Low Level Survival

[daryen]

The "low magic" thread has given me a more basic, fundamental question. Two questions, actually:
1) How many encounters is a party expected to have in a "day"?
2) How do any adventurers actually survive their first level?

I always thought that when entering a dungeon, a party was going to have multiple encounters therein. (Not even including the potential random encounter getting there.) But first level characters will have anywhere from literally 1 hit point to a theoretical maximum of 11 (fighter with 18 Con). A short sword and a short (one-handed) spear both do 1d6, which is an average of 3.5 points of damage per hit. (I picked short sword or spear because I figure those will be the most common weapons for typically first level opponents.) This means our maxed out fighter has a 50/50 chance of being dead after *three* hits. The vast majority of characters won't survive two hits. Assuming a random encounter, that means the group is looking at a potential TPK from the trip to the dungeon.

So, how does a first level party survive the random encounter on the way to the dungeon, much less make progress in the dungeon? I'm obviously missing something.

(And remember: I am asking about a first level party. The cleric has no spells. There is no healing magic available to a first level party. They don't have any magic items, either; they're first level.)

[SmootRK]

A few rules for low level groups to live by:

First and foremost, a First Level Character or Group of such initiates should be endeavoring for non-combat solutions. Avoidance, bypass, trickery, etc. should all be the preferred method of dealing with foes.

Secondly, any low level group should be packing their group with various mercs, guard animals, or npc assistance... in whatever capacity they can afford or arrange. A single guard dog can mean not getting surprised, and can bolster a group's fighting about as good as a 1st level fighter. Have a few red-shirt townies along to help a group is just being wise, albeit a little callous about their lives. Have an NPC guide, especially one with a few levels means everything. Every low level group needs their "Gandalf" to bail them out.

Thirdly, refer to back to rule one and two above.

[Snarkythekobold]

SmootRK's points are right on.

The trouble is when you have a new group to RPG playing and they don't know to do these things. Most new players want to jump into the action. I mean, that's what you do with board games and video games and such. And that's why that some start new players out at 2nd or 3rd level.

It's kind of a catch-22. Players may not learn their lessons of survival if you give them too much at the beginning. A few PC deaths can really teach some lessons.

On the other hand, some players might get sick of quickly dying and decide to quit.

As a GM, I've found myself having to sort of meta-game and say to my players, "Are you sure you want to do that? You know that you can buy some help?"

"Are you sure you want to rush in and go head on into the fight?

My solution: modify your game to fit your players. Are they new players who might easily get frustrated? Then start them out at 2nd or third level at full HP. Provide some healing opportunites along the way and some helpful NPC's.

If they're seasoned veterans, familiar with RPG playing, and like a challenge then start at level 1 and they'll make it. And if they die, no big deal.

My players are my sons and their adolescent/ teenage friends. It gets plum stupid at times . . . and we have fun. I usually take it easy on them and let them know ahead of time when things might get tough. I remind them every now and then that they need to stop and think of a strategy before they go charging in (they're murder hobos).

The main goal is to have fun. Modify your game to your players so that the result is fun.

[Seven]

One easy trope that I employ is to start the adventurers as members of the local militia.
This way they get some support, a home base and I can customize the party to match the opposition. Of course, they do other things on the side as well, but during militia missions, no one gets left behind and there's action aplenty.

In BFRPG, first level clerics have no spells, they are just undead turners.
So zombies and skeletons are their bread and butter enemies.

Charm Person is a great MU spell, that can be used to boost the party significantly.
You can cast it one day to get an ally for 1 week or one month, so during the actual adventure the MU can prepare another spell.

[Syron]

As I see it, you can start a campaign of level 1 characters in one of two ways, which naturally lead to one of two expectations for a campaign.

Way One: You have combat at level 1, risk is present from the beginning. Events are expected to always be risky and players to be careful. This could be called the "Hardcore" style. The excitement in this style usually comes from using wits, careful planning, and shear luck to return to civilization, badly wounded, but mostly alive.

Way Two: You do not have combat at level 1, or the combat is very easy. Other non-dungeoneering jobs might be done - non-leathal tournaments, investigation, intimidation, persuasion, ect. Events are expected to start easy and become more risky as time goes on. This could be called the "Softcore" style. The excitement in this style usually comes from a focus on story telling over difficulty.

[Solomoriah]

Statistically, first level characters can handle about one encounter before they should call it a day. I've gone over this ad nauseum in the threads where we have repeatedly, stupidly argued about why first level magic users are or are not too weak (they aren't, I checked, go look up the thread).

This is why we usually arrange beginner adventures so outdoor encounters are omitted. Otherwise, there is about a 1 in 6 chance they won't make it to the dungeon...

[Dimirag]

0 to 1 are the "recommended" amount depending on initial HP, equipment, party composition and opponents

You have several possible aproachs:
1-Change the rules, but depending on how much you changing you may end up playing something different to BFRPG.
2-Warn them about the lethality of the game so they take popper countermeasures (avoiding combat, finding npc support, etc).
3-Let them learn by example, if the pcs die, they die, roll a new one and better luck and strategy.

[peelseel2]

About 1 or 2 encounters at most per day for 1st level characters. Depends on how the encounter happens. If the PC's have situational awareness and plan accordingly, they can really mop up 1 encounter, maybe 2. If they have an encounter with no situational awareness or are surprised or have bad planning or a combination of all three, they will be lucky to survive 1.

[daryen]

Thank you for the replies. I was really just trying to make sure I understand how this is supposed to work.

What I am hearing is that if a first level party is only able to handle one (combat) encounter in a day, then that first level party should either have a bunch of cannon fodder hanging around, or should just worry about killing the giant rat in the neighborhood and not bother with dungeons for a couple levels. Basically, they just aren't designed for it and they shouldn't even really try.

As for ways to mitigate it, I wasn't planning to directly. I just want to properly set my expectations. What I was planning on doing anyway was giving the characters full/max hit points at first level. Now I might do it for three levels. Plus use the custom rule that makes the first couple levels have much lower thresholds so the characters can get to more survivable levels more quickly.

[Dimirag]

They can bother with dungeons, at least those with 1hd creatures and doing it one battle at a time
-fight
-retreat
-recover
-return
-explore
-repeat