Goodman Games

The book states that magic users first level spells represent years of study yet a first level player just survived a funnel as a peasant and has now picked that class.
This is not a complaint I am just curious how other Judges have met this odd position?

The would-be wizard has had an interest and has been studying for years.

During the funnel, he gains the ability to cast spells, but spells must still be learned as per the normal rules.

Ozerulz wrote:The book states that magic users first level spells represent years of study yet a first level player just survived a funnel as a peasant and has now picked that class.
This is not a complaint I am just curious how other Judges have met this odd position?

I think it requires a bit of forethought from both the player and the Judge. You could pre arrange that this or that peasant has had an interest in chaos/magic from before and it shows in his high int or you could during the leveling process introduce a patron found in the funnel or during training that offers at first the ability to cast spells, with an option to further explore the patron system as usual.

Several entities , specially chaos ones enjoy spreading magic, this can be worked in the interim between level 0 and 1. You just dont POP UP/DING/Lv+! mid adventure imho.

In my case dreams and other portents make the soon to be level 1 peasant veer into the path of magic if human. Elves are fae and magic is kinda innate to them, no real fuss there, you can dress it up with patrons too though.

Thanks for the insight. This provides some avenues I hadn't considered

My users got a expository segue between zero-level funnel and the level one adventure that followed. Something like "After their harrowing experience beyond the Portal Under the Stars, those who survived staggered out into the world and pursued new trades of interest: martial, magical, spiritual, or stealthy. They have studied and practiced and had other experiences we may revisit someday, but today we find them having reunited for travel and adventure..." and then it went into introduction of the new adventure.

Everyone seemed pretty happy with that and I like the history it hints at, and imagery it suggests. The funnel merely set them up for becoming adventurers. It's what they did afterward that counted.

Alternately, there are on the verge of being what they become, and the funnel is what makes everything 'click'. Just like characters in shows or books -- you don't necessarily know everything about them up front or even in their first 'adventure'. Details continue to accrue...

Depends very much on the nature of the funnel itself, and the campaign world, but the options are pretty extensive...