentally than an adult. They will be at a signifigant disadvantage when facing adults in social and physical endevours. - Small Size ( 20ft move speed, +1 attack, +1 AC) - -3 Str, -1 Dex, -3 Con, -1 Int, -1 Wis, -1 Cha. - Fast Healing: Growing bodies and fast metabolism combine to give children elevated healing capablities. A Child recovers twice the normal number of hit points per evening of rest. Pre-Adolescence/Adolescence (11-15 human years): Prime Age for adventuring youth. The character isn't completely physically matured yet, but has come into their own mentally (but may still be inexperienced or naive) - Medium size (30ft move speed) -2 Str, -2 Con -Fast Healing: Growing bodies and fast metabolism combine to give Adolescents elevated healing capablities. A Adolescent recovers twice the normal number of hit points per evening of rest. Adult (16+): At this age the character can be considered full grown. While possibly still youthful in mindset and attitude, their minds and bodies are mature enough for the full rigors of an adventuring life. Some early bloomers may start using adult statistics as young as 13 (more common for females), while late bloomers may not reach their adult potential until 18.
Dufaeth 04-29-06, 12:03 PM	I played a child character once who was a berserker of sorts. He had reduced stats but when he raged they increased like a barbarian.
Pandaemoni 04-29-06, 12:11 PM	When we've had children as PCs (largely because of the evil influence of anime on our games) we used: -2 str, +2 Con as modifers. They also got only 1/2 of the number of starting skills they'd ordinarily get (but those players gained any lost skill points at the time their characters reached 16 years old). There was some talk of giving them a +1 to saving throws as a luck bonus, but some of the non-wannabe-child players objected. It's not entirely accurate, but (1) you are talking about "exceptional" and "heroic" children here, not "Johnny from across the street"; and (2) no one wanted to play a completely unbalanced character just to fulfill a certain role-playing concept.
Aktariel 04-29-06, 12:55 PM	I think -2 Str -2 Con is apropo for a child about 12-14 (about the age I was thinking of playing). Maybe -1 Int, though maybe not. As a Golden One, he is a monk 5 or so (to fit in with the rest of the party in terms of ECL) Vow of Poverty, anyone? I was sort of looking at the child from The Medallion (crappy movie though it was) as the sort of character concept - except he's moderately useful now and is slightly older, but the same sort of wise detachment and childishness. Though being a horny enlightened teenager...he might tempt the ninja with his mad tantric pleasure skills :D EDIT: Anyone have any good PrCls for him? I was thinking of modifying Consecrated Harrier to stack with monk levels for purposes of AC bonus, unarmed damage, and speed, and removing spells to compensate, but it didn't seem like what I was looking for...any suggestions