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Dungeons and Dragons setup
Alright, so I'm considering making a DnD group. First, though, I need some help. I'm either gonna start the adventurers at level 1 or level 3. Which one should I choose? Second of all, should I allow multiclassing, prestige classes, and monster races? Like, one person is obsessed with being a Mind Flayer, and another really wants to try out his new class, a cross between an Arcane Archer and a ranger. Third of all, where's a good site that can show me how to make a good scenario? I can't take my chances with the wizardsofthecoast.com scenarios or store-bought ones, because maybe the others have played that scenario before. And finally, should I give penalties for people looking in the Monster Manual, checking to see why fire heals an iron golem, etc? What should the penalty be? Thanks!
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The question of first or third level comes down to power level; magic, of course, is the key. The spells available to a third-level spellcaster are quite different from those available to a first-level one, and that will determine how the party approaches and deals with problems.
Personally, if this is going to be a long campaign, I'd suggest going with first-level characters. It will give everyone the chance to feel that they've really started with their characters at the beginning. Besides, giving them two free levels to start with just reduces their appreciation of the time it takes to EARN levels. Unless you're running a high-level campaign, of course.
As for "multiclassing, prestige classes, and monster races" - multiclassing is generally not a problem; the system is well enough balanced in that regard (I assume you're using 3.5). If anything, multiclassing is a handicap, not an asset.
I recommend handling prestige classes on a case-by-case basis. Some are balanced, some are not. Read each one over VERY carefully before allowing it, and make it clear to your players UP FRONT that if the class turns out to be unbalanced, you reserve the right to make any and all changes necessary - specifically including retroactive changes and reverting the character to the non-prestige base class.
I don't know a lot about monster races; I haven't played them with D&D (my system of preference is RuneQuest). But my gut feeling is that a Mind Flayer PC is probably a bad idea under the D&D system. It just doesn't sound balanced. A very experienced DM might be able to handle it, and the result might be a great game; but it doesn't sound as if that's a challenge that you're really ready for.
As for designing scenarios, step one is to read and run as many of them as possible. There are, of course, some suggestions in the DMG; those are worth reading. Likewise, you can Google for "roleplaying scenario design" to find some useful articles.
I can recommend the "Roleplaying Tips" website ( [Link](Mouse over link to see full location) ), although in fairness I should note that the site author is a friend and I wrote one or two of the articles on that site.
There are thousands of scenarios online, ranging from great to awful. If you're concerned that your players might have read some of them, look at scenarios for other systems and see if you could easily translate them into D&D, or at least use the best ideas in your own scenarios. Your players are unlikely to have read them (unless they're fans of that those other systems, of course).
I don't know if I should suggest this, but on my own site I have about a thousand scenario hook ideas that you might find useful: they're under "Found Items" at ( [Link](Mouse over link to see full location) ).
And now, the last question: Penalties for looking in the Monster Manual? You're the DM. You decide what your policy is. You can't stop them from looking at the books on their own time, but you can certainly forbid it during the game.
Whether you do or you don't, though, it's a good idea to use your authority to stop the players from abusing out-of-game knowledge. A first or even third level character would NOT normally have access to rare and esoteric knowledge about the game world. So it's completely appropriate to require them to make a Knowledge: Arcane or Knowledge: The Planes or other appropriate Knowledge skill roll. It would even be legitimate to keep a file card of their relevant Knowledge skills behind the screen, and make those particular rolls FOR them - after all, they shouldn't always know if they succeeded or failed.
As for what the penalty should be: just don't let them act on knowledge that's too obviously something the PLAYER knows, rather than the character. If they can give a good reason - a GOOD reason - explaining why their character would know about iron golems, for example, allow it. But they can't claim to have read a million library books, or anything like that. Make sure they pass the "reasonableness" test.
Good luck, and have fun!
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