Its exactly part of the goal to start modest yes some will be less effective. Being AC 12 (or 14 with a shield) is not the end of the world and when said fighter get better armor it will be a reward!
The original rule Starting Wealth By Class name is an error from a previous game spec. Armor, Weapon and gear will be class based, with limitation by light armor / simple weapon. The goal is modest start right after a war due to low economy and supply in the village region they begin.
Rolling ability score is not for everyone, nor are limitations. These options are still part of the game though. I'd rather get players that embrace limitations and take it as a challenge, than players wining that they cant start with AC 16 and decent gear. ☺
just be aware you might be getting a whole bunch of dex fighters instead, dex is already better anyways so that's not really worse for them though ;)
If some players want to create DEX based fighter because campaign start with low supply as a temporary limitation its all their choice. Metagaming is always a choice. Once things get back to normal within a few sessions, they will not be playing the original build they wanted because they metagamed to get around the limitations. The impact will be more significant on the long term IMHO.
So you are expecting heavy armor to come out in a session or two? That does change some stuff I think....overall I would be upfront with that as it may change some minds.
I mean I'm of the opinion they did a mistake letting dex go for damage and accuracy.
I mean 20 str vs 20 dex. Would you rather have +5 to hit (melee only) , damage(melee only) and about 1 point more damage/hit than a dex build + a few skills i guess (d8 vs d6 weapon considered) or +5 to hit(melee and ranged), damage (melee and ranged) , AC, initiative and arguably better skills including stealth.
I preferred the old method from 3.5 tbh.
Further limiting strength builds, I wouldn't mind it and prefer strength so most likely would go for that anyways but I believe a lot of people wouldn't
It depends on DM philosophy, party composition, and what kind of game you are trying to run.
In a general fantasy game, I usually do not limit choice. I want the players to be able to play whatever they are feeling. That does not mean you can just play anything though. Something that obviously doesn't fit in would need to be justified by the player.
Example: I am going to be running a game set in Droaam (a region in Eberron run by monster races [medusa, trolls, gnolls, minotaurs, etc]). If a player wanted to play a usual fantasy race, ie human, elf, half-elf, dwarf, halfling, or gnome, they would have to justify why they are working for a group of monsters. It wouldn't need to be complex, merely "I am a criminal and am in hiding" or "I was abandoned on the frontier and raised by gnolls". Just something to make them think about how their character fits in.
Also, Droaam does not have many spellcasters, so if someone wanted to be a wizard, how did you have access to magical study? Again, doesn't have to be complex, but a sentence or two for how it happened. "I learned at the venomous demesne", or "A wizard fled from the Last War into Droaam and taught me".
Yes its temporary at campaign start, the party will eventually find better weapons and amors as they adventure and eventually they will also be able to purchase better ones from the village or if they visit a bigger town with more diverse supply.
Yes its temporary at campaign start, the party will eventually find better weapons and amors as they adventure and eventually they will also be able to purchase better ones from the village or if they visit a bigger town with more diverse supply.
How long do you envision before they get heavy armor?
Yes its temporary at campaign start, the party will eventually find better weapons and amors as they adventure and eventually they will also be able to purchase better ones from the village or if they visit a bigger town with more diverse supply.
How long do you envision before they get heavy armor?
I dont know not very long though i dont envision them runing 3-4 levels without better weapons and armors. Right by the first few encounters they will come by gear they can use probably. Ex if a band of Orcs is encountered, with chainmail and greataxes, they will be able to take them. And once they acquire more coins and visit also bigger cities, they will be able to purchase PHB supplies normally.
Are you running Milestone or XP, how many sessions in do you expect them to level up?
Those survival type games can be really fun at low levels, I have had great success starting a party with 0 equipment (prisoners of slavers being transported to auction) thye had to gather what they could, escape, and then make, buy or steal equipment to be able to continue.
So you are expecting heavy armor to come out in a session or two? That does change some stuff I think....overall I would be upfront with that as it may change some minds.
I mean I'm of the opinion they did a mistake letting dex go for damage and accuracy.
I mean 20 str vs 20 dex. Would you rather have +5 to hit (melee only) , damage(melee only) and about 1 point more damage/hit than a dex build + a few skills i guess (d8 vs d6 weapon considered) or +5 to hit(melee and ranged), damage (melee and ranged) , AC, initiative and arguably better skills including stealth.
I preferred the old method from 3.5 tbh.
Further limiting strength builds, I wouldn't mind it and prefer strength so most likely would go for that anyways but I believe a lot of people wouldn't
It depends on DM philosophy, party composition, and what kind of game you are trying to run.
In a general fantasy game, I usually do not limit choice. I want the players to be able to play whatever they are feeling. That does not mean you can just play anything though. Something that obviously doesn't fit in would need to be justified by the player.
Example: I am going to be running a game set in Droaam (a region in Eberron run by monster races [medusa, trolls, gnolls, minotaurs, etc]). If a player wanted to play a usual fantasy race, ie human, elf, half-elf, dwarf, halfling, or gnome, they would have to justify why they are working for a group of monsters. It wouldn't need to be complex, merely "I am a criminal and am in hiding" or "I was abandoned on the frontier and raised by gnolls". Just something to make them think about how their character fits in.
Also, Droaam does not have many spellcasters, so if someone wanted to be a wizard, how did you have access to magical study? Again, doesn't have to be complex, but a sentence or two for how it happened. "I learned at the venomous demesne", or "A wizard fled from the Last War into Droaam and taught me".
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Yes its temporary at campaign start, the party will eventually find better weapons and amors as they adventure and eventually they will also be able to purchase better ones from the village or if they visit a bigger town with more diverse supply.
How long do you envision before they get heavy armor?
I dont know not very long though i dont envision them runing 3-4 levels without better weapons and armors. Right by the first few encounters they will come by gear they can use probably. Ex if a band of Orcs is encountered, with chainmail and greataxes, they will be able to take them. And once they acquire more coins and visit also bigger cities, they will be able to purchase PHB supplies normally.
Are you running Milestone or XP, how many sessions in do you expect them to level up?
Those survival type games can be really fun at low levels, I have had great success starting a party with 0 equipment (prisoners of slavers being transported to auction) thye had to gather what they could, escape, and then make, buy or steal equipment to be able to continue.
I havent figured all that yet.