What level is your average local NPC?

[steeldragons]

I'm pretty in line with what Cerebral Paladin, Lanefan and Theo say.

But it's really all dependent on where that street is. The Average Joe in the hamlet of Dustyfarm will not be the same as the Average Joseph in Swampytown will not be the same in Gleamingcapital City.

"The Average Joe walking down the street...in a village/small town" is most likely 0 level...the farmer, the shop owner/merchant, the tavern keeper or bar maid. Some, more successful or better known might be considered 1 or 2nd level...an NPC "expert" in some systems, but could have actual PC class levels instead.

Farming village militia, trainees, acolyte clericsm etc... are probably 0-1st. Town guards might be 1-3rd. City guards, officers, nobility, religious leaders 3+, as necessary for the story.

For the rest of the "run of the mill" NPC townsfolk (now, this is for my game world/IMHO) I tend to think in terms of "1 in 100 people have actual PC classes/levels". Then follow that "50% rule"...wherever that originated.

So, in an "average sized" town with a market, a town guard and temple/shrine. Let's say (for the sake of example/easy math), 2,000 residents.

20 NPCs in town have actual PC levels.

10 are 1st level (probably mostly town guards, a couple of common thieves/pickpockets, a few acolyte clerics in the small shrine of the local deity)
5 are 2nd level - 1 is a local "wise woman" with wizard (or druid?) levels, 2 guard sergeants, the shrine's second-in-command cleric, and 1 other
2 (rounding down) are 3rd level - probably the guard captain and the local gang leader (thief) trying to set up his own gambling ring
1 is 4th -let's say the shrine's high priest

The remaining/"leftover" 2 classed people are either thrown in with the 1st levels or become unique NPCs, leveled individually (either within 1-4th level or higher)...maybe a local druid or ranger who lives outside of town, maybe a second/rival temple leader, maybe travelers passing through town staying at the same inn as the PCs...whatever I need for plot/story.

Have fun and happy NPCing
--Steel Dragons

 

[Ahnehnois]

In general, I'd say an "average" NPC is above 1st level, but not by much. Children (a substantial portion of the population which rarely use rules) are 1st level or less unless something unusual is going on. Same for various disabled people the rules don't really reflect, and for people who just don't work hard. I figure the working man probably gets to about level 5-8 during his career if he works hard and lives long. Anyone in double digits is a PC or some really exceptional master of something. I answered 2-4 for "average" because some will be higher and many will be lower. The bulk of adult (but not middle-aged or older) NPCs will be in this range in my world.

 

[Dice4Hire]

in 3.5

Mostly 2-3 for talented individuals, 0-1 for those not so talented.

Leader types usually hit 4th to 5th, with larger leaders hitting 10th or so.

The party at 15th level or so, are nearly gods.

 

[delericho]

NPCs that PCs are likely to actually interact with are on par with the PCs (+/- a couple levels) or "somewhat higher". I dislike high-level NPCs, because I hate answering questions like, "If it's such a horrible problem, your majesty, why don't you fix it?"

How about:

- I can't spare the manpower to deal with it.

- It requires specialist skills that I don't have easily on hand. (If the Lord is a Fighter, and the problem requires magic...)

- I don't want to take the risk. Frankly, you're expendable.

Or, of course,

- I am dealing with it. I'm hiring you to do the job.

 

[Celebrim]

So, on the topic of whether you need a stat block for an NPC that the players are highly unlikely to fight, my excuse is that players interact with NPC's in ways that don't involve fighting more often than they kill them.

Some things that I like to know about any NPC in addition to a name are:

a) Class and level
b) Will Save
c) Trained Skills
d) Initial attitude (if not neutral)

If the NPC is significant, it's usually a good idea to list a few possessions and enumerate which of the adventures rumors and facts the character may know.

Now, a lot of this can be done on the fly, especially if you know and have worked out your campaigns demographics. If it is a random merchant, chances are he's a second level expert with 12's in mental and 8's in physical skills, a Will save of +4, trained in appraise, sense motive, bluff, diplomacy, and a couple of appropriate crafts, with all his feats in Skill Focus and initially indifferent to the PC's (unless they are clearly foreign or look poor, in which case he'll be unfriendly or hostile if both). He's probably carrying d6 silver coin, a dagger, tokens of his guild, and clothes worth about 10 s.p. His alignment is probably neutral. No need for me to stat the merchant unless I have a reason to.

There is also no need for the stat block to be more than I actually need. If the NPC's likely role is non-combative, it's far more important to know things about his knowledge and social interaction with the PC's than his attack bonus or hit points.

I might write:

Xelton the Chandler (Exp2); CE; bluff: +9; appraise, sense motive: +6; Dabbler (detect magic, light); Rumors: 4,5,12

And be done. Stat blocks for even important NPC's rarely go more than 4 or 5 lines of text, and if they do its usually a spell list for a spellcaster - which is often copied and pasted from some other NPC's spell list.

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

I dislike high-level NPCs, because I hate answering questions like, "If it's such a horrible problem, your majesty, why don't you fix it?"

"You don't want the job, leave. There's twenty other adventuring groups I could call. And next time, maybe I won't call yours at all."

How about:
- I can't spare the manpower to deal with it.
- It requires specialist skills that I don't have easily on hand. (If the Lord is a Fighter, and the problem requires magic...)
- I don't want to take the risk. Frankly, you're expendable.
Or, of course,
- I am dealing with it. I'm hiring you to do the job.

You guys are much better at this than I am. I have much to learn, apparently! My usual response to such insolent PCs is simply:

"Court Wizard, disintegrate them."


.

 

[DragonLancer]

Peasants and typical townsfolk are commoners of level 1-5 depending on age and experience.

Nobility who haven't gone out and earned levels in fighter or maybe paladin are aristocrats of the same rough levels.

City/town watch probably fighters of the same again.


None of that changes as the PC's level without good reason.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Removed

 

[Corathon]

I play 1E, so "the average joe" is 0 level. There are more powerful NPCs out there, e.g. the chieftain of a large band of brigands will be 8th-10th level. This was true when the PCs were first level, and is still true now that they are 10th-15th level.

 

[Ed_Laprade]

From the hero or zero thread, I got to thinking: What level is the average, typical, run of the mill NPC in your game.

I'm thinking, the people at the next table in the average tavern, the guy walking down a street in a typical town, and perhaps the typical guards in town.

Average and typical are two different things, thus I didn't vote. The typical peasant in the street doesn't have any stats, so is 0-1. But others aren't, so that brings up the average. Forex: No master of a trade is 0-1, that's what apprentices are, they're level 3+ (and usually +).