Celebrim
Legend
I like the answer of 'novice'.
Average people in my world are about 2nd level. Third level is not uncommon and fourth level occurs with a fair amount of regularity.
However, the average 1st level PC is more dangerous than about 95% of all NPC's despite being lower level than the majority of people he encounters.
For one thing, he's got a super-elite stat array (32 pt. buy). Most NPC's in my game have a point buy of between 15 and 20, and so far not one of the hundred or so named NPC's in my game has been built with more than about a 28 pt. buy, including the sub-bosses. Any older and more experienced character can see that a PC character has incredible native potential. NPC's with no stats above 12 and every physical stat of 8 or less aren't that uncommon, simply because if 10-11 is really to be average then the demographics have to reflect that. There really are NPC's out there with 4 STR and 4 CON. They don't exist only in theory as is so often the case in other games, and a 1st level PC is often a match for one if it came to that regardless of whether the NPC is 6th level or not. More on that later.
For another thing, the PC is typically focused on combat ability and skills necessary for surviving in extreme situations. Most NPC's are not. Most are commoners or experts, and most are heavily focused on skills and abilities that are essential to dealing with ordinary everyday challenges like working a job, caring for animals, or haggling in the marketplace. Their Feats tend to focus on improving non-combat skill. They also spend and equip themselves accordingly. Typically, the PC's will need to be mid to high level to consistantly defeat NPC's in challenges related to ordinary affairs, but a 1st level PC is typically capable of defeating in combat most 2nd or even 3rd level NPC's. Most NPC's don't go around in armor, and most don't even own it. Most Wizards will have a spell or three prepared for self-defense, but most will have prepared most of their spells with the intention of engaging in more mundane affairs. When a party of 1st level PC's stride into a room looking like walking arsenals and carrying themselves like the trained killers that they are, people don't look at them and think 'schlob'. They think, "Who are these dangerous people?"
Additionally, in my campaign PC's begin as 'advantaged' individuals, meaning that they have some feature of their background that gives them an edge compared to run of the mill individuals. This gives them additional breath and capability compared to even other 1st level characters with combat and exploration centered skills.
Also in my campaign, PC's have a destiny in the form of 'destiny points' which represent either their native luck, or the favor of the gods, or the interest of powerful spirits who are watching their lives. When the find themselves in a hard space, the PC's can spend their luck to try to get out of it. Ordinary people don't have this advantage (and so far, of the 100 or so named NPC's, only two have also had a special destiny in this fashion).
Finally, when the PC's hit second or later levels, they are assumed to reach this level of experience and skill at an age that is astonishing compared to ordinary people. A PC Wizard might only be 24 and yet be 3rd level or higher, when most NPC wizards would not expect to obtain this level until their mid 40's. Only a few months latter they might well be 6th level, an attainment only the unusual NPC might obtain and then not before being in their latter years. So as they level up, compared to the leaders of the town - those character who also possess considerable power - they tend to be younger, fitter, healthier, and more durable. Sure, when the village is threatened there are certainly higher level characters in the town that the PC's, but a 70 year old wizard while he might well be able to cast fireballs and perform impressive feats of magic far beyond those of the PC is also lucky to get out of bed and totter down the stairs of his tower without falling and breaking a hip. Having no physical attributes above a 5 has a way of making crawling down into a cave seem a far less attractive proposition. Even at 1st level, there probably isn't anyone more capable of answering the call than the PC's within a days march. My current group just hit 4th level. They are now each of them nearly as capable as the most powerful NPC's in the whole kingdom. Only a handful of NPC's could stand up to any of them even one on one, and only 1 in the entire nation of 160,000 individuals is a serious threat to them combined. NPC's probably wouldn't try to take them down at less than platoon strength if they had a choice in the matter.
(As you can tell, I don't much care for the Forgotten Realms model where no matter what level the PC's may be, they are always surrounded by a host of NPC's more powerful than they. The idea of every inn being run by a retired 10th level fighter annoys me to no end.)
So in many many ways, the PC's of my game are not schlubs. They are capable and dangerous people who together represent a threat to just about everything. They are respected even in their youth the way a young prodigy's talent is respected even though most can see that they are still a bit green and inexperienced. But they are still far from being heroes.
You have to be at least 4th level to be a hero; 8th level if you want to be a super-hero.
Average people in my world are about 2nd level. Third level is not uncommon and fourth level occurs with a fair amount of regularity.
However, the average 1st level PC is more dangerous than about 95% of all NPC's despite being lower level than the majority of people he encounters.
For one thing, he's got a super-elite stat array (32 pt. buy). Most NPC's in my game have a point buy of between 15 and 20, and so far not one of the hundred or so named NPC's in my game has been built with more than about a 28 pt. buy, including the sub-bosses. Any older and more experienced character can see that a PC character has incredible native potential. NPC's with no stats above 12 and every physical stat of 8 or less aren't that uncommon, simply because if 10-11 is really to be average then the demographics have to reflect that. There really are NPC's out there with 4 STR and 4 CON. They don't exist only in theory as is so often the case in other games, and a 1st level PC is often a match for one if it came to that regardless of whether the NPC is 6th level or not. More on that later.
For another thing, the PC is typically focused on combat ability and skills necessary for surviving in extreme situations. Most NPC's are not. Most are commoners or experts, and most are heavily focused on skills and abilities that are essential to dealing with ordinary everyday challenges like working a job, caring for animals, or haggling in the marketplace. Their Feats tend to focus on improving non-combat skill. They also spend and equip themselves accordingly. Typically, the PC's will need to be mid to high level to consistantly defeat NPC's in challenges related to ordinary affairs, but a 1st level PC is typically capable of defeating in combat most 2nd or even 3rd level NPC's. Most NPC's don't go around in armor, and most don't even own it. Most Wizards will have a spell or three prepared for self-defense, but most will have prepared most of their spells with the intention of engaging in more mundane affairs. When a party of 1st level PC's stride into a room looking like walking arsenals and carrying themselves like the trained killers that they are, people don't look at them and think 'schlob'. They think, "Who are these dangerous people?"
Additionally, in my campaign PC's begin as 'advantaged' individuals, meaning that they have some feature of their background that gives them an edge compared to run of the mill individuals. This gives them additional breath and capability compared to even other 1st level characters with combat and exploration centered skills.
Also in my campaign, PC's have a destiny in the form of 'destiny points' which represent either their native luck, or the favor of the gods, or the interest of powerful spirits who are watching their lives. When the find themselves in a hard space, the PC's can spend their luck to try to get out of it. Ordinary people don't have this advantage (and so far, of the 100 or so named NPC's, only two have also had a special destiny in this fashion).
Finally, when the PC's hit second or later levels, they are assumed to reach this level of experience and skill at an age that is astonishing compared to ordinary people. A PC Wizard might only be 24 and yet be 3rd level or higher, when most NPC wizards would not expect to obtain this level until their mid 40's. Only a few months latter they might well be 6th level, an attainment only the unusual NPC might obtain and then not before being in their latter years. So as they level up, compared to the leaders of the town - those character who also possess considerable power - they tend to be younger, fitter, healthier, and more durable. Sure, when the village is threatened there are certainly higher level characters in the town that the PC's, but a 70 year old wizard while he might well be able to cast fireballs and perform impressive feats of magic far beyond those of the PC is also lucky to get out of bed and totter down the stairs of his tower without falling and breaking a hip. Having no physical attributes above a 5 has a way of making crawling down into a cave seem a far less attractive proposition. Even at 1st level, there probably isn't anyone more capable of answering the call than the PC's within a days march. My current group just hit 4th level. They are now each of them nearly as capable as the most powerful NPC's in the whole kingdom. Only a handful of NPC's could stand up to any of them even one on one, and only 1 in the entire nation of 160,000 individuals is a serious threat to them combined. NPC's probably wouldn't try to take them down at less than platoon strength if they had a choice in the matter.
(As you can tell, I don't much care for the Forgotten Realms model where no matter what level the PC's may be, they are always surrounded by a host of NPC's more powerful than they. The idea of every inn being run by a retired 10th level fighter annoys me to no end.)
So in many many ways, the PC's of my game are not schlubs. They are capable and dangerous people who together represent a threat to just about everything. They are respected even in their youth the way a young prodigy's talent is respected even though most can see that they are still a bit green and inexperienced. But they are still far from being heroes.
You have to be at least 4th level to be a hero; 8th level if you want to be a super-hero.
