Pathfinder RPG: Session Notes - Level One ... Fight

[Farcaster]

One of the biggest complaints I have heard about 3e, and every addition before it for that matter, is that characters at first level are too weak, are spent too quickly, and are generally not that much fun to play. Personally, I think that this frailty adds to the charm of being first level. I like the sense of trepidation that comes with knowing that you're one good sword thrust from being flat-out dead. It encourages finding more creative solutions to problems beyond the brute-force, might-makes-right approach that is all too common in D&D. We'll chalk that up to crazy-DM talk though, since this is rarely seems to be the player perspective. So, you ask, what does Pathfinder do to make first level more playable and less frustrating?

[Read More (http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12401)]

[Pellinore]

As a player I much more prefer roleplay over combat. I like weak 1st level. 1st level characters are barely above common citizens and they become powerful (or dead) through their trials and troubles. Powerful 1st level characters is a retarded concept, why not start at 3rd level then?

A good example of a 1st level adventure is a lot of intrigue and puzzle solving with one or two fights. Save the fantasy stuff for later adventures. My pc's didn't see anything more fantastic than a half-elf or half-orc until after 3rs level... They didn't have a magic weapon until 3rd level or later. You ruin the game if the characters can wipe out whole cities by 5th level...

My motto: Quality, not Quantity.