So, I was wondering how do you all treat age and levels for your games, more specifically for NPC wizards?
For example, say I want to make a master for a young apprentice wizard.
Should the master be an old man who is level 20? An old man who's only level 5? Can you be master to an apprentice at a low level? Could he be in his 20's and still be knowledgeable enough to have an apprentice?
I realize it's all subjective to how I want to run it vs. how much time passes in games and such, but I'm curious how others decide these things for NPCs especially.
Well, if you go based off the Golarion cannon setting level 13 is about the highest level one achieves in the world, at least certainly in PFS. So, I would probably make them level 13 and make them either middle-aged or near it. It leaves the pupil lots of room to outpace his master which is always cool for character development (to reach and surpass your master).
Hmm okay, thanks actually do you remember what book that age recommendation is in? Or is it just extrapolated from published NPCs?
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In my campaign, I make all random ages. The master wizard in my town is a 13 year old girl. Imagine roleplaying the craziness of an extremely powerful child with no understanding of consequences, politics, etc.
In my campaign, I make all random ages. The master wizard in my town is a 13 year old girl. Imagine roleplaying the craziness of an extremely powerful child with no understanding of consequences, politics, etc.
haha that's crazy! I'd probably not go to that extreme, but I was also thinking her master is a wizard in Alkenstar, so he would spend a lot of time in the Spellscar Desert, so odds are he actually would be higher level than a usual wizard of his age since he'd be actively fighting mutants all the time haha.
The apprentice's story is that she is only 15 and lives Smokeside, but will be 16 soon so he's been training her to be a wizard (she is at this time kinda 'level 0' so to speak), occasionally taking her to the Spellscar for a bit of practice. Well, due to campaign events she is now Skyside for awhile and so when she wakes up in the morning she's going to be "dead" until they realize she's not actually dead (going to have a bit of time where she's very sick in a near death coma as her body acclimatizes to the curse, plus I run Black-Blooded Oracles as a bit cold to the touch as their blood isn't warm like normal they wouldn't be the usual 98 degrees), she's become a Black-Blooded Oracle with the Spellscar Mystery (although her first revelation will be the BB one that lets her blood deal cold damage to her attackers).
Absolute Claxon is basing that knowledge on Pathfinder Society organized play rules that make you retire your character when they hit 13th but in the Inner Sea Magic guides section on powerful casters in Galorian many of the individuals presented track with his information. Most of them are in their mid teens for level and are middle aged. The few notable exceptions that are extremely high level are either dead, in some kind of torpor, or have been missing for ages.
Hmm okay, thanks actually do you remember what book that age recommendation is in? Or is it just extrapolated from published NPCs?
The age wasn't in a published AP. But think about it this way, if your characters have four CR appropriate (CR=APL) encounters per day it takes 5 days for each level up.* So, a party can reach level 20 in the course of 100 days. Of course, this is a very accelerated schedule. And it's unlikely you'll have exactly four encounters per day. Still, it seems pretty reasonable that dedicated adventurers could easily reach level 20 in less than 5 years. That's 18 times as long, but it still a short time in terms of lifespan. So a middle-aged wizard that's only level 13? Seems pretty reasonable to me. That would take 65 days or 260 CR appropriate encounters. But his whole life isn't dedicated to adventuring. He took years off at a time. Plus at a certain point, it's better for for the wise wizard to have some "life experience" rather than being 30 years old and the master of the universe.
*If the math holds up across all levels, which I think it does.
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Whatever age and level I feel is appropriate for the character.
As a Bit Of a Thread-Jack, Has Anyone Started Characters In Middle Or Old Age?
As a Bit Of a Thread-Jack, Has Anyone Started Characters In Middle Or Old Age?
I have, but purely as a cosmetic thing. We don't use the age penalties/bonuses.
As a Bit Of a Thread-Jack, Has Anyone Started Characters In Middle Or Old Age?I have, but purely as a cosmetic thing. We don't use the age penalties/bonuses.
As a GM I don't allow players to use the age penalties and bonuses either. For low levels its definitely a drawback, but eventually they get magic which can completely negate the penalties and leaves them with all the bonuses. And this primarily only benefits spell casters, which are already more powerful than everyone else at high levels. So, for mechanical balance it's simply not allowed. However, if you want to describe your character as an old man with grey hair always complaining about young whippersnappers then that's perfectly fine.
This essentially robs some characters of their abilities, of course, but that's how some GMs roll.
This essentially robs some characters of their abilities, of course, but that's how some GMs roll.
Sorry, not following... :/