In AD&D I'd make them probably F2, in 3e F3 or maybe War-4 (I might eg use F3 for cavalry, for Faramir's men, and War-4 for regular infantry). I don't give a damn about the PHB XP table, that is for measuring the rate of Player Character progression and is irrelevant for NPCs. What matters is their capability. They are not PCs and should never be thought of as such. YMMV.
What Level is a Guardsman?
- Thread starter Snoweel
- Start date
In AD&D I'd make them probably F2, in 3e F3 or maybe War-4 (I might eg use F3 for cavalry, for Faramir's men, and War-4 for regular infantry). I don't give a damn about the PHB XP table, that is for measuring the rate of Player Character progression and is irrelevant for NPCs. What matters is their capability. They are not PCs and should never be thought of as such. YMMV.
4e MM. pg. 162
Human Guard...Level 3.
Well so much for this debate!!
I recall that provoked a huge discussion (on rpgnet?) as to whether that guy was a regular city guard, the emperor's elite guard, or what. And how he'd fare vs a 1st level PC (answer: he'd usually win). I'd say that the 4e Guard is about exactly how I'd rate the Guards corp of a city like Greyhawk; ie a highly skilled professional but not super-elite.
Snoweel
First Post
4e MM. pg. 162
Human Guard...Level 3.
Well so much for this debate!!
Every monster in the MM is just an example, though in this instance I think it's a very good example.
Shades of Green
Explorer
I guess part of the debate is related to what a 1st level PC represents. Is he a rookie fresh off the farm, or a competent individual around the level of rank-and-file soldiers (or thieves or casters)?
Holy Bovine
First Post
Totally depends on the size of the town. There are 8 different size ranges in the 3.5E DMG so a rule of thumb I use is the average guard gets a character level per size category. So in a Thorp ('first' level city pop 20-80) your typical guard is 1st level. In a small town ('fourth level city pop 901-2000) a guard would be 4th level. This applies only to the run of the mill town guards you might meet on the street. Guard Captains are typically twice this level or even higher if the town is on a borderland or somewhere where they regularly have to fight off bandits, orcs or whatever.
Snoweel
First Post
I totally agree.
Along with concepts like 'good' and 'evil', each group has to decide in advance what a 1st level PC is in the context of the gameworld.
In a campaign I ran I assumed that level 1 was "trained, but inexperienced", level 3 "professional" (for non-adventurers it means 10-15 years of experience in whatever given characted does for living) and levels 7+ "real expert in the field" (master of craft, veteran of many battles). Thus, most of the town guard will consist of level 2-3 characters. Officers may be higher, in 3-5 range (and some of them are mages or clerics). In exceptional circumstances there may be a high level guardsman, even in low teens - but that will be a "once a campaign" exception.
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