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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mroberon1972" data-source="post: 462926" data-attributes="member: 5148">All right, first:Most systems that chart level advancement of NPC characters are based on the idea that there are more people of lower level than of higher.  Usually this means that there are more 1st level commoners than second level.  While this is well and good, I suddenly realized that the entire concept was flawed...If we go by the idea that an individual (regardless of race) gains 1000 xp per year, then the assumption that there are more people at a lower level than higher is not a basic truth.  Based on the starting age from the players handbook, the chart below shows what age a person would be to have reached a given level of advancement.  The commoner only gains 1000 xp per year, the Educated gains 1500 per year, and the specialist gains 2000 per year.  Keep in mind that the PCs in my game gain about 50 times that amount in the same given time.This means the an average human commoner can only reach a maximum level of 9th before he dies.  An elven commoner would be about 15th level just before he dies.(Look at the first chart)<a href="http://home.insightbb.com/~oberon54/Population-data.htm" target="_blank">http://home.insightbb.com/~oberon54/Population-data.htm</a>Here, we have a chart showing the percentage of the population that would be a certain level.  This takes into account that the population thins as he chart reaches the older edge toward a races maximum lifespan.  Looking below, you see that the most common level of a commoner is not 1st, but 5th level. The reason? It an increasing amount of experience to go up a level, as shown on the chart above.  At first the NPC goes up quickly, but as he advances he finds it takes him longer to gain the next level.  This means the average Human Commoner is about 4th-6th level, not 1st.  In contrast, an elven commoner has an average level of 7th-10th.  The chart below also takes into consideration that longer lived races tend not to leave home until he gains a few levels.  In other words, an elf may become an adult at 110 years, but usually spends another four or five in training.  This places him at about 3rd level when encountered outside of his homeland.(Scroll down to the second chart)<a href="http://home.insightbb.com/~oberon54/Population-data.htm" target="_blank">http://home.insightbb.com/~oberon54/Population-data.htm</a>So, what does this mean?Characters are not as powerful as they tend to think they are, even at the mid levels of around 10th...  There are plenty of people to challenge them. NPC commoners are actually able to protect themselves better, perhaps too well.  They can actually be quite formidable when they attack in groups. There is going to be much more magic in the land in all likelihood.  Even if only 1% of the entire population are magic using, then you have a much more powerful magic base for creating magic items.  Potions of healing at 2xp each could become very common at this level.  And magic that did not expend (swords, armor, etc...) would probably be found in shops for sale.  "This 500 year old armor was worn by an elven paladin of the light named Arameal, until his retirement buy the church of Pholtus. Comments can be sent to <a href="mailto:mroberon@hotmail.com">mroberon@hotmail.com</a>Any opinions?</blockquote>

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