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Post by Drexlorn on Aug 29, 2004 21:15:46 GMT -5
Greetings, For my next campaign, I've thrown the ball to my players and asked them what they would like to do with their characters. They gave me their class, race, preferred social rank, homebase, family and the rest. One want to be a cleric while the other want to be a magic-user. I want the players to start in their every day life and then decide in play to go in adventure. The cleric will be doing routine tasks at the local temple of a good god (not yet determined). The tasks I was thinking of is helping during the ceremonies, caring for people needing the church help and doing all sort of duties. Do you have any ideas ? The magic-user want to be in a school of wizardry. While at first I don't like the idea because it calls for too much magic in the campaign, I think there could be a way of doing it in a manner where it doesn't really add that much magic to the world. For example, all the students could be 0-level and obtain their diploma while gaining their 1st magic-user level. So the school purpose would be to teach intelligent and fortunate people how to become a user of the magic art. I would use the rules of UA for the 0-level and use the cantrips as well. It would be much like an "Harry Potter" play... What do you think about it ? For the purpose of being equal to each players, I think I should to something similar with the cleric for the levels but I don't see any 0-level rules for clerics anywhere in the AD&D books I have. Any ideas or suggestions ?
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Falconer
Enchanter
Knight Bachelor
AD&D, Middle-earth, Star Trek TOS
Posts: 330
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Post by Falconer on Aug 30, 2004 6:50:20 GMT -5
There is a module called N4 Treasure Hunt by Aaron Allston where you play 0-level characters who, in the course of the module, become a certain class due to their growing tendencies. There are full-blown rules for 0-level characters in the post-Gygax hardcover "Greyhawk Adventures" by Jim Ward: an intricate system of building their attributes and skills in different classes as you take the character from attribute-less to a normal 1st level character.
Both these systems are clunky and don't quite fit in with the way AD&D was designed. N4 is not a bad module otherwise, but does not take into account the base *idea* of the 1st-level character: the years of experience one needs to become 1st level. After all, according to the PH and DMG, a 1st level Fighter is a "Veteran," and a 1st level human Magic-User is typically in his 30s after something like fifteen years of apprenticeship.
Ward's system fails to take into account the base *mechanics* of AD&D's 1st-level character. Mechanically, 1st level is the base from which all characters are built. In order to create a system of 0-level characters playable over a longer period, Ward had to strip away the basics of the 1st level character, such as the six ability scores themselves--vital statistics in the game, indeed! This throws the whole game out of whack as you have to play around this lack.
It seems to me that UA's mention of cantrips as "0-level spells" and its brief mention of neophytes, initiates, and apprentices is not to introduce 0-level Magic-Users as an option for players but simply as an explanation of why the 1st-level Magic-User will already have a repertoire of weak spells (which is perfectly reasonable). Still, it should work to have a 0-level Magic-User as stated.
The easiest way to handle 0-level characters is to treat them as 1st-level characters in all aspects (ability scores, weapons/armor restrictions, number of proficiencies, etc.), except the following:
1) Give them negative experience points. -500 should suffice, though it depends on what you have planned for them before you want to get to Level 1. 2) Don't let them roll hit dice. Give the Cleric-to-be 5 HP and give the Magic-User-to-be 3 HP. When they do reach Level 1, let them roll their hit dice to see if they can beat that (but don't add them together). 3) Use the 0-level fighter tables for attacks and saving throws.
That should cover it, as far as I can think of. The Cleric simply won't have any spells at 0 level, and is doing exactly the tasks you describe. He will still be the equal of the Magic-User, though, simply by being far better equipped for combat.
Be sure to check out DMG p. 39 for the Magic-User. Of course it assumes a private apprenticeship rather than a "Hogwarts", but it sounds like you consciously wish to make this change. Well, good luck, and have fun! Regards.
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Post by Drexlorn on Aug 30, 2004 18:00:01 GMT -5
Thank you for the suggestions Falconer !
I like this one :
If the players agree with the 0-level idea, I'll get inspiration for that !
And for the magic school, I might get inspiration from Hogwarts or perhaps it's just an high-level M-U teaching magic to a larger group of would-be M-U for the profit brought in the house.
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