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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hamburger Mary" data-source="post: 3638922" data-attributes="member: 17363">This is true - but remember that the "D&D standard distribution of levels" results in over 90% of the world being 1st level NPC classes. There are 20th level NPC class characters out there, but they are hardly commonplace. Maza Thadian, the 18th-level commoner, is renowned across the Five Nations for her skill as a master chef. Setting aside the fact that Forge of War sets the common soldier at 1st level, if you look at Sharn, an "elite" soldier of the *royal guard* (not just the Sharn Watch) is a 2nd-level warrior. So I think the 1st level warrior is the COMMON soldier, but that doesn't make him "raw and untrained" - raw and untrained is a commoner, and according to Forge of War, you found them in the army too. So I'd go with:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1st-level Commoner. True peasant levy. Give them a spear and let 'em go. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">1st-level Warrior. Basic, trained soldier. Not exceptional, but beats the commoner. The bulk of the armies. Not likely to get great equipment, because they are the bulk troopers - they're the leather or studded leather troops. I think many soldiers remain at this level even with some combat experience; a) that's what basic demographics suggest, and b) I assume that many of the 1st-level warriors in Sharn listed in Sharn has seen SOME action. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">2nd-level Warrior. Veteran soldier. Experienced and hardened. Often considered "elite", though not on the Redcloak level (Sharn refers to 2nd-level warriors as "elite" both in the Royal Guard and the Sharn Watch).  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">3-4th level Warrior. Exceptional soldier. Likely to be pulled to a special elite unit, or to command other soldiers.  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">5th level+ Warrior.Truly remarkable skill. Will end up in one of the top units of the nation, like the Redcloaks.</li> </ul>In my eyes, the big thing is that Eberron takes the stigma out of being first level. In Eberron - and D&D - most of the population of the world is first level. That doesn't mean you have no talent or no skill; it means you're average, and the whole point OF "average" is that it represents the majority. Maza Thadian is an AMAZING cook, who brings in clients from across the continent; but the 1st-level commoner is a perfectly acceptable cook. The AVERAGE tavern cook is first level, not third. We may look at a first level warrior and say "That guy sucks!" but when you put him next to a first level commoner or expert, he's got more hit points, a better BAB, and weapon proficiencies; he IS a better soldier. And once you accept that a first level warrior is an acceptable, trained soldier, it's easy to see how a 2nd-level warrior can be called "elite". Better BAB, potentially twice as many hit points, even better skills. He's dramatically better. A 6th-level warrior is astonishing compared to the first or second levels, and Eberron follows through with that; there are songs and stories about the Redcloaks. There are higher-level characters in the armies. The Sharn Watch, the Royal Guard, and the armies listed in FoW have higher level characters. But they are either elites, officers, or members of legendary units. The 1st level warriors are the solid foundation. The second levels are the elite veterans. And anyone above this is a remarkable soldier who's likely to rise to a decent position. I do agree with you: the armies probably didn't equip first level soldiers with full plate. You'd save that for your veterans and elite forces, who you hope will survive more than one blow. But I still think the first level forces were the bulk of the army - not just the latest, completely inexperienced recruits. And following the example of S:CoT and FoW, I'd see 2nd-level troops as the veterans - and 3rd-level as a relatively rare step above that.</blockquote>

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