Appropriate level of Town Guards

[CrazyYanmega]

Why on earth are you thinking about fighting the town guards anyway? Nobody fights town guards. You just walk past them. If they're hyper-security sensitive, you might have to do some talking, but that's about it.

Possible exceptions would be (1) if the city's under seige, but I presume you'd have mentioned that; (2) if they're angling for a bribe; or (3) if they've been specifically briefed to look out for you guys, but in practice that probably falls into the same category as (2), and has the same solution set.

But fighting? Bad idea, and if you start, you'll find "4 to 1" doesn't begin to account for it - the real ratio is probably closer to 40-to-1.

Having said that - yes, your DM is crazy. But so are you.

Look at my user name.

Anyway, it WAS my fault. I'm playing a Warblade3/Knight2/Shield Guardian1 and I've been playing him somewhat hammy. "WE ARE HERE TO RESCUE A YOUNG MAIDEN WHOM HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HER MAGIC. DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT?"

[dantiesilva]

For my town guard I normally make them level 5 warriors, with a level 3 Fighter(Or ranger depending on area)/2 Marshal for their immediate superior. Now the leader of all the guards being around level 8-10 I can see, but 20 thats insane.

[(Un)Inspired]

I honestly think you should work hard to talk you DM into cranking them back up to level 20. Seriously

Now have your party's low level Wizard and cleric decimate all of them.

Now enslave the population of this backwater superstitious town and find a salt mine to make them work the rest of their lives in.

You gotta teach your DM that his style of railroading through higher level npcs doing plot enforcement is sophomoric.

[OldTrees1]

I honestly think you should work hard to talk you DM into cranking them back up to level 20. Seriously

Now have your party's low level Wizard and cleric decimate all of them.

Now enslave the population of this backwater superstitious town and find a salt mine to make them work the rest of their lives in.

You gotta teach your DM that his style of railroading through higher level npcs doing plot enforcement is sophomoric.

And the best way to do that is by behaving like a spiteful child.

[(Un)Inspired]

And the best way to do that is by behaving like a spiteful child.

Exactly! The power of spite transcends all barriers.

[Segev]

Exactly! The power of spite transcends all barriers.

Spite(tm)! Obey your thirst...for VENGEANCE.

[JaronK]

It really depends on the game, but in general if the guards are better than the adventurers, why are they just sitting around guarding? They could make a fortune adventuring!

In standard D&D, you can use the demographics in the DMG to figure out available troops. The guards there would probably be in the level 3-6 range, and they're not all just Fighters. Some should be Experts (those make good observers and investigators). Some should likely be Urban Rangers (they're great investigators). Some might be Marshals or even Swashbucklers.

In my games, guards are generally at or above the level of the PCs, but they're not optimized and are often NPC classes (Warriors and Experts) or Tier 5 classes (Fighters and Marshals). They use teamwork feats and teamwork benefits to be effective in groups, but aren't that great when they're not in groups. It makes sense for them to be guards, as they're good on their home turf but not amazing outside of it.

JaronK

[Alefiend]

Spite(tm)! Obey your thirst...for VENGEANCE.

Segev wins the Internet. We may close this topic now.

[OldTrees1]

Exactly! The power of spite transcends all barriers.

But in resorting to spite in order to communicate we
1) Reduce the maturity in the room
2) Promote others to similarly reduce the maturity in the room
3) Harm ourselves
4) Promote others to harm themselves

I count 4 bad things (2 of which are recursive) to the 1 good thing.
Let's leave spite where it belongs (discarded and forgotten).

[JaronK]

DMs who do this do create problems though. What if I have a Wizard who can cast Animate Dread Warrior? Thanks for all the level 20 minions!

Guards should be good at guarding because they're professionals. They retreat when attacked and come back in greater numbers. They use murder holes from the gates to attack enemies. If necessary, they call in serious reinforcements. Even level 6 guards can be scary at level 10 if they act smart.

JaronK

[HaikenEdge]

Spite(tm)! Obey your thirst...for VENGEANCE.

Would love to use this in my sig, so I'm asking for permission.

[Segev]

Would love to use this in my sig, so I'm asking for permission.

Feel free! Hope you enjoy it. ^_^

[(Un)Inspired]

Would you mind if I put it in my dog as well? I just tried to check this thread surreptitiously on phone in class and ended up failing to suppress a violent chortle earning a savage medusa gaze from my Professor.

[Segev]

Would you mind if I put it in my dog as well? I just tried to check this thread surreptitiously on phone in class and ended up failing to suppress a violent chortle earning a savage medusa gaze from my Professor.

If you mean in your sig, sure. I'm not sure filling your dog full of Spite(tm) would be the best move.

[Seerow]

If you mean in your sig, sure. I'm not sure filling your dog full of Spite(tm) would be the best move.

It's like rabies, but better!

[(Un)Inspired]

Well I meant to type sig, not too sure how dog got in there...

But I guess I've gotta get a dog now.

[BWR]

The DM's argument is that town guards (see: the Azure Guard) are stupid if they can't beat down wandering adventurers.

If you still have a problem convincing him, try it like this - your average city guard is like the police or a rentacop - your average adventurer, after level 3 or so, is more like the Special force (SAS, Spetsnaz,whatever). Better trained, more experience, better gear, usually more ruthless.