SPECIAL NOTICE
Malicious code was found on the site, which has been removed, but would have been able to access files and the database, revealing email addresses, posts, and encoded passwords (which would need to be decoded). However, there is no direct evidence that any such activity occurred. REGARDLESS, BE SURE TO CHANGE YOUR PASSWORDS. And as is good practice, remember to never use the same password on more than one site. While performing housekeeping, we also decided to upgrade the forums.
This is a site for discussing roleplaying games. Have fun doing so, but there is one major rule: do not discuss political issues that aren't directly and uniquely related to the subject of the thread and about gaming. While this site is dedicated to free speech, the following will not be tolerated: devolving a thread into unrelated political discussion, sockpuppeting (using multiple and/or bogus accounts), disrupting topics without contributing to them, and posting images that could get someone fired in the workplace (an external link is OK, but clearly mark it as Not Safe For Work, or NSFW). If you receive a warning, please take it seriously and either move on to another topic or steer the discussion back to its original RPG-related theme.

Prior experience for D&D characters

Started by Cyberzombie, March 02, 2006, 11:41:49 AM

Previous topic - Next topic
Print
Go Down Pages 1 2
User actions

Emerald

#15
March 02, 2006, 01:04:32 PM
This sounds pretty cool.  The character that I feel has the most personality and I am most attached to was created at lvl 8 so I got to play with her background more than most.  I could actually come up with cool encounters in which she recieved her XP where as you are rather limited with normal D&D, you can create any background you want but since you are starting at lvl 1 it better not be that exciting because you didnt get any XP doing it.
 

Nicephorus

#16
March 02, 2006, 01:10:36 PM
Quote from: Emeraldyou are rather limited with normal D&D, you can create any background you want but since you are starting at lvl 1 it better not be that exciting because you didnt get any XP doing it.

I laugh when I read backgrounds about participating in big wars, quests completed, etc.  when the character sheet says that they are a 1st level teenager.  One of the reasons I like starting a few levels higher.
 
I like Limper's approach of adding ECL.  Another thing it would do is age the character (that was the big trade off in Traveller).

kryyst

#17
March 02, 2006, 01:29:41 PM
Quote from: KnightcrawlerI believe your thinking of the charts from the Hero Builders Guidebook, which are very good for building a random framework for a characters background, history and family.  Also you may be thinking of a section from Unearthed arcana that covers things like that, soecifically what happened to the character befor ethe current point in time.

Nope neither of those.  This book series predates D20, it's not even (perish the thought) tied to Dungeons and Dragons specifically.  This is an old school gaming.
AccidentalSurvivors.com : The blood will put out the fire.

Cyclotron

#18
March 02, 2006, 01:31:58 PM
The T20 rules would work just fine.  I've long thought about converting them for use with D&D, but haven't gotten around to it yet.  Many of the charts (like the one for joining the Army) wouldn't even really need any changes...  They could almost be used as is.
Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace,
 NFPA 70E, Article 330.4 (F):
"Laser beams shall not be aimed at employees."

kryyst

#19
March 02, 2006, 01:34:43 PM
Quote from: NicephorusI laugh when I read backgrounds about participating in big wars, quests completed, etc.  when the character sheet says that they are a 1st level teenager.  One of the reasons I like starting a few levels higher.
 
I like Limper's approach of adding ECL.  Another thing it would do is age the character (that was the big trade off in Traveller).

That's just part of the problem with players who make up these ridiculous backgrounds.  They sound great, they can even be extremely exciting but almost every one I've ever read should end off with "And then a Lich Energy Drained me 15 levels".

I think the ECL concept would work, but if everyone is using the same backgrounds I don't see a need to balance it out with that added level of complication.  Adding a bonus feat, some extra skills and potentially even more useful social advantages should cover it all nicely.
AccidentalSurvivors.com : The blood will put out the fire.

Name Lips

#20
March 02, 2006, 01:40:03 PM
Part of the problem with D&D also is that mixed-power parties don't work. So you can't have a handful of 1st level halflings adventuring with the most powerful wizards and warriors of the land and still expect them to contribute equally to the party. Made for a good book though... :p

That's just the way it is. Either everybody is a novice, or everybody is experienced.
Next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways, it's still rock and roll to me.

You can talk all you want about theory, craft, or whatever. But in the end, it's still just new ways of looking at people playing make-believe and having a good time with their friends. Intellectualize or analyze all you want, but we've been playing the same game since we were 2 years old. We just have shinier books, spend more money, and use bigger words now.

kryyst

#21
March 02, 2006, 01:58:59 PM
Quote from: Name LipsPart of the problem with D&D also is that mixed-power parties don't work. So you can't have a handful of 1st level halflings adventuring with the most powerful wizards and warriors of the land and still expect them to contribute equally to the party. Made for a good book though... :p

That's just the way it is. Either everybody is a novice, or everybody is experienced.

That's not wholy a trait of D&D though, granted it's extremely apparent in D&D but most games suffer from similar draw backs.  But D&D stands out more, I mean put a 1st level character with 3rd level characters and you can start to notice a significant gap in abilities.
AccidentalSurvivors.com : The blood will put out the fire.

Nicephorus

#22
March 02, 2006, 02:07:06 PM
Much of it is the hit point thing, structured so that twice the levels equals very nearly twice the hit points. In systems where the ability to absorb damage isn't so tilted, it's not as bad. In old traveller, you mainly had more skills so the effect wasn't as big.  You could change D20 so that hp at level 1 equals con score (not modifier) + hp from class and later levels don't get a con bonus.
 
Magic also gets exponentially better at higher levels.
Print
Go Up Pages 1 2
User actions