Danger Level and PC Survivability

The "danger at first level" subject has been hot around various blogs, especially in relation to DnD5 and the playtest materials. A large group of players (and apparently, one designer) feel the power of first level characters is a bit too high at the moment, and it needs to be pared down. Another group likes "tough first level PCs" and enjoys the high-adventure aspect a tough starting character possesses.

With weak starting PCs, players have to be more imaginative and tricky. Going into a room of six orcs with an evenly matches party is a foolish thing, and you don't start fights without an advantage (if you have the choice). A huge part of old-school gaming involves crafting unfair fights, solving puzzles and traps without die rolls and rules intervention, and surviving in a hostile world.

Flip-side, let us look at the "capable starting PC" side of things. A large group of players like being a hero, and being able to take down a roomful of orcs, even when outnumbered. This fulfills a "heroic fantasy" desire in a lot of players, the type that didn't come here to solve puzzles, but to kick butt and be a hero. This style of play is just as valid as the "solve the deadly puzzle" play style, and is quite enjoyable too.

I like refereeing both styles of game, and often mix back and forth between the styles during a session. Players should feel like heroes when the situation calls for it, and also slow down to think through a situation. I also like running "pure " games along both play styles when the feeling suits me and the players.

SBRPG attempted to solve this by World Mood and letting players adjust Hits/level based on the type of game they wanted to play. If you want realism, simply adjust your class designs to have less Hits/level. If you want greater heroism and survivability, adjust these numbers up. World mood comes into play here too, as "the worst thing that can happen" comes up in taking any sort of damage, and the final effect is ruled by the referee. In SBRPG, there can be worlds that mimic TV shows where no one dies perfectly, like a cartoon or kid's action show.

Watching the two sides fight it out over DnD5 is kind of depressing, because both sides can have what they want. A set of options to simulate "survival play" versus "heroic play" can be written in the rules, and the group can agree on what style of game they want to play. I agree it is hard for a commercial product as large as DnD5 to be this open, since a goal of a big commercial release is to standardize play. With smaller games, it is a lot more easy to be flexible, and support play styles players want.