The Player Characters - The Constables Class

The Player Characters need to be given a framework from which to create their characters.  The following a selection criteria were used in choosing Constables[1] (1):

Strength

Constitution

Charisma

Physical abilities were considered central to the job.  Consider this:

Each division was in charge of a superintendent, under whom were four inspectors and sixteen sergeants. The regulations demanded that recruits should be under thirty-five, well built, at least five feet seven in height, literate and of good character. The minimum age is usually considered to be twenty years but the certificates of service (MEPO 4/361-477) include recruits as young as eighteen; service before the age of twenty was not considered for pension purposes. – John Hitchcock

Charisma is also a key attribute, as Constables (or Bobbies) policed with the consent of the policed.  Only on rare occasions did a Constable ever carry a gun, and then on missions where his life is likely to be in danger.  As said by Peter Waddington[2], flashing a weapon and making polite diplomacy checks is self defeating, while intelligent accused crooks can still be intimidated by the very real threats of life imprisonment for resisting with a deadly weapon.  Drugged or insane crooks can’t de bartered or intimidated reliably.

This tends to inform the shape of the PCs first choice for a class.  The Constable class would focus on strength, constitution and charisma first.  I tend to think of this first as a change of the warrior class, but of the three D20 core classes, the Tough Hero leaps to mind first.  Just as an experiment, I am going to see how easily the Tough Hero converts to the Constable class that I have in mind.

Tough Hero	Constable
1d10 / level hit points	Hit points are main priority, 1d10 is much better than other choices
Class skills include: Climb, Concentration, Craft (mech, struc), Drive, Intimidate, Knowledge (current events, pop culture, streetwise), Profession, Read/Write/Speak, Ride, Spot, Survival, profession Law Enforcement adds Diplomacy, Gather Information, Knowledge (Civics, life sciences, tactics), and Listen	Class skills should include: Spot, Listen, Gather Info, Survival (Urban), Climb, Profession Read/Write/Speak (natural language is free) Knowledge (Current Events, Streetwise, Civics) Diplomacy is an absolute for Constables, Intimidate a distant second
Skill points / level  = 3+Int mod	I’m finding 3+int/level constraining.  5+int/level seems at least adequate to pay for the variety of skills needed on the beat.
Good feat progression	Constables should have full access to all feats, except Firearm feats.
Excellent choices for talents	I prefer the choices for Tough hero to all other classes.

Actually, a new idea is forming for me.  All characters must be the new custom class at level 1.  This class is Constable and most reflects tough hero.  While they cannot join a prestige class without a master to show them the ropes, they can all join any of the other base classes when they level up.  Want to focus on skills?  Take smart hero and gain skill points by the ton.  Want to build a vigilant character that is hard to surprise?  Perhaps a variant of Constable/Wise Hero is just the thing.  Or you can keep taking levels in Tough hero for the talents and feat progression.  If Constable is a level 1 only class, much of this works to constrain the PCs and maintain credibility, then opens up by level 2 to allow full freedom of character development.

Perhaps it needs restating that none of this even applies to the victims.  They are shlubs abducted off of the streets, they can have any starting class they want, with the only limit that they have no gear other than clothes.

Nevertheless I like this feel.  This establishes the Constables barging in the front door on a pretty even keel with each other, then allows them to specialize however they like.  It also reflects how woefully unexpected these events will be, and how the Constables ended up so ill prepared for it.

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[1] “The Cult of Physique in Early Policing”, South Wales Police Museum, retrieved 13 March, 2012, available online at: http://www.southwalespolicemuseum.org.uk/en/content/cms/history_of_the_force/the_cult_of_physique/the_cult_of_physique.aspx.

John Hitchcock, “Victorian London Research, London Police Divisions,” GenDocs: Genealogical Research in England and Wales, last updated 2003, retrieved 13 March 2012, http://homepage.ntlworld.com/hitch/gendocs/police.html

[2] Peter Waddington, ``Guns won't protect the police: History has kept officers unarmed - to their benefit, says Peter Waddington`` The Independent, Published: Sunday 24 October 1993, Retrieved Monday 12 March, 2012, Available at http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/guns-wont-protect-the-police-history-has-kept-officers-unarmed--to-their-benefit-says-peter-waddington-1512815.html.