A simple idea for running short campaign kickoff adventures that allows the characters to become heroes. I imagine this as being an interesting way to actually play through Inciting Incidents making it a shared experience among players as apposed to a note on your character sheet about your past.
I do not currently have advice for balancing encounters for this only that, because the players won't have Heroic Abilities or their Heroic Resource, the Director should not use Villain Power and Villain Power Abilities. Characters would also not gain Victories for this reason.
Making a Classless Level 0 Character
Create your characters as normal only do not select an inciting incident from your Career and do not select a class. Use the following guidelines:
Your starting stamina is 12
You have 5 Recoveries
Choose one of the following arrays for your characteristics:
• 2, 1, 1, -1, -1
• 1, 1, 1, 1, -1
• 1, 1, 1, 0, 0
Choose a Kit and add your Free strikes
Some Complications may still predate the Inciting Incident you play through so you may choose aa Complication with your Director, or work with your Director to integrate the origin for your complication during play.
Making a Level 0.5 Character with Class
To make a character that has begun their Class journey but is not yet a capital "H" Hero. Create your characters as normal only do not select an inciting incident from your Career. Use the following guidelines:
Your starting stamina is 7 + 1/3rd your Class's Starting Stamina
You have 5 Recoveries + 1 for every 2 additional recoveries your class would give.
Use your Class's Starting Characteristics.
Take on any features you would gain from your class as normal, including it's Signature Ability, only do not select any ability that uses your Class Heroic Resource, including Heroic Abilities. You do not gain a heroic resource in combat and an ability that would grant a heroic resource doesn't.
Choose a Kit and add your Free strikes
Complications... Same as Level 0.
Becoming a Leveled Hero
When the time is right and the Inciting Incident has Incited the Player Characters to Become Heroes Players select their remaining class options including Heroic Abilities and replace their starting Stamina and Characteristics with those of their chosen class. Directors should grant them Complications relevant to the adventure if called for... then let the adventure continue!