0th level Characters for Pathfinder

Oth-level Character

Alignment: Any
Hit Die: d4
Base Attack Bonus: Poor
Good Save Bonuses: None
Class Skills (2+Int Bonus): None

Class Features

Weapon and Armor Proficency: A 0th-level character is proficient with one simple weapon. He is not proficient with any other weapons, nor is he proficient with any type of armor or shield.
1st-level: A 0th-level character starts with -500 xp. When they reach 0 xp, they may select a class. They gain hp equal to the difference between d4, and their new hit die, essentially losing the old in place of the new.

And now for something completely different...

In addition to considering running 4e D&D, I am also considering running one of a number of other rpgs. I have discussed running a Star Wars game with one of my D&D players. We have agreed that we'd like to run several more D&D sessions before actually starting it however. In general, except for several PbP campaigns, most of which haven't gone very far and a couple of one shots I haven't played anything except D&D. However, I would like to.

For Star Wars I haven't quite decided which game to use. I am strongly considering using d6 Space as it is free and I could use material from the old WEG game with it. There is also MiniSix, but I think that it could in some ways be too simple, as I'd like more complex rules for vehicles for instance. The new FFG game is also a possibility, but I'd rather not require my player to buy anything. Saga Edition has the same problem which is compounded by the amount of material for that game. However, more material means more material I can use, however.

I am also considering trying another game. I have run many PbP games of the Marvel Universe Roleplaying Game, but only briefly in person. So I'd like to try running that in person or over roll20.net sometime. Or trying another Superhero rpg. Like Mutants and Masterminds. I own BESM 3e and Tristat dx, so I've considered running those as well. I'm a fan of a number of anime, in various genres so I could run a game for them or a similar campaign. However, I'm not sure BESM would in fact be the best choice for any game I run.

The urge to play...

Okay, 4th edition is by far my least favorite version of Dungeons and Dragons. However, that still doesn't mean I hate it. Heck I've had a lot of fun playing Living Forgotten Realms. My preference might be for more old school games, but I still think 4th edition isn't completely bad. Once in a while I get the urge to play it. With my discovery of roll20.net this is completely feasible and I'm getting the urge...
.
However, if I do play it I'm likely to make a few rule changes. These include:

• Alignments are the nine traditional ones. However, you need not choose one of these and may choose to be unaligned.
• Races might get some tweaks. For instance I like Hobbit halflings.
• Hit points will be lower. I might even use hit dice.
• There may be some changes to the rules for rests. Perhaps a third category of rests will be introduced, with this one restoring all hp and the lesser rests restoring hp at a lower rate.

The "Core Assumptions" will also be altered:
 The World is Mysterious, But Not All Of It: Much of the world is covered with "swathes of light" with hundreds of villages that are relatively safe, with the occasional "point of darkness". However, the campaign will focus on the borderlands between these swathes of light, where it is much more mysterious and there are only the occasional "point of light"
Monsters are Everywhere on the Borderlands: Again, there are large swathes of light, where it is mostly safe. It's mostly on the edges of civilization that you have to worry about villages being wiped out.
Adventurers are Not Exceptional: The PCs might be special, but only if they overcome many difficulties to earn it. Just anybody could potentially be an adventurer.
The Common Races Sometimes Band Together: Alliances of men, elves and dwarves have stood against hordes of goblins, trolls and giants in the past, yes, but just as often have quarreled against each other. In human kingdoms civil wars are common, with feuding lords levying their people to march against their enemies just about every springtime after they have finished their planting.
Magic is Not Everyday: Peasants will often see magic, but they do not understand it very well. The common folk tend towards superstition.
Primordals Don't Exist: I'm not using the concept of primordals.
Gods Are Active: Gods regularly walk the world, and often interact with mortals.

Generally I will be using more story elements from pre-4e. Archons are lawful good immortals, Eladrins are chaotic good immortals. Succubi are demons. The planes hew closer to the Great Wheel model. Etc.

So, what do you think? Is it even worth bothering with 4e? Should I just stick with versions of D&D that are closer to my ideal? Will I even be able to find players willin to use these house rules?

Monster Hill Session Report: Exceedingly Close, to an Extremely Distant World

Okay, this video doesn't directly relate to the topic of this post, however, recent events in my recent session of Monster Hill reminded me of this song.

You see I placed a portal on the second level of my dungeon. The party may soon discover said portal. In fact assuming the probabilities of them taking each route available to them are equal, they have a 25% chance of discovering it. The portal leads to the city of Sigil, from the Planescape Campaign Setting.

The session started off where the last one ended. However, the party now consists of two PCs, played by the same person, to help compensate for the low party size. I glossed over exactly how the new character, a barbarian, joined the party. I wish the last (and this) session hadn't ended in the dungeon for precisely this reason. Since a new party is supposed to form every new session, each session should end with the party back in town. However, since I only have the one player right now, it's less of a concern. I wouldn't normally allow the same player to control multiple characters at once either, though I do allow and even encourage multiple characters per player. I may allow this from now on though, provided there are less than three players at a particular session.

So the party descended the stairway to the second level, the "Upper Temples". The first room they found had a broken statue of Orcus, who in my campaign is presently dead. However that doesn't mean that he might not play a role in the campaign, especially with such a large chance that they might end up in Sigil. Neither the player nor his characters have any idea who Orcus is, but I hope this serves as good foreshadowing for his potential appearance in the campaign. Perhaps a certain petitioner might have a job for them that brings them to Automata just in time for them to see the start of the off-schedule Great Modron March...

There were five exits to the room and wouldn't you know it they pick the one with the teleporter at the end of it. So they find themselves in a room on the other side of the level. Unfortunately, that's when we had to end it. I am pretty anxious to know whether the party finds the portal. On the one hand, I am excited to potentially introduce Planescape elements which I was hoping to have an opportunity to do. On the other hand, I'm not sure that such a drastic change to the status quo of my campaign will be a good thing and I am concerned that this will complicate reintroducing the rogue character that my other player played in the first session, but hasn't been able to play since.

There is something else I'd like to talk about,  but am not ready quite yet. It is exciting news and I hope everything goes well, however things haven't progressed far enough that I feel comfortable talking about it. Also I encourage feedback on the Soldier base class I posted earlier.