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One thing classes don't cover is some skills which PC's might have learned before becoming an adventurer. One way this could be addressed is allowing the PC to take a single NPC class as a 0th level option. Basically take a single NPC class with skills and abilities of that class to represent what you did before becoming an adventurer. Only apply the skill points (With a max of 1 skill point per level) not any other class abilities. These skills are not class skills though unless your adventurer class also grants them. How does this sound as an option to make PC's more skill oriented at the start?
One thing classes don't cover is some skills which PC's might have learned before becoming an adventurer. One way this could be addressed is allowing the PC to take a single NPC class as a 0th level option. Basically take a single NPC class with skills and abilities of that class to represent what you did before becoming an adventurer. Only apply the skill points (With a max of 1 skill point per level) not any other class abilities. These skills are not class skills though unless your adventurer class also grants them. How does this sound as an option to make PC's more skill oriented at the start?
So, basically, everyone gets the skill points of a 1st level expert at the start of the game, then. If we only get skill points, there's no reason to take any other class, is there?
Or, even more simply, everyone gets 6+Int modifier bonus skill points at the start of the game.
Sure, there's nothing wrong with this; it's a minor boost to PC power,.... but I think the optional Background Skills system is more interesting and arguably fairer.
Sure, there's nothing wrong with this; it's a minor boost to PC power,.... but I think the optional Background Skills system is more interesting and arguably fairer.
Orfamy's right on the money here. Background skills is really the best way to deal with this issue of a character's past.
Your racial abilities, traits, and other 1st level resources can be used to reflect what you did before becoming an adventurer. Unfortunately, most players invest nothing or the absolute minimum in that, or they use whatever is free. In essence, options are already in place for a character without a 0-level class if the player decides to pursue them.
Your racial abilities, traits, and other 1st level resources can be used to reflect what you did before becoming an adventurer. Unfortunately, most players invest nothing or the absolute minimum in that, or they use whatever is free. In essence, options are already in place for a character without a 0-level class if the player decides to pursue them.
Well, yes,.... and no. Most classes are sufficiently skill-starved that they don't really do a good job of representing pre-adventuring knowledge.
Let's look at the Fellowship of the Ring (and specifically the hobbits):
* Sam is a skilled gardener and cook
* Frodo is well-read and familiar with the Elvish Language.
* Pippin has area knowledge of the Shire surpassing his friends (for example, he knows about the Golden Perch, with the "best beer in the East Farthing.")
* Merry seems to be much better at reading people and ferreting out secrets than the rest -- for example, he was the first to know that Frodo was leaving the Shire and had even learned about Bilbo's Ring. He also knew the Old Forest better than anyone else.
These are easy to represent with background skills; much harder to represent with racial abilities (they're all hobbits, so why the difference?) or traits.