Probably gonna run a level 0 campaign again...... advice welcome

[CTurbo]

I ran a mini level 0 campaign a while back where the party was made up of "regular" people and magic was not a thing. It was just a one shot that consisted of like 3 encounters and only 2 fights, but it was a lot of fun.

I'm thinking about redoing it, but expanding on it a lot, and if successful, having it lead into a regular campaign once they hit level 1, or time jump to level 2.

I figured I'd start them out as regular people with really bad stats and a background which would include their current profession. Give them like 2 skills that make sense with that, and possibly one bonus skill of their choice. Limit them to "common" humanoids.

I was thinking about giving them an array of 12, 12, 10, 10, 8, 8 or something similar. Maybe 13, 12, 11, 9, 8, 7

Instead of awarding XP during level 0 encounters, I'd award stat points. Probably +1 to any stat for minor accomplishments and +2(or +1, +1) for bigger accomplishments.

I'd make everybody make 2 character sheets. One level 1 character on how they want it to look at level 1, and then a level 0 sheet that won't really have a class, but would be where they start, and they would work to build their character into how they intend it to be at level 1. They would literally have to choose a class, and then explain how they got to be that class. I would incorporate it into the story, and possibly throw in a time jump right before beginning the real campaign.

So since everybody will know which class they want their character to end up taking, I figured I could throw in like 1 feature from the class for them to have. This is the part that I need the most help with. Some classes are easier than others.

Barbarian. Maybe the guy is just bigger and stronger than normal and has a temper. I could give him a minor version of rage. Maybe when he gets really mad, bludgeoning, slashing and piercing damage is reduced by 1 or 2. Or maybe his Str temporarily increases +2 when he gets really mad.
Fighter. Maybe he is an officer or guard. He has experience in hostile situations. I'd probably let him choose a fighting style. Probably NOT archery. He would probably get shield and all melee weapon proficiency.
Paladin. Similar to fighter but with a religious twist. Probably the only other one that would be able to use a shield or any weapon. Not sure what other feature they could start with.
Ranger. This guy is a literal hunter/tracker. He'd be the only person proficient with bows and crossbows. I could probably just give him Natural Explorer to start. (ironically I see him being the most powerful choice in a level 0 campaign.
Rogue. This guy is probably a criminal or at least dabbles in "grey" activities. I could give him the ability to pick a lock(maybe nobody else CAN do that at all), and possibly an extra skill. Maybe expertise in one skill. I doubt I would give him sneak attack damage. If so, it would be a single d4 and be hard to pull off.
Monk. This guy is probably a brawler. Likes to get into fist fights. Just a tough guy in general, but not huge and strong like the Barbarian. I could give him Martial Arts OR unarmored Defense. I think a 1d4 is too strong at level 0 though. I'd probably make it a 1d2 to start. I'd have to see. I'd make sure it's balanced with the other guys.
Cleric. This guy is either a clergyman or doctor. Really not sure what to give him to start. A healer's kit? Maybe the Medicine skill.
Wizard. This guy is probably a teacher or inventor. Probably THE smartest person in town. Not sure what feature to give him to start. Maybe the ability to make some basic potions? Simple stuff like poison, acid, things that blow up, etc... lol. Keep in mind magic is not a thing yet.
Bard. This one is easy. He's a musician and loves to hear himself talk. I could see allowing him to have Inspiration Dice(one per Cha, but remember Cha will be really low). Maybe one extra skill.
Druid. This is where it gets hard. I guess he's a hippy? Maybe loves animals? Not sure what feature to give him. Maybe some animal handling bonus and.or bonuses to nature related stuff?
Sorcerer/Warlock. I'm totally lost here too. Magic is not a thing. They are really charismatic though so maybe they are just really well liked and popular? Maybe I give them some bonuses to social related stuff?

I want everybody to be useful and have their role to play and have something to offer the group. I'm ok with the future wizard guy being useless in a fight if he was able to provide the group with useful things used in the fight. I'm ok with the Sorcerer/Warlock to be nearly useless in a Fight is they steal the show in social encounters. I'm ok with the melee guys and Ranger being nearly useless outside of combat if they are pulling all the weight killing things. Just not sure what to do if somebody chooses Druid lol.

Anyway, I was thinking maybe there is a portal that gets opened up and stuff(including magic) slowly starts creeping in, and the group will be tasked to figure out what and why and stop it. This is when the casters really start to shine as the sorcerer's innate magical ability starts to show itself, the warlock makes his pact, the Cleric's god speaks to them for the first time, the wizard finds some scrolls(and eventually a teacher) to read and learn some basic spells from, etc...

Other tidbits...
Magic and monsters do not exist in this world... yet.
Weapons are not commonly carried by regular people. Only law enforcement and business owners carry anything and even those are simple things like hand crossbow and club. A dagger is probably a thing, but other bigger swords are not.
A farmer would be proficient in a sickle. A smith would be proficient with a mace like weapon and light hammer. A lumber jack would be proficient with a handaxe and two handed wood cutting axe. Proficiency bonus would still be +2.
Hit points would be 10+ double Con mod.
Healing would be REALLY slow. I was thinking you would gain 1+Con mod hp per long rest, and possibly 1 or 2 hp if you see a doctor and get treated for injuries. This would make combat really challenging and players would have to take an extremely cautious approach.
All 1 handed weapons would probably be a d4 and all "heavy" 2 handed weapons would be a d8. The only weapons I can think of off the top of my head that would even exist to start would be a greatclub and wood cutting axe. Something "versatile" like a quarterstaff or mace would be d4 in one hand or d6 in two. Hand crossbow would be d4, longbow would be d6. This is strictly for level 0 and would go back to normal at level 1.


Opinions? Anything I've missed or anything I could do better? Definitely going for gritty realism here.

[ProsecutorGodot]

I don't personally have any ideas to create a level 0 campaign (can't really offer much advice) but Morgrave Miscellany (the "un"official add-on to the "official" content in Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron, both written by Keith Baker) does.


Player Characters at level 0
When starting an adventure before characters would gain a level in any class, these characters are considered to be level 0. This means:
• A player chooses the character’s name, race, and background but NOT a class.
• A character’s gear is granted by the choices within their background.
• A character possesses the proficiencies granted by their race and background, while their proficiency bonus is 2.
• A level 0 character has 4 + their Constitution modifier for hit points and 1d4 Hit Die. When the character gains a level in any class, their Hit Die type changes based on their new class but the total Hit Die remains 1.

This doesn't seem to be really what you're looking for (specifically, this level 0 idea doesn't seem to allow even a very easy combat without the characters being near guaranteed to get instantly killed) but some of the ideas here could be repurposed with that in mind.

[CTurbo]

I don't personally have any ideas to create a level 0 campaign (can't really offer much advice) but Morgrave Miscellany (the "un"official add-on to the "official" content in Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron, both written by Keith Baker) does.



This doesn't seem to be really what you're looking for (specifically, this level 0 idea doesn't seem to allow even a very easy combat without the characters being near guaranteed to get instantly killed) but some of the ideas here could be repurposed with that in mind.


Thanks for answering. That's pretty similar to what I was already do it except for the hit points. Since healing is going to be so hard to come by, I wanted them to start with more than that.

[Man_Over_Game]

Thanks for answering. That's pretty similar to what I was already do it except for the hit points. Since healing is going to be so hard to come by, I wanted them to start with more than that.

I'd just start them off as level 1 characters. They don't get proficiencies to anything that's not a tool, and can't use any weapons or skills they normally wouldn't have proficiencies in.

When they complete the "level 0 scenario", they get all their adventuring proficiencies back. It'd be a good way of implementing their basic class abilities while also making them stand out to what they were before becoming an adventurer. Before, they were clumsy and unpracticed. Now they have a little bit of talent.

I recommend this because players play DnD to feel like a hero, and all being forced into the same scenario with no relevant abilities or unique powers will really slow down the game and not allow them to play the characters they actually want to play. The only solutions that would be available would be the ones you'd script, which inhibits their ability to solve their own problems their way. This is especially true for something like a caster, who would not feel like a caster without some minor magic.

Rather, you want to avoid having the player play a character that is not theirs. Don't have them play a Commoner NPC at level 0 and then hand them an entirely different person to play. Have it be a timeline of two scenarios of the same person, and that is best done by keeping the important features intact. They play a Barbarian because they can Rage, not because they can get angry. A Rogue can be smart, but a Wizard can cast magic.

[CTurbo]

I'd just start them off as level 1 characters. They don't get proficiencies to anything that's not a tool, and can't use any weapons or skills they normally wouldn't have proficiencies in.

When they complete the "level 0 scenario", they get all their adventuring proficiencies back. It'd be a good way of implementing their basic class abilities while also making them stand out to what they were before becoming an adventurer. Before, they were clumsy and unpracticed. Now they have a little bit of talent.

I recommend this because players play DnD to feel like a hero, and all being forced into the same scenario with no relevant abilities or unique powers will really slow down the game and not allow them to play the characters they actually want to play. The only solutions that would be available would be the ones you'd script, which inhibits their ability to solve their own problems their way. This is especially true for something like a caster, who would not feel like a caster without some minor magic.

Rather, you want to avoid having the player play a character that is not theirs. Don't have them play a Commoner NPC at level 0 and then hand them an entirely different person to play. Have it be a timeline of two scenarios of the same person, and that is best done by keeping the important features intact. They play a Barbarian because they can Rage, not because they can get angry. A Rogue can be smart, but a Wizard can cast magic.

Yeah I'm definitely at a loss as to how to go about a full caster class if they choose one. They may not under such a scenario. I REALLY didn't want magic to exist but I guess I could limit to them to cantrips only during level 0.

But remember I have done this before and it DID work. The only difference between this time and last time is this time it will lead to a regular campaign afterwards.

[Bjarkmundur]

I love this idea!

Magic slowly seeping in is a wonderful campaign setting.

Take the level 1 character sheet and cut it into blocks. Whenever a player succeeds a specific task, hand his his block.

After defeating his first enemy, the fighter gets his basic attack block.
After losing half his HP, he gets his level 1 HP and hit die block.

A wizard finds his cantrip, give him his cantrip block.

Continue like this until all the blocks are distributed.

I'd completely disassociate Stats from effects. If a player gets his stealth skill, it's his level 1 skill, despite his 0-level dex being +1. At the end of your first arch you give them their new ability scores, even one by one. This means that as their scores increase they don't have to rewrite their entire character sheet.

I'd say this sounds like a lot of work, but you don't really seem to mind that ^^

This makes the curve really smooth from 0 to hero, and they get to play out every part of it. As soon as all level 1 blocks have been distributed, they gain level 2, but not their second wind and additional spells know. These still come in blocks.
At level 3 you stop giving blocks, and you take a time jump to get your archetypes á lá one piece.

[CTurbo]

I love this idea!

Magic slowly seeping in is a wonderful campaign setting.

Take the level 1 character sheet and cut it into blocks. Whenever a player succeeds a specific task, hand his his block.

After defeating his first enemy, the fighter gets his basic attack block.
After losing half his HP, he gets his level 1 HP and hit die block.

A wizard finds his cantrip, give him his cantrip block.

Continue like this until all the blocks are distributed.

I'd completely disassociate Stats from effects. If a player gets his stealth skill, it's his level 1 skill, despite his 0-level dex being +1. At the end of your first arch you give them their new ability scores, even one by one. This means that as their scores increase they don't have to rewrite their entire character sheet.

I'd say this sounds like a lot of work, but you don't really seem to mind that ^^

This makes the curve really smooth from 0 to hero, and they get to play out every part of it. As soon as all level 1 blocks have been distributed, they gain level 2, but not their second wind and additional spells know. These still come in blocks.
At level 3 you stop giving blocks, and you take a time jump to get your archetypes á lá one piece.

I like your block idea. I'll probably end up using some version of that, but I'd probably stop at level 1.

I was going to make them make a level character sheet to use as a template on what they are building towards. If the barbarian has 16 Str at level 1, he can't just put all of his earned stat points in Str to make it 20, he'd have to stop at 16 once he reached it. I haven't decided if I am going to choose which stat bonuses they get or let them during the level 0 "campaign". That way they don't just load up on their main stat first while neglecting everything else. Like if the barbarian at level 1 has a 13 Wis, but starts level 0 with 10, he needs to boost his Wis at some point with some of those earned stat points. Maybe he earns +1 Wis after rolling a great perception check. Maybe he gets a +1 Wis after crit missing a Perception check. (Like he learns a lesson by failing). I hope I'm not confusing people. It makes sense in my head lol

[Bjarkmundur]

I like your block idea. I'll probably end up using some version of that, but I'd probably stop at level 1.

I was going to make them make a level character sheet to use as a template on what they are building towards. If the barbarian has 16 Str at level 1, he can't just put all of his earned stat points in Str to make it 20, he'd have to stop at 16 once he reached it. I haven't decided if I am going to choose which stat bonuses they get or let them during the level 0 "campaign". That way they don't just load up on their main stat first while neglecting everything else. Like if the barbarian at level 1 has a 13 Wis, but starts level 0 with 10, he needs to boost his Wis at some point with some of those earned stat points. Maybe he earns +1 Wis after rolling a great perception check. Maybe he gets a +1 Wis after crit missing a Perception check. (Like he learns a lesson by failing). I hope I'm not confusing people. It makes sense in my head lol

Feels like micromanaging. Think about it this way, does it feel good to gain a single stat point? Giving them in sets of twos, and maybe in order from lowest to highest might give a great Ramp up feeling.

It might work if you write the sheets in pencil. Then erasing old max hp when you gain con, and skills, and Attacks etc is a little easier.

I still think ability score increases will be overshadowed by class features, so you might as well just them +2 to all ability scores, up to your level 1 stats, after each session. +1 score every now and then feels like such a minor reward.

Am I making sense?

[Thrawn4]

I like the idea, but is there any reason not to give them more levels in commoner? I mean, they are not worth a lot, and having some more skills while still being fragile is only going to broaden the options without changing the atmosphere.

And commoners who want to become wizards... shouldn't they have like, a reading skill or stuff? (not familiar with the system)

[ChildofLuthic]

I'd probably just give them their background stuff, race stuff, and their class proficiencies. Give them their class features at level 1. It makes sense to me that they would start out with all the stuff granted to them from their background, since that represents their upbringing before they became adventurers.

[CTurbo]

I'd probably just give them their background stuff, race stuff, and their class proficiencies. Give them their class features at level 1. It makes sense to me that they would start out with all the stuff granted to them from their background, since that represents their upbringing before they became adventurers.


Yes they would all have a background as well as a current profession, and their beginning skills and proficiencies would come from those two things.

I would award them +2 at a time after actual encounters but also toss them some +1s here and there.

The main point of the level 0 stuff is to tell the story of how this group of regular people became adventurers and how they ended up in their respected classes. I wouldn't drag out the level 0 stuff TOO long. Probably just a couple of sessions depending on how long we play. I want to make sure I have a decent mix of combat, social, and exploration during the level 0 tier. Remember, they choose their own classes, and can already sorta "act" like that class a little, but they wouldn't BE that class yet. Yes that means that level 0 WOULD be somewhat scripted considering I would write into the main story plot points that direct them down the path to their future classes, but I don't see this as a problem, because they are still in full control of their actions, and of course they will all have a full understanding on this before hand.

Keep the suggestions coming. I appreciate the answers.