D&D (2024) Level 0 characters: Origins

[Wepwawet]

Now that backgrounds grant a feat, along with skills and tool proficiencies, I feel like a level 0 character could be playable. Just give everyone 1d6+Con hit-points, or the die average of the class they intend to pick. Character would have some actual abilities to go on an easy adventure.

It would be fun to run a short adventure where players rely only on their race abilities + background, as an introduction to the main adventure. You'd tell the story of how they became friends, a challenge that brought them together, etc. Their Origins story.

I know that low power games is not everyone's cup of tea, but i love how they reward ingenuity. Could even be a good introduction to new players to get them used to the game before having loads of options to chose from.

 

[Horwath]

I guess to each it's own, but 1st level and not to mention 0level characters are so bad with few things to do that we never, except 1st campaign in 2014, didn't start at 1st level.
Even for new players, 3rd level is minimum, sometimes even 6th level.
And new players CAN play effectively at 6th level.

 

[Oofta]

A single adventure? I've started campaigns were we had multiple sessions before they hit level one. It was the story of how they met as kids and formed a group.

They didn't do typical dungeon crawls, there were no fights to the death, although there were some snowball fights and in one campaign they stumbled across a very deadly foe and had to be rescued.

We've had a lot of fun, even the guy who only went along with it because the majority of us agreed to it. Not for everyone or every campaign, but it can be a great way to establish who your character is before you know what they are.

 

[ezo]

Our group designed 0-level a few years ago, it granted skills, armor/weapons, etc.... Oh, wait, you mean WotC finally caught on to yet another thing many players have already been doing???

I AM SHOCKED!!!

 

[Lanefan]

Our group designed 0-level a few years ago, it granted skills, armor/weapons, etc.... Oh, wait, you mean WotC finally caught on to yet another thing many players have already been doing???

I AM SHOCKED!!!

Not sure WotC have caught on to it even yet; it appears that the OP is proposing something homebrew to fill that hole.