Identifying a high-level character

[Quasqueton]

The group is sitting in a tavern, and in walks a stranger dressed in robes. With the assorted belt pouches, collection of odd trinkets (spell components), and a few scrolls tucked under his belt, it is obvious the stranger is some kind of mage. But how powerful?

Then another stranger strides into the tavern. The greatsword sheathed across the back of his plate armor identify him as a warrior of some type. But how powerful?

Can people (not just PCs) generally tell how powerful ("level" in game-mechanic terms) a given individual is? Could people tell that the above adventurers were 15th+ level? Or is personal power/level (not counting glowing swords, orbiting ioun stones, and runed staves) completely transparent?

Would a 2nd-level character decked out in the equipment of a 15th-level character look the same? (Assuming no attempt to use the Disguise skill.)

[Although I'm using specific numbers in this post, I'm not suggesting that you can tell a guy is specifically "15th level". More a feel of highly experienced versus moderately experienced or inexperienced.]

Quasqueton

 

[Cybern]

I tend to say no. If you remove equipment and battle scars, and don't disguise, there's nothing that screams high level. If it's all about attitude, then even 1st level PCs can look though.

 

[Dakkareth]

One could probably use sense motive to get an image of how confident someone is. That's of course not a very reliable way.


I always liked the idea, that with spells like arcane sight or true sight you could gauge the power level of another person.
For example you'd see lots of magical auras around someone, whose personal power was neglegible - obviously a decoy of sorts. Or with mundane sight you'd see a dim-witted old man drinking in the corner, but arcane sight shows, that his personal power is overwhelming.

Then again there could be spells especially designed to fool such divinations, etc ...

 

[Umbran]

Good question.

Overall, I think it's a question of flavor. Do you want folks being able to tell high level characters from low? Having the ability will lead to different PC and NPC behavior.

If I was going to do this, I'd probably lump it under Sense Motive. The greater the level difference between the two people, the lower the DC. High charisma characters would probably tend to look more powerful than they really are. One could hide one's status with a Bluff, I suppose...

 

[Moe Ronalds]

I think it would all have to do with charisma and worth of equipment. A high level bumbling, shy wizard who keeps all his magical items in a simple looking backpack would appear as no more than a crazy old guy who talks to his cat. On the other hand, a rich 1st level sorcerer bedeckled with obviously magic items will seem to be a force to be reckoned with.

 

[Uruk]

Items aside you have to figure most classes are going to have attributes/skills that reflect their power. Would a rogue with 20 points in intimidate even need to use it to fluster Joe Average? A human fighter with 35 strength is probably a mutant not to mention their flaming greatsword and the 6 stones flying around their head.

 

[Malcolm]

Sure! They don't have dung all over their boots!
(get it? they can afford to get cantrips on their gear.. get it? eh? eh?)

seriously I'd say: It depends.

Some folks are just inherently dangerous and look it. Some are and don't.
People with more experiences in life tend to carry themselves with more confidence, the same might be said of High level characters. There will be extremes though; those people who have their hearts or souls broken. They tend to radiate an intensity with their actions or gaze that makes them shine out as well to the careful observer.

I'd combine both a.) The level of the observer with b.) the level of the observed. While individuals are unique and have hundreds of means through which they express their sense of Self, common background and events/experiences will tend to cause some things to shine through..

Want to recognize the High Level Wizard? Look for the one that Levitates constantly, or examines a magic item with just one casual glance. High Level Priest? Look for the faithful flocking to them, or the determined burn of religious zeal in their eyes when given the chance to talk about their god. High Level Monk? Serene and calm, even when you spill the bowl of scalding soup in her lap. High Level Fighter? He's either got more weapons than a small army, or he has just one and he's always got a body part touching it! High Level Rogue? She's the one checking you out while you're checking her out, you can't see her doing it, but you swear your skin is crawling as she looks at you like a object not a person.

 

[BiggusGeekus@Work]

All of the above dovetails neatly into my rant about powerful PCs who try to lay low and look like commoners and then are surprised when people treat them like crap. Sigh.

Anyway, I think this is a good question if the 15th level guy isn't ostentatiously displaying power. I know a Navy SEAL guy who has a habit of wearing sweatshirts and baggy pants. He looks surprisingly scrawny, yet he probably knows fourteen different ways to kill me with a marshmallow. Offhand, I'd say it would be incredibly hard to tell the difference between a 15th level guy with a glowing sword and a 2nd level guy with a glowing sword.

 

[Enkhidu]

... Offhand, I'd say it would be incredibly hard to tell the difference between a 15th level guy with a glowing sword and a 2nd level guy with a glowing sword....

I'd say that it would depend on how practiced the person doing the guessing was - someone martially skilled (say your average mid-level full BAB progression PC) would have a pretty good chance of picking up on the non-verbal cues of how the 15th level warrior carries himself.

I'd go for a Sense Motive check with a variable DC depending on circumstance (and possibly opposed by Bluff, Performance, or Disguise). You could even use a sliding scale dependent on BAB or Level.

 

[Arc]

I'd go for a Sense Motive check with a variable DC depending on circumstance (and possibly opposed by Bluff, Performance, or Disguise). You could even use a sliding scale dependent on BAB or Level.

Sense Motive tends to work for such things. I think my DM uses a DC 20 or 25 to guess the CR of a creature, with boosts from bluff/disguise/alter self added after. So to figure out the true CR of a fellow disguised as a commoner, it might be a DC 42 (25+17 disguise), and he would appear as a CR 1 or 2 if you passed a DC 25.