So, in one of our games, I suggested that we start with 2 level 1 encounter powers and a level 2 skill utility power. This has been working pretty well for our games; mostly, the battle is over by the time I've used both powers and I haven't had to use at-will powers multiple times in a row (though, I've done a couple of charges, which is cool cause charging is what my half-orc was born to do.) It does give us a bit of an advantage, since we can do a little bit more damage/effects in an encounter, but so far, I seen any major foul from the addition. The plan is for us to retrain a level 1 power into a level 3 power once we reach level 3.
The level 2 skill power is also kind of nice since it gives us a small bonus power that mostly just gives us a circumstantial bonus. My half-orc rogue took a power that let him pickpocket as a minor action as an encounter power, and I've liked how that goes (now I can pickpocket in combat without not attacking. Not that I succeed all that often, but archers beware! My fingers be snatching up your ammo!).
You complain about at lv1 you only have 1 encounter to use, well duh your level 1. Your barely above the guards in a town in terms of power at that point. So you keep your characters lv1 but give them pretty much the equivalent of a lv3 player. And you do this because "we had civilian backgrounds"? Yet your practically as powerful as a lv3 character, but lv1 is too weak for players with "civilian backgrounds"? Just doesn't make sense.
If you feel lv1 is too weak because, perish the thought, you may had to keep to at wills more often than not, then start higher. It doesn't seem like there's any good reason not to just start higher. At lv1 encounters shouldn't be too bad that you really need an extra encounter power to make it through. Even if you're taking 2 lv1 encounters, and just retraining one of them at lv3 it just seems pointless. And what about the skill utility power? Do you just gain a utility power at lv2 like normal, which means you get an extra utility? Not saying its overpowered with that, I've seen the skill powers, but still. Just seems simpler to start at lv 3
Either way, kudos for being happy with your house rule. Your 'civilian background' explanation doesn't make much sense though; even level 1 PCs are already magically bad@ss action heroes. They can plow through waves of lesser foes (minions), they can survive more than any normal person can (lots o' hit points) and they have magical-wuxia action moves (encounter & daily powers).
suggestion: just up the level as others have suggested, and be done with it.
since everything in the homebrew forum is PEACH material, my evaluation of this is that it is unneeded and unbalancing. if they are first level, then so be it; if they are third level, then so be that.
suggestion: just up the level as others have suggested, and be done with it.
I tend to agree with everyone saying if you want more powers, start at a higher level. If for whatever reason it really bothers you to start at above level 1, simply have your DM hand out a lot of items that grant usable, interesting powers, and maybe remove the magic item daily power use limits (that's a common enough houserule anyway). That way you don't break the game's balance , but also get the benefit of having more powers available than a normal character of your level would. Maybe even start the campaign with each character having a magic item with a usable power, and take it out of future treasure.
Just to point out to you two, Considering themes give a free encounter power in DS at level 1, and themes will be coming to core D&D with the new PHB coming out next year (and maybe sooner if dragon magazine publishes some beforehand), its safe to assume that most if not all level 1 characters will have more than 1 encounter power in the future, so why wait?
Quoted from
critical-hits.com/2010/08/07/gen-con-201...
Player’s Handbook: Champions of the Heroic Tier is a set of options, almost like Unearthed Arcana, for characters to pick from and DMs to choose to use in their games. Character themes (introduced in Dark Sun) will be here for core D&D characters, in addition to new options, new feats, and non-combat options like Blacksmith professions that don’t cost feats to acquire.
But hey, to each his own.
I think the big thing here, and I know I sound like a jerk, but the home rule just doesn't seem to make sense to some of us here. At least I don't feel its necessarily game breaking, just doesn't make sense, and Timmeh seems almost hypocritical about wanting lv3 power while still calling himself lv1 because he and his group feel that being lv3 with "civilian backgrounds" wouldn't make sense and make the characters seem to powerful.
But yeah, as pointed out, to each his own. All in all not game breaking just unsensible.
As ZeroPoint said, I think they already previewed one or two themes for DS and the powers didn't look on par with class encounters, more along the lines of skill utility powers I believe.
That's disappointing; I was hoping for more killing power.
It's probably why I personally have no problems with level 1 in 4th.
Good point, Saric, and in the end nothing we feel about the way the game should or should not be played applies to anyone else. But I have the feeling that the abilities in character themes will be of a much narrower scope or limited power than a full-fledged class encounter power. At the very least there will be less choice, which is a power drop all by itself in the big picture.
But hey, to each his own.
As ZeroPoint said, I think they already previewed one or two themes for DS and the powers didn't look on par with class encounters, more along the lines of skill utility powers I believe. Now sure it may change, may not.
I think the big thing here, and I know I sound like a jerk, but the home rule just doesn't seem to make sense to some of us here. At least I don't feel its necessarily game breaking, just doesn't make sense, and Timmeh seems almost hypocritical about wanting lv3 power while still calling himself lv1 because he and his group feel that being lv3 with "civilian backgrounds" wouldn't make sense and make the characters seem to powerful.
But yeah, as pointed out, to each his own. All in all not game breaking just unsensible.
They have previewed a lot more than just one or two themes as sample dark sun character sheets list what type of power they got.
Sample characters from D&D XP
wizards.com/dnd/files/DNDXP_Characters.p...
Sample characters from free rpg day,
www.wizards.com/dnd/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4...
Sample characters from d&d encounters
www.wizards.com/dnd/files/DDEDark%20SunC...
And the Dune Trader is located in this Excerpt here. http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/excerpts/DarkSun_Theme.pdf
If you look closely pretty much all the sample characters the themes grant an extra attack power (except Phye from d&d encounters). Obviously theme powers are limited in scope due to probably being a small list of powers/theme, but the fact remains that almost all of them get extra attack powers.
To be honest, I've been running with a similar house rule (one extra encounter attack power at level 1) since I first heard about dark sun themes with the first pregens back in January, and I can attest that it isn't a big deal at all. My players actually liked it since they didn't always feel like they were always spamming at-wills in combat when playing again at level 1-2 after running paragon/epic characters. Having the rule in play for now is more of a preemptive thing until official core themes are released, or for characters/players who do not feel like a current theme fits them (when we play DS), as it would be unfair for half a party with an extra encounter power and the people who didn't choose a theme to have nothing at all.
I'm unsure about the extra utility power, since I've never tried it nor do I see a real need for it, but it probably would make a level 1 character more interesting to play.
1. Start at a higher level.
2. Start at level 1, have an encounter, and promote everyone to level 2. This is what MMO's do. You get up to level 5 in about 15 minutes. Your characters still go through the process, you just speed it up.
3. Homebrew
I personally prefer #2. You see what works and doesn't and what your holes are, so your choices make more practical sense instead of just being theorycraft.
3 Basic Options
1. Start at a higher level.
2. Start at level 1, have an encounter, and promote everyone to level 2. This is what MMO's do. You get up to level 5 in about 15 minutes. Your characters still go through the process, you just speed it up.
3. Homebrew
I personally prefer #2. You see what works and doesn't and what your holes are, so your choices make more practical sense instead of just being theorycraft.
I agree with all of these. Another option is to play lvl 1 with an increased experience gain. Then when you hit a 1000 xp and would normally level up to 2 instead level up to level 3+. This can be explained ingame by something along the lines of a divine being granting you extra powers or a dieing archmage's powers flowing from him into you. Whatever works best for your campaign.
Personally, I consider any lvl below 3 only necessary with new players. Even then most players pick up the necessary basics after by the end of the first encounter.