I wanted my players to start out at first level, and seperated, for two reasons. First, I believe you can get to know and flesh-out your character better, when starting at first level, and second, individual travel, I thought, would help them get a better feel for my homebrew world. This course of action, does have it’s setbacks though. We spent several weeks just writing notes back and forth. I begged my players for their patience, and hoped that they would individually, enjoy what was happening to each of them. If I had to voice an opinion on the matter now, I would have to say, that they did not get as much out of the experience, as I had hoped for.
I believe that it is hard sometimes, for my players, me included, to play first level characters. When you have played the game, for as long as we have(most of us, for 20 to 25 years) you get a little jaded. You can get a little mechanical about the game, and the player, plays his or her character, with far more experience, courage, calousness, and insite, than a character would have at that level. With the storyarch that I am running, I wanted my players, to be on the inexperienced and generally ‘innocent’ side. I did not want six hardened characters, to decide, that they could just do and handle whatever they wanted or came down the pike. This is a story, where the characters need to grow, and be shaped by the events that are unfolding around them. There will be plenty of time, for them to become hardened, if they so choose later.
I began the Adventure, with all of the characters, except Wynnder (her storyline prevented it), starting from their home town. I wanted to incorporate some of their background, into the beginning. Actually, with Wynnder not starting out in her home town, that in itself is playing into her background story. I believed that with the characters, traveling by themselves at first, I could introduce them to some of the nuances’ of my world (ie.- racial interaction, landscape, individual country traditions, etc.). Some players seemed to become almost completely reactionary, during this time, while others took the small hooks that they were given, and ran with them.
This lack in player inniative, actually led to some minor problems, regarding experience points, and accquired wealth. Some of the characters were accomplishing far more than the others. I take part of the blame for this. I think I rewarded a little too highly, the players that ran with the ideas that were presented, and got a little too frustrated with the players, who were more reactionary. I am a DM who believes that players/characters should be rewarded individually for their role-playing. I believe that in a melee situation, all the players should get an even amount of experience and loot. Some characters are just better at dealing damage than others, but all characters play their part. In a role-playing situation however, I am a firm belever, that the players must give at least what the DM does. I believe the best role-playing, and I am speaking of my own past experiences, have come from situations, such as that.
Comments
August 14, 2008 at 03:13 PM
Actually, not to nit-pick, but Wynnder didn’t start out in Keening—she started out in Val’s hometown.
And, dude, not everybody has a great childhood—some folks get hardened and, shall we say, sociopathic early on.
August 14, 2008 at 04:32 PM
Thank you for the correction, it has been a little while. As for the childhood reference, that is not quite what I meant, Chris’ character killed his brother for Christ sake. I meant not to be experienced and hardened adventurers(ie:seen it all and done it all). The world has been in a relative state of peace for a thousand years. I know Wynnder has her problems, but I hope you noticed, I have begun dealing with that.
August 15, 2008 at 07:30 PM
I understand what you mean, about playing characters with more experience than what the sheet reflects. Particularly, I have this issue with Val and Mercy. Val’s backstory is filled with swordsmanship and roguery (if that’s even a word?) that outstrips his sheet. In some cases, you’ve thankfully allowed things to slide, though it still never effects die rolls (which, let’s face it, is not the main reason why I role-play anyway). Mercy, just the same, is hardened steel tempered with blood. It’s difficult reasoning her confidence in combat when looking at a 3rd level character sheet. With her, I can see how someone can criticize her as being blase.
August 18, 2008 at 06:47 PM
Ummmm killed the brother on accident….i guess you forgot my backstory. And my character isnt a hardened sociopath, in fact he’s a very well rounded individual without too many problems. Im actually the complete opposite of a sociopath since my character refuses to kill another man. I did think that would be an interesting roleplaying aspect…something never done before. And in case you forgot, I am playing my character rather innocent and naive. Hardened only slightly from the physical environment that he grew up in.
August 18, 2008 at 06:59 PM
Furthermore….why do you think I had so many problems believing Gaspar about the monster and stuff. I wasnt breaking your stones but playing my character how I should have…naive and “innocent”. BOOYAH!!!
October 14, 2008 at 03:52 PM
Chris, Obviously, you also did not understand what I was trying to say. I was using your character in a positive way, to answer Becca’s response. You KILLED your brother, ACCIDENTALLY (and yes I do remember your character’s history), but you did kill your brother. I was saying that even with that horrible event in your life, and where you are from (which I believe is the toughest upbringing in the party, by far). Your character is not jaded. My ORIGINAL comment was directed at adventuring experience. I wanted character’s who had almost no adventuring experience, thus beginning at first level. All of the character’s, should have had almost no experience in adventuring, and ALL should have never taken a life (besides your unfortunate accident).
As far as your second comment, we are never going to agree on that. I told you, as the DM, that there was NO WAY, that the creature you saw, was a man in a mask or a costume. That was just you being you, to me. I am sorry but that is just the way I feel.
October 20, 2008 at 12:51 AM
October 20, 2008 at 12:53 AM
Yes I know I misunderstood your earlier comment so my apologies on that my friend. And Im sorry you feel that way on the second comment…although you dont believe me, it is the truth. Oh well, cant change how people feel i guess.