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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Water Bob" data-source="post: 5755058" data-attributes="member: 92305">My own post, from a different forum, but with points relevant to this discussion.....    Quote:Level 7 - This level represents the highest level an average NPC can obtain without having excelled at some experience-rich endeavor in the past. This level represents average characters in their early 70's. Age 72-73 is about right.  Quote:Problem with these are that age starts to kick in. Especially since we are dealing s&s era. Average age of humans _increases_ all the time. Conversevely back in past they lived shorter and likely were not in as good shape in their seniorities. 60-70's aren't likely to be in shape for slaughtering marauding barbarians without breaking a sweat. Which level 8 characters rulewise would be more than able to do...  Think it through a little bit more....I think those numbers are spot on, given the guidelines provided in the Core Rulebook. The book specifically describes Level 8 characters as those that are the leaders--the masters at what they do. Not everybody has the stuff to become a accomplished to that degree. For example, in a Cimmerian clan, not every warrior has what it takes to become the clan Chieftain. It is the rare individual that rises to 8th level who becomes chief. Remember that the list I provided are rules of thumb--averages of NPCs. Some characters will obtain higher level at an earlier age. If you take twin Aquilonian brothers and have them serve a couple of years at different posts--one in the town guard of Tarantia and the other to a fort on the Pictish frontier--it is likely that, although both are Soldier classed characters, the one on the Pictish frontier will end the tour at a higher level than the one who served in the town militia (akin to a soldier during the Vietnam crisis serving in Germany or in Vietnam for the same period of time--one comes back with more combat skills). A characters personal experiences determine if he will reach a higher level at a younger age. Thus, not all NPCs will be dead or in their 70's at level 7. A character in his 50's could be level 7 given a personal experience that allowed him to excel over others.     Quote:I would be capping age of characters around 40's at most or if going further than that artificially reduce appropriate stats.   I completely agree that an age of the 40's should be the beginning of old age for Hyborian Age characters, with many not living past that. But, I don't think the chart should be changed. The average stays the same. Thus, the average character reaches level 4-5-6 during his lifetime.     Given the parameters mentioned in the book, most characters that the PCs encounter should be in the Level 1-5 or 1-6 range. The chiefs and leaders and high nobles they meet should reach levels 7-8-9. And, the true masters that they meet should (kings and legendary heroes) should be in the 10-11-12 range. Think about this. Most towns should be filled with NPCs, whether Commoner or classed characters, that are in the level 1-5 range. The village elder, town champion, or clan chieftain, might be level 8. The default setting for the Conan RPG features NPCs that are level 10 and below, with an emphasis on the level 5 and below. If you look at the NPC section of the Beastiary section of the core rules, , you'll find more support for what I'm saying here. The Commoner class maxes out at level 10. Belit's Black Corsairs are level 2 Pirates. The sample Black Kingdom Cannibal is a level 3 Barbarian. The average Pict is a 1st level Barbarian. The average Zamorian Thief is a 2nd level Thief. The average Turaninan Light Cavalry Soldier is a 2nd level Soldier. Your typical Peasant is a 1st level Commoner. A typical Merchant is a 3rd level Commoner/1st level Scholar.  Your average scary Sorcerer is a 4th level Scholar. A typical Dancing Girl is a 2nd level Temptress. Your average City Guardsman is a 2nd level Soldier. Bandits are typially 2nd level Borderers.   See the trend? All the sample characters are low level. The highest example given is the NPC Sellsword, who is a 4th level multi-classed character, 2nd level Soldier/2nd level Borderer. The game "lives" at the very low levels. By deduction, GM's should award very low amounts of XP, allowing the PCs to advance steadily but slowly. The PCs will be heroes, and they should be able to obtain character levels higher than 6th or 8th in their lifetimes. But, when the GM creates a town for the PCs to explore, or Bandit party that will ambush the PC's, the GM should remember that most of what the PCs will fight (regardless of PC level) should be NPCs that are in the level 1-5 range, with an emphasis on Levels 1-2-3. Entire campaigns can be played, spanning the PCs' entire lives, without seeing the PCs reach 10 level.</blockquote>

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