Starting choices:
I had long thought about offering extra options when starting characters.  Things like offering them start at second level so the could start out multiclassed or potentially have a LA +1 race or the like.  another option had been to allow them to start at First, but with higher stats.  I had to admit that in the end that sounded like an awfully appealing choice.  it just covered to me though that i could treat it like a LA +1 option, and the stat boost would actually consume their actual level slot.  this would mean for a while it would cost them an extra thousand XP to level up until they paid it off.

Back in the Old way you got a xp bonus for a good stat.  in this case you would almost be getting a minus, which might even be explainable away as things having been easy for them the find it harder to learn some things eventually.

Another option I have seen, allow a player to take a NPC class first and in response get a higher starting stat buy.

You could even potentially divide the NPC classes into 2 tiers, with the commoner class being the lowest tier, and the rest of the NPC classes making up the next one.

I've also seen taking a NPC class being seen as a way of paying off a LA.

So you might have someone wanting to play a LA+1 race, so you could have them take their first level as an NPC class instead of a Base/Core class.

Again, if you treat your stat point buy as a racial trait of sort, you could also adjust it to pay off a LA race.

You could for instance base your character creation somewhat on the High Fantasy, with 20 attribute points.  But you could offer races of +1 to -1 LA to the players, and offer the standard NPC classes as equivalent to -1 LA, with Commoner as -2 LA.  You might also offer +1 'extra racial' feat for the cost of a +1 LA

So in this instance you could play a Human, whom is a NPC Adept whom would be built on the Epic attributes (-1LA + 1 LA =0)
Or you could play a race with a +1LA, but build them on the standard point buy.

Another option:
 Instead of starting as level 2, you might offer the option of starting as Gestalt Level 1.  However, the game would not necessarily be geared to be fully gestalt.  Some characters would start their careers as gestalt, to be a form of early, 1st level multi-class.  Subsequent level advances would be as normal advancement, only the first level being gestalt.  (alternately, I would imagine that if we wanted to we could set it up so that the symbiotic extra class would add to the cost of advancement, so that they would advance slower.)

As far as I can tell, in almost all ways, the Gestalt advancement is 'less' good than a full 2nd level.  The only potential opposition to that would be if you are limited to 20 levels, being gestalt-ed, lets you pack more abilities into those 20 levels.

With that in mind, I would think if given equal options, most would take starting as 2nd level over starting as gestalt.  However, maybe starting as Gestalt would leave the players slightly closer together in power, and perhaps importantly at low levels, health.  So it might be worthwhile starting everyone out as 1st level.

Standard:  Standard 15 point buy,
Then pick one option below:

Example Options:
Gestalt Level 1 (Pick 2 classes, for 1st level treat 1st level as gestalt)
Choose a race with +1 LA
Upgrade stats purchase to Epic fantasy (25 points) ^{trying to decide if this should include an extra 'feat' to round it out.  (to make it potentially make it more equivalent to a +1 LA race)}
Choose a race with +1/2 LA
  +? upgrade stats to Heroic 20 points buy
  +? Gestalt with an NPC class
What about a race with a negative LA?

Maybe switch options to steps.  Each option has a step price.
3 Step (start as 2nd level PC class)
2 Step (start as 2nd level NPC class
2 Step (start as 1st level PC/PC Gestalt)
1 Step (start as 1st level PC/NPC Gestalt)
1 Step (upgrade to Heroic, 20pt buy)
2 Step (upgrade to Epic, 25pt buy)
1 Step +1/2 LA Race (tieflings, Aasimar)
2 Step +1 LA Race
-1 Step -* LA Race (most notably Kobold)

Possibilities:

I like the idea of potentially starting things out gestalt.  Even if it doesn't stay gestalt.

Certainly offers the choice to begin as a low level multiclass character at first level.

Read an article about the progress of gaming and shifts over time.

They pointed out that it used to be that attributes were traditionally rolled randomly and in place.  But now often they are determined by point buys, to insure fairness.

They pointed out that some people where using the random rolls still... but they pointed out that those people really tended to neuter the one 'strength' of a randomly rolled character.   The more Organic nature of the characters.  By being able to roll and then assign the rolls as you want to different attributes, you still tend to get all your stats in the order you want them, and don't tend to have a weak complementary attribute, or a strong one that is unexpected.  They tend to all seem to be a part of a master plan.  (because they basically are)

This individual suggested that random generation each roll should be pre-applied to specific attributes.  This allows for the more random creation of individuals.  They however, suggested offering to allow the player to swap two rolls to give them a little more ability to shape their character.

I think they suggested the 4d6 drop lowest, applied to each of the six statistics.

I even contemplated having them roll 4d6 seven times, allowing the seventh roll as an option to be swapped into their stats as their one swap.  I even however considered allowing a free swap of that 'spare' roll to be allowed to be done for any attribute under 8.

This would allow a little be more advantage having an additional chance to get a high stat, but if so, swapping it in place would mean only one score gets 'changed' while swapping between two actual scores lets you impact two attributes.  The free one offers a way of dealing with horrible rolls to give them the opportunity to not HAVE to play a strongly disadvantaged attribute if they don't want to.

See when we DMd along time ago, the Idea of playing a weak character felt normal.  Now yow "listen" to talk and oh, that would drag the party down.
What worries me is the way the new games are designed is it actually true.  And how could I As a GM arange things so such a players character could find a way to keep up ifit is.

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What if at the XP price of the highest, lowest, or average, advancement price they advanced to full multi-class. Then we wouldn't have to worry beyond first level about that being off.
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Campaign character creation, feats and traits; one suggestion somewhere was to start a party with traits going to basic races to back up they're strength against slightly more power full races.  As in the rich parent trait to balance base races against a tiefling, or assimar.  Power level had one balanced feat equal to two traits, so if the player had the choice:
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Of starting at 2nd level with your standard alotment of feats and traits,
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or gestalt class with half up powered races like the assimar and teifling,
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or regular classes balanced by feats and traits.
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Or NPC classes with +1 LA races with some number of traits to fit.
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I still like the Idea of the Runt, a PC of higher then or equal to with +1 LA even with all extra-special abilities (at the extordanary ability power level, removed and replaced with skills or cantrips) muted. Taking all rolls at minus equal to their LA and one zero level hit dice. But I like the idea of choice more even if that is one of them.
..Unfortunantly that is not OGL so I have to figure how to make something similar but not it to publish it.



.....Heroic Feat/Trait?, for 20 point buy with GM hook, or other price added.
.....Epic Feat/Trait?, for 25 point buy with GM hook, or other price added.
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This message was last edited by the GM at 16:00, Thu 17 July 2014.