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Message: <blockquote data-quote="El Mahdi" data-source="post: 5526210" data-attributes="member: 59506">As I said before, I don't really know Nexus D20, so I'll use D20 Modern as a common frame of reference. This all depends upon the conceit you're using for characters. D&D and D20 Modern work on the idea that characters are HERO'S. Skill and ability wise they're just a soldier, just like any of their 500,000 fellow soldiers, but they're also something more...they're a bonafide HERO. If this is the conceit you're using, then a standard basic infantry soldier can be level 1 (though IMO, technically by RAW, you can't make a realistic infantry soldier as a 1st level character in D20 Modern). I don't think you need different soldier archetypes for each branch, one will do. But, there are a few different skills that different branches and special ops units may have. Maybe something like backgrounds can be used to add the small differences between them. Officers aren't necessarily anymore trained or competent than their soldiers as far as personal combat skills, and in many cases can be far inferior compared to a basic enlisted soldier. Realistically, a 1st level officer makes just as much sense as a 1st level soldier. A 2nd Lieutenant in the Army, Navy, and Air Force (Ensign in the Navy) is known as a "butter bar"...and honestly, most don't know a damn thing. The major diference between a slick sleeve private and a 2nd Lieutenant, is the private actually understands that he doesn't know anything.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> (partly joking...but only partly<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f631.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":o" title="Eek!    :o"  data-smilie="9"data-shortname=":o" />) It's very likely that the majority of 2nd Lt.'s troops are significantly older than him (or her). The most important thing a Lieutenant should remember is always, ALWAYS, ALWAYS listen to your NCO's (especially senior NCO's). They'll keep you out of trouble, and probably keep you alive. Gamewise, the difference between and officer and his troops would be a college degree in something (could be Phys Ed or Underwater Basket Weaving<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />), and a Leadership skill or feat. Special Ops should be a bit higher in level as there is always at least a time-in-service and MOS/AFSC/Rating prerequisite to even apply, and likely a minimum rank requirement (you're never going to see a slick sleeve private as a Green Beret!...unless they got in serious trouble...<img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/angel.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":angel:" title="Angel    :angel:" data-shortname=":angel:" />). However, I don't think they necessarily need to be a significantly higher level (5th about does it for me). Yes, as part of training for special operation units, they do learn advanced skills over and above what the common soldier knows, as well as training for different types of tactics and missions, but the real difference is much more than just what they know. There was a recent study (link <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/2009/02/13/lessons-in-survival.html" target="_blank">here</a>) that showed a very real, physiological difference when faced with an extremely stressful situation: a special operators adrenaline level returns to normal much quicker than a basic soldier, allowing them to handle such situations much easier and bounce back quicker afterwards. So, as far as levels and skills/feats, I'd make a special operator at least 5th level, give them the added weapon proficiencies and skills/feats appropriate to the specific special ops training (BUDS for Seals, etc.), and a significant Fortitude Save bonus (or just a Constitution bonus, though I think the Fortitude Save bonus would be much more realistic). Though I'm not really sure how all this actually stacks up with D20 Modern or Nexus D20, but it is realistic.</blockquote>

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