Making Sure


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion


Got a new pc in my usual group. And i want to make sure i get this right the first time so as not to cause mass panic within my household.

The regulars in the group i'm gm'ing for are level 4. And a friend of ours just returned from overseas serving with the army and wants to join. Now is this possible since he would be level 1 and there level 4. the group simply does not want to stop progression on there current involved characters. And the apl will be huge for the newcomer. 3.4 rounded down to 3 correct? So as he and i understand this. his chances of survival are next to nothing and his reward per adventure is still 1 exp and also his treasure value is still rewarded for his level range not the tier the group is on correct?


3.25 by my math. You can round down to three, but the .25 is sort of informative. It means you can probably throw a CR4 encounter in and it will be slightly more challenging. As a GM myself, the "standard" encounter for me is usually APL +1 or 2, not APL.

My own approach would be to start him as the same level as the rest of the party. However, if you have agreed that first level is best, then he should be able to survive and even catch up relatively quickly, so long as he is careful (and you are not a jerk as GM).

One of your best options is to run a short "intro" solo game for him. Something to explain how he comes into the party and shares a common goal, but also something to help him close the XP gap. Preferably a whole level worth, but if you're tallying xp, every little bit helps. Work backward from one level of XP and see what kind of short adventure you could use to bring him into your campaign.

Also, his survival/usefulness is heavily dependent on class choice. A fighter or wizard will have to play very defensively until the level gap is closed. A rogue or cleric or druid, especially in a party that lacks the abilities those classes bring to the party, will likely be able to contribute — but not in the hit point department.

Some of my favorite memories were of games when I was forced to play a lower level PC than the rest of the party. If the GM is open to creative solutions, it can actually be a lot more fun that way. On the other hand, if your GM likes things to be to the letter of the rules, you may have a very hard time keeping up. Good luck!


I highly recommend starting this player off at the same level as the rest of the group.

No one wants to play a sidekick or a burden to the rest of the group. Everyone (including the DM) will have more fun if they are on the same level. If you want to start the player off a little behind the rest of the characters, you could give them less wealth - say 2000gp. If you do this, I would have them find some items that bring them up to speed very soon. For example, have them start off with a regular sword and chainmail, but then find their families tomb containing magic sword and magic fullplate, before the end of the first session.

Don't make this player suffer for being in the army overseas!


Fergie wrote:
I highly recommend starting this player off at the same level as the rest of the group.

+1


You used the word "tier" ... is this a Pathfinder Society question? If it is, the correct answer is very much different.


Usually, if a new player comes in, I let them build a character at the same level as the rest (especially if they had a good reason for not starting like being overseas).

It's when characters die that they get to start at less (usually one or two levels) (for the reason that they're being 'penalized' so that there's risk involved).

In the old AD&D, the experience progression generally kept characters around one level or less behind, even if they started at 1st level when the other characters were 10th or more (simply because the amount of XP necessary to go up a level was roughly equal to the total amount of XP earned to get the current level).

It looks like Pathfinder medium progression is more forgiving, but you can think of it this way:

If the party is at 3rd level (starting), then their xp is around: 5,000 by the moderate progression chart. By the time they reach 4th level, they'll have 9,000 and by the time they reach 5th, they'll have 15,000.

The 1st level character starting will have 4,000 when the other characters reach 4th, and be 2nd level. When the party reaches 5th, he'll have 10,000 and be 4th level. So, one level behind. And the relative amount behind will shrink at higher levels (he'll always be roughly 5,000 xp behind, but percentage-wise, that's small at 10th level plus.

Yes, he's fragile at first level. Yes, the party needs to protect him. But that might be an interesting challenge in and of itself. Make the character important to the quest, so that he needs to survive to help the rest, and your group is in for some fun times. Granted, he needs to be careful as well (no suicidal charges, etc.).

Then, when the gap shrinks, he'll become a useful, valuable member of the party. Think Sarah Connor in Terminator vs. Sarah Connor in Terminator 2.

If you want to compromise, make him level 2.

But truthfully, the easiest route is to make him the same as the rest of the party.


Joshua J. Frost wrote:
You used the word "tier" ... is this a Pathfinder Society question? If it is, the correct answer is very much different.

Yes, this is a pathfinder society question.

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