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<blockquote data-quote="Umbran" data-source="post: 7844498" data-attributes="member: 177">Well, let me turn that around for a second.&nbsp; What do the game mechanics tell us the 1st level fighter is?&nbsp; Compare that with a commoner, and what do you see?The game mechanics... suggest that the 1st level fighter is notably tougher than a typical commoner, but not outrageously so - a commoner has 4 hp, a st level fighter has at least 6, more probably 8.&nbsp; The fighter has a second wind, the commoner doesn't.&nbsp; The commoner has a melee attack with a +2 on the die, the fighter has at least +2, probably more like +4, and some other weapons style trick up their sleeve.&nbsp; The fighter has some equipment the commoner doesn't.So, you know, the 1st level can be a farmhand... but not just any farmhand.&nbsp; He's the farmhand who, when all the farmhands get together in the hall at the end of the day for a near-beer... nobody messes with him, because he can kick the butt of any other single one of them - he only loses the fight if they gang up on&nbsp; him, and he'll take someone else down before he goes.&nbsp; If a tussle breaks out, maybe the village blacksmith can take him down, but maybe not.&nbsp; Maybe one of his parents was a soldier back when, and taught him a few things.&nbsp; Maybe he's just got a bit more potential.&nbsp; Maybe he's been lightly touched by fate, or something.&nbsp; Or, alternatively, they were a commoner who was through a season when the orc raiders came through, and the Baron raised a cohort to go deal with them, leading to several weeks of campaigning.&nbsp; They know what they are doing, now, a sergeant in most armies would look him up and down, and nod assent with maybe a bit of a grunt that he's good enough.&nbsp; Not for the elite squad, yet, but he'll get there.The data is consistent with either picture, so either choice is acceptable.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Umbran, post: 7844498, member: 177"] Well, let me turn that around for a second. What do the game mechanics tell us the 1st level fighter is? Compare that with a commoner, and what do you see? The game mechanics... suggest that the 1st level fighter is notably tougher than a typical commoner, but not outrageously so - a commoner has 4 hp, a st level fighter has at least 6, more probably 8. The fighter has a second wind, the commoner doesn't. The commoner has a melee attack with a +2 on the die, the fighter has at least +2, probably more like +4, and some other weapons style trick up their sleeve. The fighter has some equipment the commoner doesn't. So, you know, the 1st level can be a farmhand... but not just any farmhand. He's the farmhand who, when all the farmhands get together in the hall at the end of the day for a near-beer... nobody messes with him, because he can kick the butt of any other single one of them - he only loses the fight if they gang up on him, and he'll take someone else down before he goes. If a tussle breaks out, maybe the village blacksmith can take him down, but maybe not. Maybe one of his parents was a soldier back when, and taught him a few things. Maybe he's just got a bit more potential. Maybe he's been lightly touched by fate, or something. Or, alternatively, they were a commoner who was through a season when the orc raiders came through, and the Baron raised a cohort to go deal with them, leading to several weeks of campaigning. They know what they are doing, now, a sergeant in most armies would look him up and down, and nod assent with maybe a bit of a grunt that he's good enough. Not for the elite squad, yet, but he'll get there. The data is consistent with either picture, so either choice is acceptable. [/QUOTE]

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