Titles Representing Character Level

[Virtue]

A homage to 1st Ed, me a few of my players have been talking from time to time about creating a list of names that go along with a core class and gives you a base line of the persons power

Remeber in 1st edition where each level up through 10th had its own name

What we did was give a name for a core class as
1st-5th
6st-10th
11st-15th
16st-20th

If a character has a prestige class then it just is known by its prestige class example he is an Archmage

I think this could be alot of fun so when your party meets up with a group of NPCs in town instead of the party wondering what level they are you can give them a rough outline with out telling them the level

I have been working on this on and off but this week I sat down and typed alot of it up, im still missing a few if you have some ideas please let me see them here is the list I have done


Fighter
1st -5th Myrmidon
6th -10th Man at Arms
11th-15th Master of Arms
16th-20th War Master

Paladin
1st -5th Gallant
6th -10th Warder
11th -15th Chevalier
16th -20th Justicar

Ranger
1st -5th Huntsman
6th -10th Strider
11th -15th Ranger Champion
16th -20th Master of the Wilds

Barbarian
1st -5th Tribesman
6th -10th Great Hunter
11th -15th Tribal Defender
16th -20th Tribal Champion

Monk
1st -5th Brother
6th -10th Disciple
11th -15th Master
16th -20th Grandmaster

Rogue
1st -5th Cutpurse
6th -10th Rapscallion
11th -15th Thief
16th -20th Guild Master

Bard
1st -5th Skald
6th -10th Minstrel
11th -15th Maestro
16th -20th Master Performer

Cleric
1st -5th Deacon
6th -10th Bishop
11th -15th Archbishop
16th -20th Cardinal

Druid
1st -5th Tree Warden
6th -10th Forest Warden
11th -15th Archdruid
16th -20th High Elder of the Wild

Wizard
1st -5th Apprentice
6th -10th Arcanist
11th -15th Mage
16th -20th Archwizard

Sorcerer
1st -5th Prodigy
6th-10th Phenom
11th-15th Etherlord
16th-20th Sorcerer Supreme

Non Core Base Classes

Samurai
1st-5th Ronin
6th-10th Bushi
11th-15th Shogun
16th-20th Samurai Lord

Knight
1st-5th Squire
6th-10th Sergeant
11th-15th Cavalier
16th-20th Master Knight

Swashbuckler
1st-5th Rake
6th-10th Bravo
11th-15th Corsair
16th-20th Musketeer

Duskblade
1st-5th Mage Blade
6th-10th Spell Slayer
11th-15th Congulair
16th-20th Eldritch Warrior

Hexblade
1st-5th Rutterkin
6th-10th Scourge
11th-15th Reaver
16th-20th Gloom Blade

Marshal
1st-5th Page
6th-10th Veteran
11th-15th Captain
16th-20th Field Marshal

Warblade
1st-5th Dragoon
6th-10th
11th-15th
16th-20th Living Weapon

Swordsage
1st-5th
6th-10th Swordsman
11th-15th
16th-20th Blademaster

Crusader
1st-5th Stalwart
6th-10th Protector
11th-15th Guardian
16th-20th Templar

Artificer
1st-5th Tinker
6th-10th Mechanic
11th-15th Inventor
16th -20th Craft Master

Dread Necromancer
1st-5th Apprentice of the Dead
6th-10th Dreadling
11th-15th Ascendant of the Undead
16th-20th Necromantic Lord

Beguiler
1st-5th Sneak
6th-10th Incantator
11th-15th
16th-20th

Warlock
1st-5th Trimorte
6th-10th Magician
11th-15th
16th-20th Magus

Warmage
1st-5th War Apprentice
6th-10th
11th-15th Spellbinder
16th-20th Magister

Truenamer
1st-5th Chanter
6th-10th Runethane
11th-15th Soul Tamer
16th-20th Onomancer

Shadowcaster
1st-5th Shadow Apprentice
6th-10th Ebon Acolyte
11th-15th
16th-20th Umbralmancer

Wu Jen
1st-5th Eunuch
6th-10th Youjutsu
11th-15th Kisai
16th-20th Sangun

Binder
1st-5th Pact User
6th-10th
11th-15th Demagogue
16th-20th Binding Master

Archivist
1st-5th
6th-10th Cabalist
11th-15th Theurgist
16th-20th

Favored Soul
1st-5th Acolyte
6th-10th Adept
11th-15th Exarch
16th-20th Herald

Spirit Shaman
1st-5th Oroqen
6th-10th Mediator
11th-15th Medicine Man
16th-20th Spirit Master

Dragon Shaman
1st-5th
6th-10th
11th-15th
16th-20th

Healer
1st-5th Curate
6th-10th Hospitaler
11th-15th Patriarch
16th-20th Apostle

Shugenja
1st-5th Shinto
6th-10th Seijin
11th-15th Sensei
16th-20th Shounin

Dragonfire Adept
1st-5th Wyrmling
6th-10th
11th-15th Wyrm
16th-20th Great Wyrm

Ninja
1st-5th Yakuza
6th-10th Goju
11th-15th Nightblade
16th-20th Onryou (Ghost)

Spell Thief
1st-5th Relic Hunter
6th-10th Sharper
11th-15th Unseen Hand
16th-20th

Factotum
1st-5th Incarnate
6th-10th Chameleon
11th-15th Exemplar
16th-20th Jack of all Trades

Scout
1st-5th Runner
6th-10th Explorer
11th-15th Stalker
16th-20th Pathfinder

Psion
1st-5th Savant
6th-10th
11th-15th Mind Weaver
16th-20th Mastermind

Wilder
1st-5th Mentalist
6th-10th Mesmerist
11th-15th
16th -20th

Psychic Warrior
1st-5th Syker
6th-10th Sentinel
11th-15th
16th -20th Psi Lord

Soulknife
1st-5th
6th-10th Mind Reaver
11th-15th
16th -20th Living Blade

Lurk
1st-5th Infiltrator
6th-10th Shadow Walker
11th-15th Psi Hunter
16th-20th

Erudite
1st-5th Psychic
6th-10th Medium
11th-15th Empath
16th-20th

Divine Mind
1st-5th Aspirant
6th-10th
11th-15th
16th-20th

Ardent
1st-5th Spiritualist
6th-10th
11th-15th
16th-20th

 

[Alzrius]

I don't know how useful this will be to you, but there's a short supplement all about this sort of thing: Octavirate Expansions: Ranks and Titles.

 

[Virtue]

Thanks alot but Yeah I already used that suplement

 

[irdeggman]

You should probably go about incorporating the NPC classes too.

The titles for fighter seem more approporaite for the warrior NPC class to me.

I sort of have trouble with titles based on character level since I equate titles more with social status than experience.

I think the two can become confusing real quick if social status is an integral part of your game. IIRC in 1st ed level the titles were supposed to equate to an increase in social status. And in 2nd level the benefits of the 3.5 Leadership feat were mostly incorporated into the class features when leveling up (most direct comparison was the fighter followers progression).

In 3.5 there are other ways to measure this, mostly revolving around Leadership scores (which do have a character level piece).

 

[Virtue]

Social Status is not a big thing in our game

You should probably go about incorporating the NPC classes too.

Thats a good idea for them to see the importance of the NPC

any ideas

 

[Virtue]

Double Post

 

[irdeggman]

Here is something else to conisder if the point is to see the importance of a character - in 3.5 multiclassing is extremely common while it was pretty much reserved for non-humans in 1st and 2nd ed (it was extremely difficult for humans to "dual class" in earlier editions). This will give a skewed version of a character's importance, as well as a potential lot of "titles".

Think about what you are trying to convey and then think is it better to tie it to character level or class level.

 

[Elethiomel]

I always thought it made sense to give mages titles not depending on what their character level was, but what level spells they could cast. The difference between a 5th and 6th level spell is obvious in the game world, if only from counting spellbook pages. Thus in my campaign settings, mages have titles like "Apprentice" (can only cast cantrips. Poor 10 intelligence wizards.), "First circle mage", "second circle mage", etc. More fanciful titles are certainly possible, like naming them "Initiate of the Red Veil", taking the colours from the Prismatic <foo> line of spells and the order in which the rolls are made, for instance. You could then take the remaining spell levels and give them really impressive titles like "Initiate of the Sevenfold Veils and the Inner Mysteries" for 8th level spells and "Veiled Master" for 9th level spells.

Mages really lend themselves to this sort of classification due to the nature of spells - with others it is less clear. What do you call a fighter3/barb2/ranger4? Do you take the title for 9th level fighters? 9th level barbarians? 9th level rangers? Or do you give them all three? What if they also have a level of bard? I would cram several classes that fill the same role into one hierarchy of titles. Multiclassing is so common among noncasters that having a separate titular system for each class seems counterproductive.

Then of course you have the whole difficulty of character level versus capability. What if you have a warrior who happens to be kind of weak and clumsy? He can still do his job, he's just not very good at it compared to his level - so a title from a lower tier seems appropriate. Likewise, a secretly half-dragon fighter would have a low character level but be strong, quick, and tough for that level, so a title from a higher tier seems appropriate.

I think a better way to explain it in-game would be to tie martial prowess to military ranks, for instance. "This noblewoman made it to the rank of colonel in the army before she retired due to the demands of her title," "A major once insulted my honor; my personal guard defeated him in single combat as my champion". You can make up similar ranks for psionics and scouts if you wish. Again for disciplines of the mind you can invent "psionicist academies" with academic titles; for thieves' guild members you can make rumors of how big an area this particular thief runs, or how close they are to the top of the chain of command, that sort of thing. As long as you make up a clear hierarchy and give your players access to it you can give rough estimates of level, and more importantly you can give them hints to what the character in question would be good at without giving away what specific class they happen to have.

 

[Virtue]

Thanks for the thoughts about this

With my group they really like the idea I just need some more ideas for titles i have drained my brain

 

[Shin Okada]

As already pointed out, you should better consider how to treat multi-classed characters, especially someone with prestige class.

But anyway, as a Japanese myself, I want to add some comments on Japanese-themed titles.


>Samurai
>1st-5th Ronin
>6th-10th Bushi
>11th-15th Shogun
>16th-20th Samurai Lord

The word "Ronin" means, a samurai without someone (or a house) to serve. A samurai become ronin when they lost their lord (or the entire house of the lord itself), or dismissed. And actually, there is a prestige class called Ronin in Complete Warrior (though not exactly reflecting Japanese word Ronin).

And "Bushi" and "Samurai" used almost in the same meaning. Though precisely, Bushi is more like "warrior" and "Samurai" is more like "the one who serves".

"Shogun" is short for "Seii-Tai-Shogun". That is the title of the supreme commander of all the samurais. So, it should be left for the highest ranked one. Historically, there could be only one Shogun at a time. And only Japanese Emperor could give that title. That title will never go under "Samurai Lord" or something.

If you want to reflect the feudalism, my suggestion is

Samurai
1st-5th Bushi
6th-10th Shomyo (Landed Lord of smaller area)
11th-15th Daimyo (Landed Lord of larger area)
16th-20th Shogun (the Supreme Commander of All the Samurais)

>Wu Jen
>1st-5th Eunuch
>6th-10th Youjutsu
>11th-15th Kisai
>16th-20th Sangun

Wu-Jen is Chinese medium/wizard. All I can say is that you should better use chinese titles instead of Japanese ones such as Youjutsu or Kisai. I can't understand what does Sangun mean but that sounds more like Japanese word than to be a Chinese word.

Maybe you should take words from Cantonese as the word Wu-Jen is from Cantonese and not from Mandarin (Putonghua). And I don't think all the Wu-Jens to be Eunuch.

Or you can just use the same title for Wizard class.

>Shugenja
>1st-5th Shinto
>6th-10th Seijin
>11th-15th Sensei
>16th-20th Shounin

Shugenja is the practitioners of Shugendo. And Shugendo is a religion/mystic practice based on ancient Japanese mountain-worshipping and influenced by Shintoism, Buddhism, Taoism & Onmyo-do.

So, using the word "Shinto" is inappropriate.
"Seijin", is usually used as the translation for the English word "Saint" (or European equivalent of that word). Most japanese people will imagine Christian Saints from that word.
The word "Sensei" means "Teacher" or "Mentor". But actually, that words sounds modern.
The word "Shounin" is usually used for high-ranked Buddhist priest. Though, Shugendo has a strong tie with Japanese Buddhism and some famous Buddhist priests in the history are also known to be practitioners of Shugendo.

Different sects of Shugendo are using different sets of titles. But those are not so popularly known and for non-practitioners of Shugendo, all of them are just Shugenja, or Gyoja (who commit gyo=practice). Or Yamabushi, the one who lives in mountains. Even the legendary person whom widely considered to be the founder of Shugendo, was called En-No-Gyoja. That simply means "Gyoja En".

So it is very difficult to suggest appropriate titles for this class. Maybe you would better make up English titles instead of using Japanese words.

>Ninja
>1st-5th Yakuza
>6th-10th Goju
>11th-15th Nightblade
>16th-20th Onryou (Ghost)

Well, first of all, Ninja is not meant to be someone with official titles. They are undercover agents and of underground world.

The only appropriate titles I can think of are Genin (lower rank Ninja) and Jonin (higher rank Ninja). But it is basically said that Genin were commoner ninjas and Jonin are ninja of Samurai class (not the D&D Samurai class but historical social class). And usually, a Ninja whom born as a Genin never became Jonin.

So, maybe giving made-up English titles should be much appropriate. As Ninja class is not only restricted in setting with Oriental tastes (You can find Dragon Spawn Ninja, Drow Ninja, etc., in MM IV or other supplements).

Using the word "Yakuza" is clearly inappropriate. The word is used for the members of Japanese crime syndicate and also a rather modern word.

"Goju" sounds like Japanese. Maybe you took that ward from a martial art style "Goju-Ryu" but that style is basically a variation of Karate. As Karate is not at all related to Ninja, that word should be inappropriate.