Populating the world

[Wrath of the Swarm]

A 12 strength? I don't think so. At least 14.

 

[RangerWickett]

I find SKR's math for commoners to be a little off. His assumption is that a CR 1 will use up about 20% of a 1st level commoner's resources, but that's not accurate to the CR system, which was developed for a party of 4 heroes. A CR 1 encounter would use up 20% of the resources of four 1st level heroes, but we all agree that a commoner is much weaker than an adventurer, so a CR 1 encounter would likely use up 100% of his resources if faced alone. If we use the logic that he's working with a spouse, that's still a good chance of lethality, and the whole thing just looks too impossible for the peasant.

I have removed the commoner class from my game. Ditto all the other NPC classes, except the Expert, which I improved so it's balanced as a PC class.

 

[DarkMaster]

I find SKR's math for commoners to be a little off. His assumption is that a CR 1 will use up about 20% of a 1st level commoner's resources, but that's not accurate to the CR system, which was developed for a party of 4 heroes. A CR 1 encounter would use up 20% of the resources of four 1st level heroes, but we all agree that a commoner is much weaker than an adventurer, so a CR 1 encounter would likely use up 100% of his resources if faced alone. If we use the logic that he's working with a spouse, that's still a good chance of lethality, and the whole thing just looks too impossible for the peasant.

I have removed the commoner class from my game. Ditto all the other NPC classes, except the Expert, which I improved so it's balanced as a PC class.

Commoner is quite fine to me, not everybody is an expert, most people are just living their life, working hard knowing how to do their job and not much more since they don't really have time to specialise in climbing or pick pocket or others. Yes it sucks but it represent at least 80% of the population in my world. The way of life they choose is simple and without great risk therefore they do not gain much from it. Expert level are for really dedicated people, and most of them in my world are multiclass commoner expert anyway. When the 7 level rogue deals with the common man, it almost make no difference wether he is a 3 level commoner or expert, most of the time I don't even prepare those character making them on the fly when needed. If they are aristocrat/warrior/adept or above level 5 I prepare little bit more but I rarely build an entire character for them.

I have no problem with the fact that the common man can be killed with a single sword blow or an arrow. I actually like when the hero fights enemy guard and they are able to shot them down with one or two arrow, makes them shine even more. Or if the rogue can bypass the guard without even rolling a move silently check ( I usually told them don't even bother to roll, it boost the character ego and make him/her feel heroic). If all the guard they meet take 5 or 6 arrow/sword slash to kill then the game loses "realism" and the heroic feel of the game, not that D&D is realistic but. Obviously sometimes all the guard will be that tough but the hero will be expecting that these guy are not regular guard.

 

[DarkMaster]

I find SKR's math for commoners to be a little off. His assumption is that a CR 1 will use up about 20% of a 1st level commoner's resources, but that's not accurate to the CR system, which was developed for a party of 4 heroes. A CR 1 encounter would use up 20% of the resources of four 1st level heroes, but we all agree that a commoner is much weaker than an adventurer, so a CR 1 encounter would likely use up 100% of his resources if faced alone. If we use the logic that he's working with a spouse, that's still a good chance of lethality, and the whole thing just looks too impossible for the peasant.

I have removed the commoner class from my game. Ditto all the other NPC classes, except the Expert, which I improved so it's balanced as a PC class.

I don't understand why you want to balance NPC class with PC class, but that is your call. What a hero will face is far beyond what the normal man can face, Greater risk should bring greater rewards.

I don't feel like "balancing" the NPC class they should be inferior and the less you are dedicate to something the weaker you should be like the commoner.

 

[RangerWickett]

No, I made the Expert a 'PC class,' in the sense that it's at the same power level as the core classes. I don't actually consider there to be PC or NPC classes.

Look, if I have 'common folk,' I don't care what level they are. I can live with a ruleset that doesn't handle blacksmiths and farmers, as long as it is fun to play for wizards and warriors. I don't care what 'level' Turlis the Evil Baker (tm) is. I don't even care that his Craft (bake) check is +13. All I care is that he makes devilishly tasty muffins, and that he doesn't like the party. If they try to kill him, . . . then they kill him. I figure that if you don't adventure or fight for a living (like a bouncer), then if I really need to make attack rolls for him, he's got no attack bonus.

How much damage does a rolling pin do?