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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Water Bob" data-source="post: 5838354" data-attributes="member: 92305">   This will be a fun, interesting exercise... First a few notes:  It's not quite fair to give you a character level because we don't know the focus of the universe you are in.  In D&D and Conan, obviously the focus is combat. Since the US isn't invaded (I'm assuming you're in the US), your "universe" has a different focus.  Focus affects level. If we were playing a trading based RPG that features no combat, then the game would default to a business/trading focus.  Your level would be different than if we are playing a combat focused game. To present this in more standard RPG terms, lets assume we're playing a Modern d20 game with a combat focus.  Let's take how you've described yourself above and make you (your character background) a person who flew to Afghanistan for business but found himself in a war zone, unable to get out or return home. Now, we've got an RPG character. So, let's dig in.       At age 54, starting from age 16,  you've got 38 years of experience.  You should be a 5th level character--possibly higher if the GM awards extra levels based on your military experience. Let's dig in a little deeper. Using the system presented in the OP, you're a multi-class character.  Since this is a combat focused game, your military experience takes precedence when it corresponds with civilian experience.  You've got 13 years in the Army.  This makes you a base Soldier 3.    At age 54, with 22 years as a civilian, we'll make you a Civilian classed character, level 4.  Civilian 4 is akin to Commoner 4 in the Conan RPG. Since we're playing a combat focused game, your military background is important, too (because you're a character in a combat focussed game--this is your most important experience).  You've got 13 years in the Army.  Your base would be as a level 3 Soldier.   Now, as a Scout and Green Beret, you may have some intense combat experience, too.  If so, that's important for your level in this game.  If you were a garrison trooper and did nothing but train, then you'll stay Soldier 3.  But, your GM may bump you up a level or two (or, really, to any level he wants/needs for his story) to account for that combat experience. Let's assume that you have a ton of combat experience as a Green Beret Scout and the GM gives you two additional levels. This makes you a Soldier 5.     Now, let's look at your other class:  Civilian (which is akin to Commoner in D&D and Conan).  You've got 22 years in the civilian jobs you specified.  You'll have to spend your skill points and pick your feats accordingly.  This makes you a 4th level Civilian.   So, now, we're looking at you be a Soldier 5 / Civilian 4.     By your age, you should be a 5th level character.  Multiclassing always broadens experience, so you got a boost there, and your GM gave you two levels in Soldier.  If you don't have all that combat experience, then you are a:  Civilian 4 / Soldier 3.   Final tweaking:  Let's say that  you do have a ton of combat experience, and your GM rightly awards you the extra two levels in Soldier.  I think that your background as a Common Laborer and Construction Worker does not give you a lot of experience important in this game--that is, combat. So, let's pop you down two levels in Civilian and keep the two increases to Soldier. I'd say, given the d20 Modern game we're playing, that the correct level for you is: Soldier 5 / Civilian 2.  This makes you a 7th level character, which is about right for a person 54 years old. Remember that the chart is a rule of thumb--an average--a starting point.  The GM must make some educated adjustments if he has as much information as you outlined above about a character. Also, don't forget that the game may have some optional aging rules.  So, you might have to take down your stats a bit at age 54.        I designed it as a game and role playing aid. For example, (in the Conan RPG), you walk into a town and end up talking to a merchant.  Off the top of my head (I'm the GM), I describe a very old, tall, Khitian (Asian) wearing robes and sporting a white Fu-Manchu hobbles up to you.  He can barely walk, taking half-steps and very old men sometimes do.  He's got a long pipe that he sucks on, blowing smoke out the side of his mouth every time he speaks. Now, this is all completely made up, on the spot.  Roleplaying.  And, as we get deeper into the encounter, I surprise you a bit by portraying this NPC as old, yet very, very crafty.  The character allows his appearance to throw his buyers off, and he traps them or gets a better price during the bargaining. Do I have to make up stats for this character? Heck no. But, let's say, for some reason, I do need stats for him:  for a combat situation or to make some task throw. I can easily look at my chart, in a split second, and say to myself, "OK, the dude is about 60, having had a hard life...I'll make him a 6th level Commoner Merchant.  But, since he's so crafty, let's boost him up a level." And, I'm done.  I know I've got a 7th level Commoner on my hands. If I need to know more, I can build the character with skill points maxed in Appraise, Bluff, Sense Motive, and Profession (Merchant).  His Feats will boost those skills (Skill Focus comes to mind).  And if I need stats, I'll throw 3d6 for each, arrange to taste, placing the highest three scores in CHR, INT, and WIS, leaving his low scores for his physical stats, showing how old and frail this guy is. And.... Let's say this guy becomes a recurring NPC that the PCs visit every time they come to this town.  A campaign takes the game to another part of the world for 15 years, then the PCs return to the town. The character would then be 75 years old, or there abouts.  I'd have to decide, first, if the character lived that long.  I like the character, and so do the players, so, for story reasons, he lives! Do I change his level? I don't know.  Let's look at the chart.  The chart says he should still be level 7. So, as GM, I'll keep him at level 7, or I may, because the guy is so good at what he does, raise him to level 8, to account for the decade and a half since the players last saw him.    That's how I envision the chart being used in a game.  If I describe an NPC in his early 20's, then I'm probably talking about a 2nd or 3rd level character. If there is a Captain of the Guard the PCs encounter, and off the top of my head, I say he's got 30 years experience, then the character is probably a 4th or 5th level character. If the PCs run into brigands, then they're most likely 1st and 2nd level NPCs with a 3rd level leader. Those are all examples of how the chart can facilitate a game.</blockquote>

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