Turning Four

Aerick, my oldest daughter's fighter and a core character in our Homeguard campaign for mostly elementary school aged players, reached fourth level yesterday!

  

He now sports an impressive 25 hit points (4d8), his hit scores have improved by a point, and he is the proud wielder of a magic sword (one of only two magic items in the party).  

here's the mini she uses for him

I did a quick count last night and I believe that she has run him for almost exactly 30 sessions of play, averaging about two hours each.

1983 Mentzer Basic

Lawful to his very core, we're playing Mentzer-era Red Box Basic D&D, and there is no paladin character class (we're in dwarf = a class territory here), but if there were, then Aerick would be a paladin's paladin.  He has no problem picking up treasure if it's there, but if a quest to stop some vile foe or rescue an innocent awaits, he won't be swayed from his course by the prospect of mere riches.

Actual quote: "We don't have time.  We need to get this potion back to the Downs before the people there die." 

That sometimes means leaving a lot of experience points on the table in the form of unclaimed treasures. Despite the flashy Larry Elmore artwork, mechanically, Basic D&D doesn't reward players for combat or heroic play nearly so generously as for scoring big hauls of loot.  Greed tempered by caution is the most sure way to advance in level, which in my mind makes Aerick's rise to the rank of "hero" (level titles are way cool) that much more impressive.

Mentzer Expert ... yeah, this fighter is dead meat too ...

In a rare moment of perfect timing, a beautiful copy of Mentzer Expert D&D arrived in the mail yesterday, expanding the adventure to levels 4-14.  A gift for my daughter of course!