Average NPC level

[DrSkull]

In my current game I've been experimenting with a new standard in NPC levels. I've chucked the Community Generation tables etc., from the DMG and instead have worked it more or less this way:

Everyone you meet can be assumed to be 4th level. Farmers are 4th level commoners, Guards are 4th level warriors. All with average stats for race (human warrior would be s11,d11,c11,i10,w10,ch10, elf warrior s11,d13,c9,i10,w10,ch10)

Guys that are obviously "greenhorns" or "punks" will be levels 1-3. Guys that are obviously "veterans" or "elite" are levels 5-8. Anyone over level 8 are "heroic".

I've found that once PC's are 2nd level (and even some 1st level PCs), they are more than a match for 4th level NPC class guys, the advantages in Stats, magic, feats and the fact that the NPC's don't get max hit points at first level (and HD types are lower) make up the difference. But, here's the key, PC's are not able to ignore Bandits, Soldiers or outraged mobs with pitchforks, they'll still probably beat them, but they have to think about it and weigh the odds.

I also apply these levels to Orcs, goblins, Ogres etc., so these opponents are still to be encountered and dealt with through the campaign.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'm just wondering if anyone else has done something similar and how it has worked out for them.

 

[Limper]

I've done similar myself... seemed more realistic.

One difference however, the stats.

Standard NPC point build 18

Heroic NPC (aka followers) point build 25

Frontiersmen pointbuild 20

You get the idea I adjusted the atts of the NPCs as well.... really keeps them guessing.

 

[Romotre]

I also do something similar, but I change their stats around to fit their job. Soliders might have higher Str, Dex and Con. Merchants may have higher Wis, Int or Cha. Mean and Mode are different. Plus it helps them 1 metric tad.

 

[S'mon]

Well, I keep 1st level as the norm for NPCs, but sometimes for groups of experienced bandits or humanoids I use groups of mixed-level Warriors generated by Jamis' Generator as 'low-level' (1-5), maybe with a mid-level (6-11) leader: the random spread gives interesting results, and the battle is very different and rather more interesting than with all-1st-level mooks: when the nondescript brigands take 47 pts fireball damage and keep coming the players certainly perk up!

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

I tend to use the following system:

teenagers and apprentices are usually level one.

People in their twenties and journeymen are usually level two to four.

People in their thirties and master craftsmen are usually level three to six.

People in their forties are often level four to eight.

Of course, important people tend to have more levels--nobles in the land of Durenheim are usually Fighter/Aristocrats. Nobles in the Republic of Capernaum are usually Aristocrats. Leaders of Highland or Cursed Land tribes are usually barbarians or fighter/barbarians.

I started my PCs at second level. By the time they were fourth level, people in the world started noticing them. By the time they were sixth level, they were major players in local politics (although they never figured out quite what to do with that). Now that they're seventh and eighth level, they're beginning to become famous.

If my campaign weren't ending now (I'm moving in a few weeks), they'd probably be movers and shakers in the kingdom by level 12 and in the world by level 14.

 

[seasong]

I discuss my method in my Level Advancement Over A Lifetime thread.

You can also check out MavrickWeirdo's NPC Guard over a lifetime thread, where he gives an exemplary analysis of the ages and levels of an NPC guardsman.

MavrickWeirdo, incidentally, uses a "Learn something new every day" rule: NPCs gain 1 XP per day, or 365 per year, and you can establish their level by their age (assuming no unfortunate adventures ).

 

[Romotre]

i there was (there must have been) a modifier based of maximum age of the race. We don't want every adult elf to be 20th level.