How to get PCs started

[Cheeseman753]

Hi there! I'm quite new to BFRPG, and most pen and paper RPGs in general. I've started playing the Morgansfort campaign with 4 of friends, but after they have made their characters, they always seem to die very early on in the first dungeon. It seems as if they have to low hp, because even the PCs with 6 hp get killed in one hit from a lucky enemy. I've read the rule book over a few times but I can't find anything of much use. So what should I do if the PCs are having trouble getting started?

[Solomoriah]

First, you should consider giving them maximum hit points at first level. It's a common choice for most of us, myself included.

Second, first level is all about learning how to survive in the dungeon. The first lesson is, if you (as a player, playing a character) survive the first fight, regroup. Leave the dungeon, unless your characters are basically untouched. Don't go on if you're hurt at all... you'll just die.

Players accustomed to video games (or modern RPGs) often expect to be superhuman. Classic RPGs are a bit... grittier.

[Cheeseman753]

Thankyou! As a new player and GM I was not sure on how to have the players approach the dungeon, now I do.

[Metroknight]

Also don't forget that if they are lite on certain aspects of the standard group (one of the four base classes missing), stick an npc or two with them that can cover the lack but don't make their personalities 2 dimensional. For example if the group is missing a cleric, have a cleric get assigned to them if they are doing a service for a village or the church itself. Maybe word is spreading about how the group is returning with found gold, that might get the attention of the local thieves guild or just a thief.

Just a few suggestions. Have fun and enjoy.

[Woe]

There are also many ways to deal with death. Some (and not meant to be exhaustive) ones:
- death at 0hp
- save vs death at 0hp; success = not dead yet
- save vs death at 0hp; success = not dead yet; must be stabilized in 10 rounds or else death
- GM carebears the dice result, rules "not dead by some house rule"

The rules are more guidelines than anything else. If you want your characters to be more survivable, invent a rule to make it so. Just don't get too carebear on them, else they'll never learn the tactics and caution that comes with dungeon delving.

[Delver]

Or start them at 2nd Level. I've done that with players new to old-school RPGs because of what Solo said... new players often don't have the savvy to keep their characters alive due to not having the experience as a player with how gritty things can be. It's more an issue of player experience versus the capacity of the character. An experienced player will usually be better at keeping their characters alive at 1st Level.

[quozl]

I've read that Gary Gygax liked to start characters out at 3rd level.

[Longman]

Yeah but what would he know?

Here's my advice:

If you are going to come in at 1st level, start with a really cohesive party objective. Make sure the party buy in.

Most times I've seen characters die, it stems from the fact that the party as a whole don't really know what they are doing, and just wander into any old situation trying to see what will happen next.

To put it another way...

DM: Your group consist of a cleric who has knowledge of an ancient lost temple hidden in a distant wilderness, and others who are there to make sure she gets the job done.
Player 1: OK. I'll be the cleric.
Player 2: I'll be a fighter, protecting the cleric on her mission.
Player 3: But I wanted to be a snowflakey dark elf thief-monk-bard who gets by on his wits in the big city!

Someone is going to die. Hopefully, it's the snowflake.

[Delver]

Someone is going to die. Hopefully, it's the snowflake.

LOL, sadly it's like the car crash where the drunk driver is the one who walks away... Somehow the snowflakes seem to survive!

In my most recent FtF game, which happens very rarely, I started chars at third level with almost all of the players adopting third level pre-gens. I think that's sort of a threshold level and the adventures that are written for 1st Level characters are easily scaled by throwing in an extra monster or two into the encounter or buffing the HP a little...