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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Saeviomagy" data-source="post: 5036381" data-attributes="member: 5890">Unnamed town guards start out as level 1-3 soldiers and artillery and become character level minions when they cease to be dangerous (ie - they can barely hit the PCs). Their tactics are to do their best to stall until they think they have enough reinforcements to take the PCs on (at least 5 to 1). How quickly that happens depends on how big the city is and how magical the setting is. Reinforcements will include at least one leader-type elite and a few higher level guards with varying specialities. If the PCs still don't get the hint, more reinforcements (and tougher reinforcements) will continue to arrive until they flee, surrender or die. Or until the PCs realistically slaughter the entire guard of whatever settlement they're in, but that's usually going to take a while.A small village doesn't really have guards: the villagers will all be armed and their level depends on the dangers of the environs. The villagers will be tough enough that whatever threat the PCs are supposed to be handling would suffer heavy losses if they attacked the village directly, because otherwise the village simply would not be there. If the PCs wipe out the village, chances are that eventually someone notices, but it may never be connected to them.If it's just some random village far away from the dangers of the wild, the villagers are level 1 minions who flee or surrender at the first sign of serious trouble. They may get word out that they're under attack, in which case an overwhelming encounter for the PCs is liable to show up in a couple of weeks (or less, depending on magic level and proximity to major military bases). Otherwise the PCs can feel free to act as lords until someone notices them usurping the real nobility, at which point, again, an overwhelming encounter will pay a visit.The goal is for the PCs to be free to operate in unlawful ways while in cities, but for them to have to dodge the law if they do so. The scenarios of "the law can't touch us" and "we can't do anything just in case there's guardsman about" are, to me, counterproductive to having fun while adventuring in a city.</blockquote>

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