Level 0

[Tegu8788]

Has anyone played with level 0 characters? I saw it, and thought it might be fun. But has anyone every actually tried this out?

[Kurald Galain]

Honestly? I'd find it boring. After the first year of playing, me and my friends didn't do anything under level 5 any more, because of how few options you get.

[Waddacku]

Similar. I don't get to play much at all, and when I get together with my old friends we run at level 20 with no progression, because we like the options at that level.

[Sol]

It also severely limits the scope of the kinds of adventures you can run. Things like, "the bakery is infested with regular mice," or, "a horse ran away and we need you to bring it back, there might be one wolf involved."

It's compelling in other forms of media to see the super-weak origin point for heroic characters, but it's not particularly compelling to live/play through.

[Beta Centauri]

I could have fun collaboratively narrating a story about such characters, but I wouldn't want to use actual rules.

[Redrhino10]

I didn't realise this was a thing? Do people just start with no powers?

[Beta Centauri]

I didn't realise this was a thing? Do people just start with no powers? I've seen it in other editions. I think one or two of them had official rules on it. In 3.5, I've seen games where people spent time in an NPC class. Often it's not like a full level of play or anything, just a bit of a pre-game to cover the time before the characters were skilled and powerful. A lot of people value that journey and dislike that characters spring fully formed into play.

Yeah, for 4th Edition, I'd assume the characters would be limited to simple weapons and non-class-specific basic attacks for a time. I could see it as a (somewhat misguided) way to try to get players thinking about more than what's on their sheet.

[Tegu8788]

My DM needs a week off, and my fellow players, well, they find lvl 2 essentials classes to be complex. I figured lvl 0 would be simple enough for them. It would be short term, for what it's worth.

[Redrhino10]

I really like the sound of this actually, even if its just one session! I think it would give all the players a chance to learn about everyones characters
I will ask my players about the idea, if we do it I will give feedback here :)

[Laserlight]

my fellow players, well, they find lvl 2 essentials classes to be complex.

So, you're making a party entirely of Twin Strike Rangers?

[Tegu8788]

Honestly, I'm tempted to. Given that one of the challenged player is playing a scout and routinely forgets his stances, power strike, and how his dual weapon attack works, I want to keep things simple.


I'm thinking, in terms of simple things, essential classes are best. Party of five, trying to think of classes with minimal features that aren't baked in (i.e. weapon finesse). Elementalist, Slayer, Monk, Sentinel, Knight? Or would a blaster wizard be easier?

[georgie_leech]

Honestly, I'm tempted to. Given that one of the challenged player is playing a scout and routinely forgets his stances, power strike, and how his dual weapon attack works, I want to keep things simple.


I'm thinking, in terms of simple things, essential classes are best. Party of five, trying to think of classes with minimal features that aren't baked in (i.e. weapon finesse). Elementalist, Slayer, Monk, Sentinel, Knight? Or would a blaster wizard be easier?

Is there an Essentials Monk? The only one I'm familiar with has a Striker Feature that targets independently of its attacks, and all non-daily powers give extra things to do with its move actions that are affected by other actions you do in a round (yay full discipline), which seems... counter productive for someone that has a hard time with dual weapon attacks.

[Tegu8788]

You're right, I was thinking of the new Elemental Monk, but I suppose that's just the same build style.

[georgie_leech]

You're right, I was thinking of the new Elemental Monk, but I suppose that's just the same build style.

Largely, yeah. I mean, it's at least obvious as to which Powers to take, but it doesn't look any simpler to play.

[Waddacku]

There's two elemental-themed monk traditions, but the class is the exact same one.