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So I got the bright idea to compare notes with other DMs on their Character Creation Guidelines for this, the newest of Paizo's Adventure Paths.
Here's mine, you can critique them, post your own, whatever.
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Character Creation Guidelines for The Curse of the Crimson Throne
Background: Your characters are all citizens of (or, at least, people who live within) the city-state Korvosa; a thriving metropolis of nineteen thousand souls. The city is more deeply detailed in Paizo's Guide to Korvosa supplement. Also, every character has been hurt or wronged by the same man; Gaedren Lamm, a despicable low-life who abducts orphans and uses them as a slave-labor thieves' network. More on this is detailed in the Curse of the Crimson Throne Player's Guide.
The Basics: Remember the Rule of Vaskos – Don't be a f***. Neither you, nor your character, should be a f***; this also includes douchebag related behaviors and other team-killy or f***tardish things.
Attributes: 36 point buy. We cool?
Races and Classes: All non-Psionic +0 ECL races and non-Psionic classes from published WotC 3.5 sources. Pathfinder is not very Psionics friendly, and I really don't want to retool the entire world to suit your “I want to be a wizard, but without all the books; however, I also do not want to play a sorcerer” character. Just play a sorcerer and focus on Enchantment and other psychic-ish spells.
The bit about Roles: As we learned in our last group, a poorly balanced group can be shatteringly effective in the right circumstances (as seen by the Striker, Striker, Striker, Leader team from Savage Tide; or the Striker, Striker, Striker, Defender team from our last Pathfinder game.) but can be easily defeated by something outside their typical focus. This leads me to the point I'd hoped to make; Remember, you can play whatever you want, just don't be surprised if a lopsided group isn't as effective and/or fun as it could be.
Starting Hit Points: Max HP based on class + Constitution Score. Yes, you read that right.
Hit Points at each additional level: Max HP based on class + Constitution Modifier.
Starting Gold: Max GP based on class.
Action Points: 5 at first level, +1 at every even level. APs are refreshed at each level; as such, unused AP are effectively wasted. One Action Point allows you to Reroll any d20 roll (keeping the better result) or gain another Standard Action. Two Action Points allow you to stabilize automatically at -9, regardless of the damage you may have taken. Each usage of APs may only be used once per turn.
Destiny Points: 2. Ever. You may use Destiny Points to do things that are seemingly impossible. A Destiny Point allows you to add +30 to any d20 roll, take a full turn's worth of actions at any time, or fully heal yourself of all damage (both HP and Ability Score Damage). Since you only ever get two of these, there is no limit to how many you can spend per turn and you are encouraged to spend them if it looks like your character is going to permanently bite it.
Chaos Dice: In order to generate funds for our group's trip to GenCon Indy 2008, we're using the Chaos Dice rule. Instead of rolling damage for an attack, you may put $1 into the GenCon “Dammit, We're Freaking Going to PF Chang's This Year!” Fund. If you do so, you may roll the Chaos Cube (a d64 from Backgammon). There is no limit to the amount of money you may put into this, but be warned that dropping $20 into the bucket to kill the Big Bad Evil Guy is seen as rather silly. Also, remember that the DM can do this, too.
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-JLA
So I got the bright idea to compare notes with other DMs on their Character Creation Guidelines for this, the newest of Paizo's Adventure Paths.
Here's mine, you can critique them, post your own, whatever.
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Character Creation Guidelines for The Curse of the Crimson Throne
Background: Your characters are all citizens of (or, at least, people who live within) the city-state Korvosa; a thriving metropolis of nineteen thousand souls. The city is more deeply detailed in Paizo's Guide to Korvosa supplement. Also, every character has been hurt or wronged by the same man; Gaedren Lamm, a despicable low-life who abducts orphans and uses them as a slave-labor thieves' network. More on this is detailed in the Curse of the Crimson Throne Player's Guide.
The Basics: Remember the Rule of Vaskos – Don't be a f***. Neither you, nor your character, should be a f***; this also includes douchebag related behaviors and other team-killy or f***tardish things.
Attributes: 36 point buy. We cool?
Races and Classes: All non-Psionic +0 ECL races and non-Psionic classes from published WotC 3.5 sources. Pathfinder is not very Psionics friendly, and I really don't want to retool the entire world to suit your “I want to be a wizard, but without all the books; however, I also do not want to play a sorcerer” character. Just play a sorcerer and focus on Enchantment and other psychic-ish spells.
The bit about Roles: As we learned in our last group, a poorly balanced group can be shatteringly effective in the right circumstances (as seen by the Striker, Striker, Striker, Leader team from Savage Tide; or the Striker, Striker, Striker, Defender team from our last Pathfinder game.) but can be easily defeated by something outside their typical focus. This leads me to the point I'd hoped to make; Remember, you can play whatever you want, just don't be surprised if a lopsided group isn't as effective and/or fun as it could be.
Starting Hit Points: Max HP based on...
I'm planning on using COTCT to playtest the Pathfinder RPG rules (they'll probably be in beta by the time we get finished with ROTRL, so I'm not going to be as open with splatbook sources as I usually am. My tentative plans for character creation guidelines are as follows:
Stats: 28 point buy (with the racial adjustments, the net effect is closer to a 32 point buy). I've given some thought to a 22-point buy with a stat point every 2 levels instead of 4. If I did that, I'd use the +Con score starting HP rule though.
Races: Core Pathfinder RPG races only
Classes: Core Pathfinder classes only. Multiclassing allowed, and I may allow for prestige classes out of the PHB2 and Complete series in order to compare the base class progression versus 'tooled' builds at higher levels.
Starting HP: haven't decided which method from the alpha I'll use, but leaning toward the racial bonus.
Party Balance: my players are good about picking one of each archetype. It usually comes down to an argument over who gets stuck playing heal-b#~#+, which is usually the person who hasn't played a healer lately.
Here are the table rules and house rules that I e-mailed the new players from where I work:
Okay, we definitely have enough people for a game. Since we have more than enough, I ask that you bow out if you were only somewhat interested, are not able to make the game on time almost every game day, or if you do not enjoy playing a heroic character (as everyone’s character will be limited to the Good alignments). [Followed by web links and a request to read the Pathfinder Player's Guides]
[Player] has graciously offered to allow us to play our game at his house. There is plenty of parking. [Player]’s house has no pets and smoking is permitted outside. Please arrive pre-fed.
Because I have experienced gaming with a large number of gamers throughout my life and am familiar with the kind of problems that can come up, I was going to post a list of expected behavior for everyone as I have never gamed with any of you before. However, I will take the fact that you have been able to successfully sustain employment at [Workplace] as evidence that the real problem points won’t come up. But just to make sure, I will ask of everyone (including myself) a simple thing for everyone’s benefit: don’t be a dick. Thank you very much.
What I’ll need from you now (if you haven’t provided it yet) is:
1. Your cell phone number.
2. Your home e-mail address.
My cell phone number is: [Phone number]. My e-mail address is [E-mail address]. Please notify me by e-mail whenever you will not be able to make a game session as soon as you know. Please call me if you are arriving late to a game or not arriving at all.
You can view “my gamer resume” with this web link.
Core Rules: This campaign uses the Dungeon & Dragons 3.5 rules, along with the most up-to-date errata. If a rule appears in two sources, the rule from the newest source applies. I do use the D&D FAQ for clarifications and to assist me in making rulings.
Dice rule (aka Protection from Evil): If I didn't call for the dice roll, and I did not see the numbers on the dice, then it wasn't rolled.
Character Creation: Roll your stats as normal once. You may choose to use what you roll or build your characters stats using 32 point buy method described in pg. 169 of the Dungeon Masters Guide.
Character Advancement: Roll for your Hit Points as normal. If the total of the hit points that you have rolled is less than the total average of the hit die of your classes above 1st level (3.5 for d6 for example), use the average. Any half HP from the totaled average rounds up.
Both of these rules protect the player from low dice rolls that would affect them for the entire campaign while not granting those who roll well any more benefit. Although I would prefer that everything was point-buy & average, I know there are players who hate not rolling for their stuff.
Skill points: all PCs get 8 extra skill points at 1st level and 2 extra skill point at each additional level.
I love skills and love finding ways to make them relevant and meaningful in the game. Paizo also works hard to make skills relevant in their adventures. Therefore everyone gets more skill points to be fair since they are more important in my game then in a regular D&D game.
Cross class skills cost one skill point for each rank. Normal cross-class limits still apply when you level. You cannot increase the number of ranks in a skill passed the cross-class limit when you are leveling in a class where that skill is a cross-class skill.
Multiclassing incurs no experience point penalty for uneven levels. Instead, characters gain 1 extra skill point (x4 at first level) when leveling in your character's favored class. Humans and other races with "Favored Class: Any" need to specify what their favored class is during character creation. No multicasting restrictions for Paladin, Monk or any other class.
Character Feats are gained every odd level instead of levels 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, etc.
Global Feats: Everyone gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat and the prerequisites don't apply. Every spellcaster gains Heighten Spell as a bonus feat. Every spontaneous caster gains Eschew Materials as a bonus feat.
Starting Gold for your character is the maximum amount possible for your class.
Retraining: You have the option of retraining your character when you level, as described on pg. 192 of the Player’s Handbook II, to swap a feat, move ranks from one skill to another, or another character adjustment.
Arcane spell failure rules are not used. Wearing armor or wielding a shield will not hinder spellcasting. This rule removal and the bonus spell-casting feats puts spellcasters a bit more in-line with psions.
followed by many more house rules...
I am now checking with the players to see if they want to switch to the Pathfinder RPG and rebuild their characters. I'm also checking to see what system they prefer for determining hit points.
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Many of ours were the same - only differences was I did 4d6 reroll any 1s and drop lowest for scores and max HP*2+con bonus. I'm using ours as a PFRPG playtest, so skills are a bit different. I also require that I have a copy of each player's Character sheet, so I can make perception and knowledge checks for passive events (that way if they fail they don't know they even made a check).
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Wow, lots of very generous GMs. Makes me feel stingy...
We're playtesting the Pathfinder RPG in Crimson Throne, and I wanted something as close to the base default to use for it. So, 25 point stat buy, PH classes only (actually Pathfinder classes if available, converting PH classes to Pathfinder when they do become available).
Max hit points + 6 at first level, and average wealth for your class.
Characters do get a free background feat from the CoCT Player's Guide, and we also use a house destiny point system that lets them do some fairly nice heroic deeds.
But otherwise, I appear to be on the (very) strict side from what I've seen so far.
Drew Garrett
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Max hit points + 6 at first level, and average wealth for your class.
The reason I did max*2+con at first level was that I know that is when my players are most likely to die, and I want them staying around and falling in love with their characters, with the fluidity of the playtest rules (IE adjusting as each new PDF shows up) I wanted them to be into their characters, so as not to be discouraged if major changes happen and they have to totally redo their skills and feats a few times for instance.
the 4d6 reroll 1s drop the lowest generally equates to a 32-35 point buy (although i have one player who rolled poorly and got a 22 point buy)
32 Point Buy System
3.5 rules and all "complete" books
Max HP for lvl 1 and max gold.
Class HP's
d4 - 3
d6 - 5
d8 - 6
d10 - 8
d12 - 9
8 extra skill points at 1st only, these are background skill points and do not follow cross class or restricted skills rules
Bonus Feat from CotCT as well as an option to pick from a couple from Savage Tide
For all players who bring me a 500 word or more background they get 2 extra ability points at first level & a special item, generally less than 500gp that fits into their characters background. Often a Masterwork Item.
[Trying to get them into their characters early]
Retraining allowed per PHII.
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32-point buy
Anything from none-core books has to be checked by me (I've been playing D&D for 5 years, but this is the first time I've GMed and my splatbook knowledge is full of holes, plus, y'know, I can't be arsed coming up with a banned/altered list :P)
Dwarves lose Dex, don't lose Cha (bloody dwarves)
Half-Orcs don't lose Cha
Half-Elves get two skills that are always class and can multiclass freely in two classes of their choice
3/4 hitdice after first
I'm considering giving some extra skill points, since all but one person is in a 2+int class, but I haven't quite decided how many yet.
1 for 1 skillpoints on crossclass skills, half cap as normal, until a level in a class which has the skill as class is taken.
Max starting gold.
Wildshape works as shapeshift in PHB2.
Death and Dying: If a character drops below 0 hit points, every turn on their action, they must make a Fortitude Save, DC (5 + number of hit points below 0). If they succeed, they heal 1 hit point. If they fail, they take 1 Con damage which can reduce their total but not current hitpoints. This Con damage can only be healed by resting.
That's pretty much everything I can remember off the top of my head
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Wow, lots of very generous GMs. Makes me feel stingy...
I agree! We're also playtesting the Pathfinder RPG in our group. 29 point buy and Pathfinder classes only (which turns out to be the perfect party).
Max hit points + Con bonus first level, and half max + 1 + Con bonus for subsequent levels.
Standard Pathfinder RPG feat and skills progression.
Is it just me or are a lot of other DMs giving out free background feets from the Player's Guide? Out of curiosity, why is that?
I know when I played Rise of the Runelords our DM gave us free Pathfinder feats in an effort to make us play locals. Overall the Feats introduced by that Pathfinder weren't terribly powerful. I believe of the five of us one took Big Game Hunter and the other four took Lone Wolf.
So we're a pack of Lone Wolves I guess.
Anyway, none of those feats cause any genuine game-breakness. They certainly aren't as devastating as something like Power Attack or Persist Spell.
If you are a non-human, non-fighter you only get one feat, are you going to waste that on one of the Pathfinder feats? If I was a player I wouldn't, the Pathfinder feats just add some additional flavor to character builds, they are not particularly powerful.
By giving one away for free the players get a more local feel to their character build without possibly ruining their charater progression thoughts.
Just another way of hooking the players to their charaters by making them more interesting.