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<blockquote data-quote="kigmatzomat" data-source="post: 1710259" data-attributes="member: 9254">Not exactly true.&nbsp; Natural lifespan and *average* lifespan are different.&nbsp; The PHB says nothing about plagues or accidental death.&nbsp; If you manage to duck the plagues, avoid the hungy things,&nbsp; and not impale yourself on something sharp, you will likely live to 90 before your organs shut down.&nbsp; Second, some medieval periods were thick with people.&nbsp; That's part of the reason the plagues were so effective; plenty of transit vectors.&nbsp; It also goes against the DMG.&nbsp; My 3.0 DMG says that civilized areas have the following encounters at CR1-6:bandits&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; cats&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; dogs&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; wild dogs&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; farmersghost&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; herders&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; hunters&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; merchants&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; minstrelspatrol&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; pilgrims&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; travelers&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; vampireBy this list, 12 out of 14 encounters are perfectly mundane and 8 of the 14 are harmless or beneficial.&nbsp; 2 encounters a day becomes 4 potentially dangerous encounters per week.&nbsp; Furthermore, I'll point out that even in a Thorp there are people who can deal with all but the ghost and vampire.&nbsp; If it's a weak enough vampire or ghost, the local cleric might be able to at least keep it at bay until help arrives.Here is the average level of each class for each community.&nbsp; ........thorp.hamlet.village.s.town.ltown.scity.lcity..metropolisBarbarian...0.....1.......2.....3.....6.....9.....12.....15Bard.........1.....2.......3.....4.....7.....10....13.....16Cleric........1.....2.......3.....4.....7.....10....13.....16Druid........1.....2.......3.....4.....7.....10....13.....16Fighter.....2.....3.......4.....5.....8.....11....14.....17Monk........0.....1.......2.....3.....6.....9.....12.....15Paladin.....0.....0.......1.....2.....5.....8.....11.....14Ranger......0.....0.......1.....2.....5.....8.....11.....14Rogue.......2.....3.......4.....5.....8.....11....14.....17Sorceror...0.....1.......2.....3.....6.....9.....12.....15Wizard......0.....1.......2.....3.....6.....9.....12.....15adept......1.....2.......3.....4.....7.....10....13.....16aristocrat.0.....1.......2.....3.....6.....9.....12.....15commoner.7.....8.......9.....10....13....16....19.....20expert......5.....6.......7.....8.....11....14....17.....20warrior.....2.....3.......4.....5.....8.....11....14.....17*5% chance of having a druid or ranger of &gt;8th levelEven if you don't agree with my population distribution, the description of the casters and magic items available in each type of community are straight from the DMG.&nbsp; The simple fact is that the bulk of commoners know at least a divine caster, and likely two or three.&nbsp; Admittedly, they really don't understand it more than most modern people understand their computers or TVs, but they are somewhat comfortable with it.&nbsp; The flip side is that unless you have a very urban setting, only communities that are Large Towns (pop 2000+) or bigger will have anything other than 1st or 2nd level spells.&nbsp; If you are going by the DMG, Fred can be a 9th level adept, but they are much less common.&nbsp; Any community, even a thorpe, can have a 9th level commoner but it takes something the size of a large town to come up with your first 9th level adept.&nbsp; Maybe the way you suggest.&nbsp; That 30 orcs is actually 75 orcs since a band consists of 30-100 orcs *PLUS* 150% non-combatants.&nbsp; So that's 30+45 orcs. And that band is a CR11 if I'm doing the math right. A typical village could take them since it is about 5% 1st level warriors, meaning there are 45 1st level warriors in a typical village.&nbsp; The orc leaders might escape, but the main force will get chewed up.&nbsp; An orcish ambush will cause heavy losses in the village, but the village will still repulse the warband.&nbsp; A Small Town with ~100 1st level warriors will handle the largest orc bands.&nbsp; IMO, a caster should hope to *NOT* need to cast every spell. You know there is such a thing as thoughtful casting, a place between frivolity and paranoia.&nbsp;&nbsp; Many spells are only useful in when used at the right time.&nbsp;&nbsp; The right time is when they are needed, not &quot;because they are there.&quot;&nbsp; Sometimes the right time is &quot;tomorrow&quot; or &quot;when little Timmy's had time to realize that taunting the bull results in pain.&quot;&nbsp; If someone's about to die you hit them with a spell right then, even if it's your last.&nbsp; If they aren't at risk of dying and you're down to your last spell, you hold off until you've got more spells.&nbsp; It's no different from an archer down to his last arrow; you have to evaluate the benefits and risks.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="kigmatzomat, post: 1710259, member: 9254"] Not exactly true. Natural lifespan and *average* lifespan are different. The PHB says nothing about plagues or accidental death. If you manage to duck the plagues, avoid the hungy things, and not impale yourself on something sharp, you will likely live to 90 before your organs shut down. Second, some medieval periods were thick with people. That's part of the reason the plagues were so effective; plenty of transit vectors. It also goes against the DMG. My 3.0 DMG says that civilized areas have the following encounters at CR1-6: bandits cats dogs wild dogs farmers ghost herders hunters merchants minstrels patrol pilgrims travelers vampire By this list, 12 out of 14 encounters are perfectly mundane and 8 of the 14 are harmless or beneficial. 2 encounters a day becomes 4 potentially dangerous encounters per week. Furthermore, I'll point out that even in a Thorp there are people who can deal with all but the ghost and vampire. If it's a weak enough vampire or ghost, the local cleric might be able to at least keep it at bay until help arrives. Here is the average level of each class for each community. ........thorp.hamlet.village.s.town.ltown.scity.lcity..metropolis Barbarian...0.....1.......2.....3.....6.....9.....12.....15 Bard.........1.....2.......3.....4.....7.....10....13.....16 Cleric........1.....2.......3.....4.....7.....10....13.....16 Druid........1.....2.......3.....4.....7.....10....13.....16 Fighter.....2.....3.......4.....5.....8.....11....14.....17 Monk........0.....1.......2.....3.....6.....9.....12.....15 Paladin.....0.....0.......1.....2.....5.....8.....11.....14 Ranger......0.....0.......1.....2.....5.....8.....11.....14 Rogue.......2.....3.......4.....5.....8.....11....14.....17 Sorceror...0.....1.......2.....3.....6.....9.....12.....15 Wizard......0.....1.......2.....3.....6.....9.....12.....15 adept......1.....2.......3.....4.....7.....10....13.....16 aristocrat.0.....1.......2.....3.....6.....9.....12.....15 commoner.7.....8.......9.....10....13....16....19.....20 expert......5.....6.......7.....8.....11....14....17.....20 warrior.....2.....3.......4.....5.....8.....11....14.....17 *5% chance of having a druid or ranger of >8th level Even if you don't agree with my population distribution, the description of the casters and magic items available in each type of community are straight from the DMG. The simple fact is that the bulk of commoners know at least a divine caster, and likely two or three. Admittedly, they really don't understand it more than most modern people understand their computers or TVs, but they are somewhat comfortable with it. The flip side is that unless you have a very urban setting, only communities that are Large Towns (pop 2000+) or bigger will have anything other than 1st or 2nd level spells. If you are going by the DMG, Fred can be a 9th level adept, but they are much less common. Any community, even a thorpe, can have a 9th level commoner but it takes something the size of a large town to come up with your first 9th level adept. Maybe the way you suggest. That 30 orcs is actually 75 orcs since a band consists of 30-100 orcs *PLUS* 150% non-combatants. So that's 30+45 orcs. And that band is a CR11 if I'm doing the math right. A typical village could take them since it is about 5% 1st level warriors, meaning there are 45 1st level warriors in a typical village. The orc leaders might escape, but the main force will get chewed up. An orcish ambush will cause heavy losses in the village, but the village will still repulse the warband. A Small Town with ~100 1st level warriors will handle the largest orc bands. IMO, a caster should hope to *NOT* need to cast every spell. You know there is such a thing as thoughtful casting, a place between frivolity and paranoia. Many spells are only useful in when used at the right time. The right time is when they are needed, not "because they are there." Sometimes the right time is "tomorrow" or "when little Timmy's had time to realize that taunting the bull results in pain." If someone's about to die you hit them with a spell right then, even if it's your last. If they aren't at risk of dying and you're down to your last spell, you hold off until you've got more spells. It's no different from an archer down to his last arrow; you have to evaluate the benefits and risks. [/QUOTE]

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