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The easiest way to do this is just have your players half build their characters using the level 0 characters rule from the Gamemastery Guide.
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https://pf2easy.com/index.php?id=7752&name=Level_0_Characters
Before they were heroes, every PC came from somewhere, whether they worked on a farm like Valeros or picked pockets on the streets like Seelah. Sometimes, it can be a lot of fun to play a prequel game years before the PCs’ first adventure as heroes, or you may have an idea for a low-powered adventure that calls for commoners and apprentices. The rules below provide ways to easily build and use level 0 PCs in your games.
BUILDING CHARACTERS
Building a level 0 character is similar to building a 1st-level character, but you stop after choosing your ancestry and background. A level 0 character still gets the four free ability boosts from Step 6 of the normal character creation process, but not the class ability boost.
INITIAL PROFICIENCIES
A level 0 character is trained in Perception, all saving throws, unarmed attacks, unarmored defense, and one simple weapon of their choice. Additionally, they are trained in a number of skills equal to 2 + their Intelligence modifier. The proficiency bonus for a level 0 character works the same way as normal, but since the level is 0, the total proficiency bonus for being trained is +2.
HIT POINTS
A level 0 character adds their Constitution modifier to their ancestry Hit Points to determine their starting Hit Points.
STARTING MONEY
A level 0 character starts with 5 gp (50 sp) to spend on equipment.
APPRENTICE OPTION
If the story you want to tell is about characters who have started training to become a particular class, you can grant them a small number of additional abilities. An apprentice character is trained in the skill or skills specified for their chosen class (such as Occultism and Performance for a bard) in addition to the skills they gain through their initial proficiencies. They also gain benefits based on the class.
Alchemist
An apprentice alchemist gains the advanced alchemy ability of the alchemy class feature. Their advanced alchemy level is 1, and they have one batch of infused reagents each day. They can make only infused alchemical items.
monk
An apprentice monk gains the powerful fist class feature.
other martial class
An apprentice of another martial class (barbarian, champion, fighter, ranger, or rogue) is trained in light armor, all simple weapons, and one martial weapon listed in the class’s initial proficiencies. If a martial class not listed here lacks light armor or martial weapon training (as the monk does), give it a different ability as well.
spellcaster
An apprentice spellcaster is trained in the appropriate magic tradition and gains two cantrips from their class. A prepared caster can’t change these cantrips each day.
GAMEPLAY
Combat can be especially dangerous for level 0 characters. For safety’s sake, you might treat the characters as level –1 when determining what combat encounters are appropriate. For skill checks, they can still accomplish tasks with a simple trained DC using their trained skills, but success is less certain. Since they have fewer skills, the party might not have anyone trained for a given task.
If you’re playing these characters for more than a few sessions, consider advancing them to 1st level using the fast advancement speed (800 XP). If your group wants a longer experience at level 0, start the group without the apprentice benefits, then level up to apprentice (gaining those benefits and the apprentice adjustments for their class), and then level up to 1st level.
TREASURE
As the characters start with 5 gp, their adventures up to 1st level should account for the rest of a 1st-level character’s starting money. That means you’ll distribute treasure worth 10 gp × the number of PCs, a large percentage of which should be in currency.
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You could just give the players NPC statblock if you wanted. The same GMG the level 0 rules are from has plenty of low level statblocks, and NPCs are hella easy to run. But I wouldn't ask players to build NPCs.
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One of the issues you may face is that NPCs aren't mathematically coupled with combat. An NPC might have the skill bonus of a level 15 PC, with the AC and health of a level 0 commoner (or simply not defined combat stats).
I would encourage you to define what you mean by "starting as an NPC". Do you mean effectively one level behind the curve of a full PC? Lacking a wealth of mechanical choices? Not having a full character sheet?
In the strictest sense, a PF1 NPC class was just a downgraded base class such that they didn't have as many class features or spells, but weren't actually mechanically that far off from full classes for the first few levels. You could reasonably replicate this by taking a PF2 class and removing access to feats, nerfing martial damage gimicks, or reducing the number of spell slots/spells known.
I would highly recommend instead going down the 0th level character route, and if you want to stretch it, have them get their apprentice features after the first session, and some useful items during the second session, and by the third let them ding dramatically during play or something.
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I would just like to add that 'starting with levels in NPC classes' is actually not a particularly good idea in PF1e: We tried this in our own campaign and quickly discovered that a lot of builds just don't mix well with the limited NPC options:Hello everyone!
I am just getting in the second edition after having some experience in first edition.
As I see, the NPC rules have changed - in forst edition NPCs usually had classes similar to PCs. Here the rules are simplified.
I had the idea of a "classic heroes journey" - so Players start with NPC classes, and then "multiclass" in to proper adventurer classes.
(I had first edition in my - they would have in first session 3 classes of NPC, but after that I would have handled it as a single level - for balance reasons. Maybe not gaining as much health etc.)
Can somebody give me advice, how to approach the above mentioned idea in second edition?
Is it feasible to start as a lowly NPC and go from there? Or build them like PCs? Or is it to unbalanced/to much hassle to have fun with it?
Thank you in advance!
Lance
- My Greatsword wielding Bloodrager worked fine with a level of warrior (which is one of the reasons I picked that build)
- The Unchained Rogue and Swashbuckler were both fairly useless in a fight (had to waste their level 1 feat on Weapon Finesse, and still did horrible damage as they really wouldn't need strength after level 1)
- I don't remember what the Bard, Alchemist, and Cleric did, but I think they probably all just took a level of Warrior and 'muddled through' until they got to level 2 (maybe the bard was an aristocrat).
Yeah, it loses some novelty, but given PF2's design it is still the way to go IMO. You can't even multiclass like you did in PF1, much less take NPC classes.
The level 0 thing will also help them feel like they are organically growing a character more than NPC stuff would. Hope it works well!
I am just getting in the second edition after having some experience in first edition.
As I see, the NPC rules have changed - in forst edition NPCs usually had classes similar to PCs. Here the rules are simplified.
I had the idea of a "classic heroes journey" - so Players start with NPC classes, and then "multiclass" in to proper adventurer classes.
Pathfinder 2nd Edition does not have NPC classes.
I have been converting the Ironfang Invasion adventure path to PF2 rules, so I have been converting a lot of monsters and NPCs to PF2 via the Building Creatures section in the Gamemastery Guide. PCs are built from top down: select ancestry, background, and class, work out the numbers, and level them up with skills and feats. Creatures are built from bottom up: select the level and combat role, pull the numbers off of tables, and sprinkle with a few skills and special abilities for flavor.
Thus, a creature like a Minotaur starts with a big strong 4th-level fighter chassis and adds flavor with maze-related abilities like Hunted Fear and Natural Cunning, and with Powerful Charge to charge like a bull.
Since an NPC build lacks a class, it would require rebuilding it from scratch to give it a class. An NPC can't really multiclass. And the official multiclass rules in PF2 don't allow switching a class anyway; instead, multiclassing trades away feats to dabble in a few abilities from another class.
(I had first edition in my - they would have in first session 3 classes of NPC, but after that I would have handled it as a single level - for balance reasons. Maybe not gaining as much health etc.)
Can somebody give me advice, how to approach the above mentioned idea in second edition?
Is it feasible to start as a lowly NPC and go from there? Or build them like PCs? Or is it to unbalanced/to much hassle to have fun with it?
For starting in a pre-PC state, I would follow Captain Morgan's advice and use the Gamemastery Guide's Level 0 Characters. Maybe give them an extra ability or above-level skill for their non-adventuring profession, such as, "Since Simon is a baker, he receives expert proficiency in Cooking Lore."
However, I don't see any advantage to 0th level. My players typically start as 1st-level PCs but their PCs have civilian jobs rather than adventuring jobs. The halfling Sam was a stable boy and goat herder, using his Animal Whisperer background more than his rogue class. The elf Zinfandel was an apprentice studying under a local NPC ranger, so he was using his ranger class and I had redesigned the Chernasardo Ranger Hopeful PF1 campaign trait as a custom background for him. The gnome Binny was a messenger, using her Criminal background, rogue skills, and Deep Gnome nightvision to sneak through the wilderness from town to town. The lizardfolk Ishmael retired in a riverside cabin and headed into town occasionally to sell fish. His champion class was supposed to be a career he had left behind. On the other hand, the gnome Stormdancer was a druid doing druid duties from the beginning. She was never a villager.
Then when the Ironfang Legion invaded town, they had to step out of their ordinary lives and act as heroes.