[Core 3.5] Practical Optimization for a lvl 1 child

[prototype00]

So I'm doing a bit of creative writing for a web novel, and I'm going to have my Main Character be a transplant from this world re-incarnated into D&D land (core rules 3.5).

Now as a consummate power gamer, he knows a lot of tricks, but as a lvl1 Child PC his options are limited. So I thought I'd crowdsource with you guys about what he would do to survive the meat grinder that is low level Dnd (goblins, were rats and evil Cultists, oh my!)

Rather than have him just be a god wizard, I thought I'd make him a Factotum for the skill based shenanigans, and Factotum have their own path to ludicrousness anyway. (Assume he is average in everything except Con *14* and Int *19*)

But for low levels what can he do? I have a few ideas:

The Cat room- Using Handle animal to train as many of the city cats to attack, and to come to him when he rings a bell. (DC 20 by taking 10)

Master of Alchemy- There are a good range of alchemical items that he can craft in his spare time by taking 10.

Halfling hand-me-downs- As a small character there are advantages and disadvantages, but he is going to try to get his hands on some halfling sized equipment!

Anything else though?

[Darrin]

Handle Animal minionmancy is doable. Does the child get starting GP for a factotum? Mules and donkeys are only 8 GP, training them to attack is mostly just a question of time. Survival check DC 10 feeds you for a day, Perform checks can provide basic funds for incidentals, or save up to buy goats (1 GP as a trade good).

[flappeercraft]

What about changing him from a factotum to a commoner and have him take the Chicken infested flaw or make him Gestalt. Then train the chickens to fight for you instead of cats. Eventually have him get a scroll of awaken or something and awaken a chicken and train that chicken to train other chickens.

[prototype00]

I see no reason a first level character should not get character appropriate gp at first level, so let's assume he does have it saved up.

The donkeys and mules are not bad ideas and quite useful for other things. Thanks!

I was planning to have him start out in a prosperous port town, so purchasing of most goods (even exotic ones) are easier for him.

[prototype00]

What about changing him from a factotum to a commoner and have him take the Chicken infested flaw or make him Gestalt. Then train the chickens to fight for you instead of cats. Eventually have him get a scroll of awaken or something and awaken a chicken and train that chicken to train other chickens.

Chicken infested is a Dragon Flaw unfortunately and not Core dnd. Even if it was I was kind of going for the hyper-competent vibe, not slapstick comedy. :p

[prototype00]

For making money, I was wondering if just having Craft Alchemy at a reasonable high check would suffice? I mean as a kid what he has is time, so presumably he can spend a couple of weeks making glowrods and whatnot to start saving up.

By the by, what's a good equivalency for GP- Dollar? For purchasing power's sake?

Oh and if there are any interesting tricks with skills (Factotum have a lot of these) at low levels I'd be extremely grateful to hear them!

[Karl Aegis]

Factotum is not core either. Neither are children.

[prototype00]

Factotum is not core either. Neither are children.

Perhaps I should have been a bit more specific, as there are several different interpretations of core.

No Dragon material
No third party material
No Eberron
No Faerun
Or any setting specific stuff, really.

But stuff like The Races books and The Complete series are of course completely fine. Heck, this even includes the Book of Nine Swords and Magic of Incarnum and whatnot.

But yes, certainly more than the PhB, the DMG and the MM as you seem to be implying.

[flappeercraft]

Crap didn't see the Core only part, I just assumed it was not limited to core only since you were using factotum but apparently our interpretations of core are just different. In that case I don't have much advice of much value if he is level 1 except maybe get a reincarnate to become a Grey Elf for the extra Int

[Gildedragon]

note that for even quicker money: Poison is better than alchemy. raw materials cost 1/6th and weekly progress is measured in GPs

[prototype00]

Crap didn't see the Core only part, I just assumed it was not limited to core only since you were using factotum but apparently our interpretations of core are just different. In that case I don't have much advice of much value if he is level 1 except maybe get a reincarnate to become a Grey Elf for the extra Int

Nah, totally my bad. I've heard both definitions of core bandied about but didn't think to specify.

The elf suggestion is good, but they means my of is going to be a kid a loooing time, heh.

[Quertus]

Factotum is not core either. Neither are children.

Aaaaaaaaaagh! This feels like, "This statement is false". Core only doesn't have children!

[prototype00]

note that for even quicker money: Poison is better than alchemy. raw materials cost 1/6th and weekly progress is measured in GPs

Ooh, pest control might be quite lucrative then! Did you happen to know where the crafting rules for poison are?

I'm still a bit conflicted though, as Alchemy is more widely applicable (and slightly less liable to get me killed)

[Gildedragon]

Ooh, pest control might be quite lucrative then! Did you happen to know where the crafting rules for poison are?

I'm still a bit conflicted though, as Alchemy is more widely applicable (and slightly less liable to get me killed)

In the Book of Vile Darkness
Might I recommend Roach Paste (DotUD)? Roaches are abundant, the check is easyish (15), base cost is 50gp

[Troacctid]

"Core" refers to the three core rulebooks: PHB, DMG, and MM. I guess you mean Greyhawk, which is the default setting.

An important consideration that I think other people are overlooking is the minimum starting age. You want to get your first class level as soon as possible. Different classes have different minimum ages. If you want to be a Cleric or Druid or Wizard, you'll have to wait until you're 15 + 2d6 years old (average 22). But if you want to be a Sorcerer or Rogue, it's only 15 + 1d4 (average 17.5). Those extra years matter a lot. If it were me, I'd want to power myself up ASAP, so I'd probably jump into one of the simple classes as my first level. Warlock would be my preference if I could find a patron who's not too scary. If not, Favored Soul is a good alternative, and Sorcerer or Rogue would be my fallback.

[atemu1234]

Factotum is not core either. Neither are children.

Clearly this means that children do not exist in 3.5. They only appear once they reach adulthood, spontaneously and retroactively appearing in a world.

We must find the one responsible.

[prototype00]

In the Book of Vile Darkness
Might I recommend Roach Paste (DotUD)? Roaches are abundant, the check is easyish (15), base cost is 50gp

That is tempting, one rank and he can take 10 in that.

While I've got the ear of the bloke who literally wrote the book on Factotum, may I run a couple of mid level strategies by you to see if there are any angles I have missed?

1. I'm considering PrCing into Chameleon, so 5 levels of Factotum/2 levels of Chameleon to get the floating feat/ 3 More levels of Factotum to pick up Cunning Surge/ Chameleon the rest of the way. Do you see any problem with that levelling?

2. Open Least Chakra (Crown) at 6, then bind the Shedu's Crown Soulmeld with the floating feat at 7, then switch the floating feat for Mindsight (when it isn't Extra Spell/Shape Soulmeld/Craft X).

3. Font in all other feat slots, except for a pick of knowledge devotion.

4. When making magic items, make them keyed to a specific alignment/class and number of skill ranks for a 40% reduction in price (how does that interact with regular crafting rules I wonder, do you make the item at 90% off?)

Thanks ever so much!

[prototype00]

"Core" refers to the three core rulebooks: PHB, DMG, and MM. I guess you mean Greyhawk, which is the default setting.

An important consideration that I think other people are overlooking is the minimum starting age. You want to get your first class level as soon as possible. Different classes have different minimum ages. If you want to be a Cleric or Druid or Wizard, you'll have to wait until you're 15 + 2d6 years old (average 22). But if you want to be a Sorcerer or Rogue, it's only 15 + 1d4 (average 17.5). Those extra years matter a lot. If it were me, I'd want to power myself up ASAP, so I'd probably jump into one of the simple classes as my first level. Warlock would be my preference if I could find a patron who's not too scary. If not, Favored Soul is a good alternative, and Sorcerer or Rogue would be my fallback.

I've heard Core refer to that and to my definition depending on the poster. It might well be that my definition was wrong, fair enough. Lets call it Expanded Core then.

And no it's not Greyhawk, because that is its own world and what I'm writing is my own. (Wanted to avoid the fan fiction label as much as possible)

The minimum starting age rules are a bit of bother. I suppose Factotum starts in the Rogue range then?

[Troacctid]

The minimum starting age rules are a bit of bother. I suppose Factotum starts in the Rogue range then?
You have to cultivate a lot of different skills to be a Factotum. I'd peg it as either a moderate or complex class. Probably not simple.

[prototype00]

You have to cultivate a lot of different skills to be a Factotum. I'd peg it as either a moderate or complex class. Probably not simple.

And you don't as a rogue? ;) I mean they are the only other class liable to match a Factotum's starting skills.

[Gildedragon]

That is tempting, one rank and he can take 10 in that.

While I've got the ear of the bloke who literally wrote the book on Factotum, may I run a couple of mid level strategies by you to see if there are any angles I have missed?

1. I'm considering PrCing into Chameleon, so 5 levels of Factotum/2 levels of Chameleon to get the floating feat/ 3 More levels of Factotum to pick up Cunning Surge/ Chameleon the rest of the way. Do you see any problem with that levelling?
Nope. Pretty solid.


2. Open Least Chakra (Crown) at 6, then bind the Shedu's Crown Soulmeld with the floating feat at 7, then switch the floating feat for Mindsight (when it isn't Extra Spell/Shape Soulmeld/Craft X). can't honestly say. Not very versed in soulmelding
Next time I'm a player I'll try some Incarnum


3. Font in all other feat slots, except for a pick of knowledge devotion.
EEeeeh mean. Maybe? I'd recommend so many other things instead, from keen intellect to a familiar to an Item Familiar...


4. When making magic items, make them keyed to a specific alignment/class and number of skill ranks for a 40% reduction in price (how does that interact with regular crafting rules I wonder, do you make the item at 90% off?)

Thanks ever so much!
As far as I can tell one doesn't add the percentage reductions, but instead multiply them together for a 68% reduction

But tip: don't get bogged in the minutiae of things. This isn't a character for a game, but a story.

[prototype00]

Nope. Pretty solid.

can't honestly say. Not very versed in soulmelding
Next time I'm a player I'll try some Incarnum

It's just the alternative method to dipping one level of Mindbender for Telepathy.Instead this costs a feat. If I was going full Factotum, I'd probably take the level dip.


Maybe? I'd recommend so many other things instead, from keen intellect to a familiar to an Item Familiar...

The Item familiar is an interesting choice, I must say. I'll give it some thought. It's just that Font needs a bunch of picks before it's at critical mass, you know?


As far as I can tell one doesn't add the percentage reductions, but instead multiply them together for a 68% reduction

Okay, not that I disbelieve you, but what math are you using here? It's 10% reduction for the skill restriction, 30% reduction for the class/alignment restriction and 50% reduction for the crafting yourself price. How does that become 68% reduction?


But tip: don't get bogged in the minutiae of things. This isn't a character for a game, but a story.

Best advice, here. I'd imagine most readers might not have the patience for discussing optimisation. I'll do my best then.

[Gildedragon]

It's just the alternative method to dipping one level of Mindbender for Telepathy.Instead this costs a feat. If I was going full Factotum, I'd probably take the level dip.



The Item familiar is an interesting choice, I must say. I'll give it some thought. It's just that Font needs a bunch of picks before it's at critical mass, you know?

Do I?
But 3 times is more than enough... And even then I'm unsure about it.
FoI is useful if novaing inspired for a ton of extra actions... But I feel there's a number of other feats that give more meat to a factotum.



Okay, not that I disbelieve you, but what math are you using here? It's 10% reduction for the skill restriction, 30% reduction for the class/alignment restriction and 50% reduction for the crafting yourself price. How does that become 68% reduction?
0.9*0.7*0.5 is 0.68ish

[prototype00]

Do I?
But 3 times is more than enough... And even then I'm unsure about it.
FoI is useful if novaing inspired for a ton of extra actions... But I feel there's a number of other feats that give more meat to a factotum.

And not nearly enough slots to take them in. I think the other advantage of Font is ease of narrative, for I am afraid the gentle reader might have an Aneurysm when confronted with all the permutations of the Item Familiar.


0.9*0.7*0.5 is 0.68ish

Ah, that makes sense. Still, items crafted at only 32% of the total price (instead of 50%) is a significant cost savings in both gp and xp. (I'm guessing the total item price is 0.9*0.7*Item base cost and then the 50% gp and 1/25 xp is taken from that figure? Time to make some racist, elitist wondrous items then!)

So surprisingly, my Handle Animal Minionmancy and craft poison/Alchemy are still the best options for low level survival? (Besides being haunted by chickens of course) Anything else?

[SangoProduction]

Clearly this means that children do not exist in 3.5. They only appear once they reach adulthood, spontaneously and retroactively appearing in a world.

We must find the one responsible.

Well, you aren't wrong.

[atemu1234]

Well, you aren't wrong.

It's a conspiracy, I tell you! Wizards are using chemtrails to make the children multiclass!

(Turquoise is now the colour of inane conspiracy)

[Karl Aegis]

Clearly this means that children do not exist in 3.5. They only appear once they reach adulthood, spontaneously and retroactively appearing in a world.

We must find the one responsible.

I haven't seen stats for trees, hills, rocks or bushes either. They must not exist as well.

[Gildedragon]

I haven't seen stats for trees, hills, rocks or bushes either. They must not exist as well.

Actually Hills are statted out:

Hills Terrain
A hill can exist in most other types of terrain, but hills can also dominate the landscape. Hills terrain is divided into two categories: gentle hills and rugged hills. Hills terrain often serves as a transition zone between rugged terrain such as mountains and flat terrain such as plains...

Ditto for Trees

As for rocks... Maybe not, but stone IS statted out

[Karl Aegis]

Actually Hills are statted out:


Ditto for Trees

As for rocks... Maybe not, but stone IS statted out

Oh my goodness. Children must be unstatted terrain or objects. The nerve of them.

[Gildedragon]

Oh my goodness. Children must be unstatted terrain or objects. The nerve of them.

Oh dear... I have made a terrible mistake

[Coidzor]

Going off Arsenic and Old Lace (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=fmdevgoot1th4cmpdgnsa84jd5&topic=2714.0), it seems like if he sets aside either 4.16 gp or 6.66 gp from his starting wealth as startup costs for making either Sleep Smoke poison or Stun Gas he can start generating more wealth. After that, or if he just starts with enough, he can make Salvo for 16.66 gp each (sells for 50 gp, so 33.34 gp net weekly income), and if there's a way to test which ability score a batch damages before actually using it, could even pre-sort them for either his own use or for more enticing sales.

If Expanded Psionics Handbook is a good source for you, then taking Hidden Talent to get access to Psionic Minor Creation (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/minorCreationPsionic.htm) would allow him to make a number of temporary poisons to use.

If he can WBLmancy, then given his ability to generate money and his ability to make poisons, then he just needs to buy or rent a nice warehouse and breed some rats (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?522743-What-is-the-earliest-level-cheapest-that-PCs-could-make-and-stock-a-dungeon) and set up some rooms and make some rat-transport cages that hook up with the rat enclosures so that he can get them from one cage to another without exposing himself to them.

Then he can take those rats to a secure location and after riling them up, he can take them out with poisons, getting himself some amount of XP depending upon whether he went with a number of rats or if he actually made them into a swarm.

After he gets his setup in place, possibly fine-tuned by hiring some adventurers to go in and clear out a rat infestation in the "dungeon" rooms, he can possibly even start charging others for the opportunity to gain some experience. Or, maybe have a side-hustle selling rats to dwarven delicatessens depending upon how prolific and successful the breeding setup is versus the dungeon part.

If he has access to Psionic Minor Creation, then he could even non-lethally subdue the rats/rat swarms and get more use out of them.

At any rate, after he figures out how to get the rats to swarm, he can level up to level 8 going through that setup himself, or just level 7 if he never figures out how to get them to swarm, which still isn't half-bad. Might be interesting to see how his WBL generation and expenditure and the time it would take to do all that would end up comparing with the PC and NPC WBL for 7th or 8th level.

If he starts with the Apprentice Feat and can swap it out for Mentor at 5th level, then he could even level up his Apprentice-Cohort up to 5th level this way instead of just by leveling up himself, I believe. I believe for a Cohort from Leadership, he'd probably have to go out elsewhere to get it to level up, even with rat swarms to get himself up to 8th level, and he'd have to go out elsewhere or improve the setup in order to get up to 9th level in order to qualify to take Dragon Cohort.

Of course, if he gets a decent income stream from selling rats for XP to low-level adventurers, then he can probably upgrade to more dangerous manufactured dungeons. Could even take the time to actually make traps if his income stream or built up buffer is big enough for the time it would take.

OTOH, as was brought up in the thread that spawned my thread, one could just level up the adventurers and then fight them. With the right sponsorship deals, you could even make it into a sporting event and offer a prize to contestants that make it to the end or even defeat your villain persona of the week.

[Troacctid]

Poison is typically illegal to buy and sell, so you'd have to go through the black market, which is not so safe. Keep that in mind.

[Gildedragon]

Poison is typically illegal to buy and sell, so you'd have to go through the black market, which is not so safe. Keep that in mind.

Hence rat extermination. Get XP for rat killing, get 500%RoI for getting the clients to pay market price for poison used.

[prototype00]

Going off Arsenic and Old Lace (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=fmdevgoot1th4cmpdgnsa84jd5&topic=2714.0), it seems like if he sets aside either 4.16 gp or 6.66 gp from his starting wealth as startup costs for making either Sleep Smoke poison or Stun Gas he can start generating more wealth. After that, or if he just starts with enough, he can make Salvo for 16.66 gp each (sells for 50 gp, so 33.34 gp net weekly income), and if there's a way to test which ability score a batch damages before actually using it, could even pre-sort them for either his own use or for more enticing sales.

If Expanded Psionics Handbook is a good source for you, then taking Hidden Talent to get access to Psionic Minor Creation (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/minorCreationPsionic.htm) would allow him to make a number of temporary poisons to use.

If he can WBLmancy, then given his ability to generate money and his ability to make poisons, then he just needs to buy or rent a nice warehouse and breed some rats (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?522743-What-is-the-earliest-level-cheapest-that-PCs-could-make-and-stock-a-dungeon) and set up some rooms and make some rat-transport cages that hook up with the rat enclosures so that he can get them from one cage to another without exposing himself to them.

Then he can take those rats to a secure location and after riling them up, he can take them out with poisons, getting himself some amount of XP depending upon whether he went with a number of rats or if he actually made them into a swarm.

After he gets his setup in place, possibly fine-tuned by hiring some adventurers to go in and clear out a rat infestation in the "dungeon" rooms, he can possibly even start charging others for the opportunity to gain some experience. Or, maybe have a side-hustle selling rats to dwarven delicatessens depending upon how prolific and successful the breeding setup is versus the dungeon part.

If he has access to Psionic Minor Creation, then he could even non-lethally subdue the rats/rat swarms and get more use out of them.

At any rate, after he figures out how to get the rats to swarm, he can level up to level 8 going through that setup himself, or just level 7 if he never figures out how to get them to swarm, which still isn't half-bad. Might be interesting to see how his WBL generation and expenditure and the time it would take to do all that would end up comparing with the PC and NPC WBL for 7th or 8th level.

If he starts with the Apprentice Feat and can swap it out for Mentor at 5th level, then he could even level up his Apprentice-Cohort up to 5th level this way instead of just by leveling up himself, I believe. I believe for a Cohort from Leadership, he'd probably have to go out elsewhere to get it to level up, even with rat swarms to get himself up to 8th level, and he'd have to go out elsewhere or improve the setup in order to get up to 9th level in order to qualify to take Dragon Cohort.

Of course, if he gets a decent income stream from selling rats for XP to low-level adventurers, then he can probably upgrade to more dangerous manufactured dungeons. Could even take the time to actually make traps if his income stream or built up buffer is big enough for the time it would take.

OTOH, as was brought up in the thread that spawned my thread, one could just level up the adventurers and then fight them. With the right sponsorship deals, you could even make it into a sporting event and offer a prize to contestants that make it to the end or even defeat your villain persona of the week.

Running a rat baiting ring / extermination business which slowly transitions into a pay per entry dungeon was not something I had considered, but it is amusing. (Wasn't there a Pratchett book with this plot?)

The xp for manufacturing threats you created yourself is a bit too far into literal bag of rats territory, however. So chances are I might not use it.


Hence rat extermination. Get XP for rat killing, get 500%RoI for getting the clients to pay market price for poison used.

Yeah, from a poison producers angle, it makes no difference whether he makes Black Lotus Extract or rat poison, the amount you create per week is determined by your check (well, and the DC of the poison, so make very complex rat poison?)

If you live in a town with a lot of grain warehouses, you are probably considered to have gainful employment.

[Troacctid]

Running a rat baiting ring / extermination business which slowly transitions into a pay per entry dungeon was not something I had considered, but it is amusing. (Wasn't there a Pratchett book with this plot?)
Yes, The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents. And it also has a meta character in it. Great book, I recommend it if anyone hasn't read it.

[daremetoidareyo]

Beef diplomancy and handle animal. I bet children have int wis and cha penalties for age categories and small size. Take creature type trainer from arms and equipment guide.

Creature type = dumb human children (int 4 or 3)

Train them to swarm fight (complete warrior) with you. You're prolly getting in there before their first feat is acquired.

[prototype00]

Beef diplomancy and handle animal. I bet children have int wis and cha penalties for age categories and small size. Take creature type trainer from arms and equipment guide.

Creature type = dumb human children (int 4 or 3)

Train them to swarm fight (complete warrior) with you. You're prolly getting in there before their first feat is acquired.

An interesting take on the Minionmancer, I dare say becoming a pre-pubescent Fagin did not occur to me. Alas, I am kind of aiming for a heroic, if cunning, protagonist, so do forgive me if I shelve this one for reference later.

[prototype00]

Just a quick related question, if you use Craft Alchemy to make poisons at -4 to your skill check, do you still make the poison at the gp rate or do you revert to the crafting rate for Alchemical objects?

[shaikujin]

I understand you are not looking at 3rd party, but I want to bring up that Wizards also have a D20 for Jeremiah.

There are rules in it for children characters (also considered level 0). Eg 0' reach, penalties to physical stats etc. I use it as a reference for statting young characters so that I don't have to "invent" something from scratch.

[Mordaedil]

Pathfinder has rules for playing children, while I understand that's not at all what you are looking for (since it says Core 3.5 and I understand what you mean by that by reading the thread, which still falls outside of this suggestion) but it can serve as... Guidance mile for how you want to personally interpret children for your own setting.

So a Human Child has the same stats as a human, except they are Size: Small, speed 20 ft., -2 Str, -2 Con, -2 Wis, +2 Dex and they are limited to NPC classes. (If My Memory Serves Me Correctly)

For my own child, DM agreed to let me play as a wizard, bypassing that last restriction, but we still ran with the above despite running 3.5 rules. Having 3 negatives might be a bit much, depending on who you are though. Adapt with care and consideration.

[Segev]

An interesting take on the Minionmancer, I dare say becoming a pre-pubescent Fagin did not occur to me. Alas, I am kind of aiming for a heroic, if cunning, protagonist, so do forgive me if I shelve this one for reference later.

This could be done heroically. He's the gang leader because all of them are dispossessed orphans and street rats. He helps them keep safe and fed and sheltered. They're like family to him.

I actually played a Lunar in an Exalted game who Exalted when he was 9. He was 11 by game start. Hummingbird totem. Still Casteless, because as a street rat gang leader of kids ranging from several years younger to a couple of years older than he was, he'd managed to avoid contact with the Silver Pact. Really nice kid. High Compassion and Valor. He'll suppress that Compassion if you hurt his "family," though. So don't do it.

[Coidzor]

This could be done heroically. He's the gang leader because all of them are dispossessed orphans and street rats. He helps them keep safe and fed and sheltered. They're like family to him.

I actually played a Lunar in an Exalted game who Exalted when he was 9. He was 11 by game start. Hummingbird totem. Still Casteless, because as a street rat gang leader of kids ranging from several years younger to a couple of years older than he was, he'd managed to avoid contact with the Silver Pact. Really nice kid. High Compassion and Valor. He'll suppress that Compassion if you hurt his "family," though. So don't do it.

Was his worst foe orphanage reform and foster care?

[Segev]

Was his worst foe orphanage reform and foster care?

*snrk* Nah, he was in the Exalted setting, specifically Nexus. There were no orphanages nor foster programs other than the private ones run by people and organizations for their own purposes, and they only took in kids that were of use to them.

Admittedly, a Lunar'd be useful! But he was more interested in protecting his friends. And never made himself known to those who'd have snapped him up, because it didn't occur to him. "Being adopted" was so much not a goal that he didn't even think of it as something to seek OR avoid.

[Coidzor]

*snrk* Nah, he was in the Exalted setting, specifically Nexus. There were no orphanages nor foster programs other than the private ones run by people and organizations for their own purposes, and they only took in kids that were of use to them.

Admittedly, a Lunar'd be useful! But he was more interested in protecting his friends. And never made himself known to those who'd have snapped him up, because it didn't occur to him. "Being adopted" was so much not a goal that he didn't even think of it as something to seek OR avoid.

Well, for better or worse, I'm now imagining a three-sided war between a Peter Pan exalted type, social reformer dragonborn and sundry others associated with civilization and order who are trying to do something about the dreadful problem of children having to live and survive on the streets, and then some Yozi cultists and the criminal underworld and so on that want a steady supply of children for various nefarious purposes.

Trying to think of how to dial that back and apply it to a D&D campaign now...

[prototype00]

Pathfinder has rules for playing children, while I understand that's not at all what you are looking for (since it says Core 3.5 and I understand what you mean by that by reading the thread, which still falls outside of this suggestion) but it can serve as... Guidance mile for how you want to personally interpret children for your own setting.

So a Human Child has the same stats as a human, except they are Size: Small, speed 20 ft., -2 Str, -2 Con, -2 Wis, +2 Dex and they are limited to NPC classes. (If My Memory Serves Me Correctly)

For my own child, DM agreed to let me play as a wizard, bypassing that last restriction, but we still ran with the above despite running 3.5 rules. Having 3 negatives might be a bit much, depending on who you are though. Adapt with care and consideration.

Ah, thank you for that. The minimum age for PC classes thing by the rules is kind of a sticking point for me, why say you're going by the rules and then play a child character that can't exist by the rules (I refer entirely to my own fiction in this case)

It bears some thinking, and maybe some re-concepting.