Author Topic: HARP Levels Guidelines  (Read 1656 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Ryhope Wood

  • Neophyte
  • *
  • Posts: 27
  • OIC Points +0/-0
HARP Levels Guidelines
« on: January 30, 2016, 01:24:24 PM »
Hi all

I would like to ask for some newbie advice concerning levels. Could someone give me a feel for the levels of say a town guard, an experienced soldier, an elite warrior etc? A first level adventurer - are they apprentices or professionals? Do people use their own power level guidelines for a campaign or scale it according to the party level?

Or to put it another way - what are the skill levels for basic competence, professional, mastery etc?

Any and all advice gratefully received.

Thanks, Ian

Offline Thom @ ICE

  • Aurigas Staff
  • ******
  • Posts: 3,810
  • OIC Points +0/-0
  • Thom@ironcrown.com
Re: HARP Levels Guidelines
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2016, 10:10:20 PM »
Unfortunately, I have to say that those are campaign specific questions.


Assuming a relatively powerful HARP campaign (like my own), with the power heroes (demigods) being around level 20, I would go with -
Town guard - level 2-3, with basic sergeant around 5, and captain around 8-10.
Experienced soldier - minimum level 4, but could go up to 10-12 depending upon how experienced you want to make them.
Elite Warrior - level 12-16


1st level adventurer - trained and knowledgeable, but definitely still a rookie.  Just starting out, but able to do some basics.


Basic Competence - 1-4
Professional 5-10
Mastery 11-15


Keep in mind that this assumes the character to heavily focus on their skills.
Most characters will have at least +12 stat bonus in their key skills
Assuming they max on certain skills, they would have 6 ranks at level 1 (+30) for +42. A Medium hard skill attempt is successful 40% of the time.


At level 5 has 18 ranks for approximately +78 total, and then at 11 will be at +98.  The diminishing returns really push the focus away from simple skill development and over to talents and professional abilities to develop that expertise.


I hope that helps.
Email -    Thom@ironcrown.com

Offline pyrotech

  • Adept
  • **
  • Posts: 337
  • OIC Points +45/-45
Re: HARP Levels Guidelines
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2016, 11:03:00 PM »
As Thom mentioned this is going to really depend on the campaign and the people playing in it.  Personally I usually go with:

1-2 level Green and inexperienced, Journeymen levels of skills.  They know the basics of everything but really need to practice and refine themselves. 

3-5 Experienced.  This is the level range of most experienced professionals.  Be they merchants, blacksmiths, soldiers, or scholars.  I tend to start heroes at 3rd level.

6-10 Elite.  This is as high level as most humanity ever sees, and only a small fraction ever get this far.

11-15.  Legendary.  People sings song about characters of these levels for decades or even centuries.

16-20.  Truly Epic.  Characters of this level change the world they live in. 

More than 20 and you are pushing the limits or mortality and maybe even breaking them.


Hope this helps,


 
-Pyrotech

Offline Ryhope Wood

  • Neophyte
  • *
  • Posts: 27
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: HARP Levels Guidelines
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2016, 11:09:15 AM »
Thanks for the thoughts. It does help a lot.

Ian.

Offline Charlie Four

  • Neophyte
  • *
  • Posts: 46
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: HARP Levels Guidelines
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2016, 11:31:34 PM »
A way I find to measure competence is to ask myself "which difficulty level this specific task would have?" and then look at the regular bonus a character would have if he maxed out ranks and had a +10/20 bonus(if it's its specialty). Then I see how high said character would have to roll to complete such task.

For example, a level 1 character has 6 ranks at most, so he would have a basic +30 plus whatever stats, talents or objects he has. Going up to +60 in some cases. So he would have around 50% chances to complete a Medium Maneuver and less than 40% hard ones. So he is definitely a rookie.

A level 6 character has 6x3+3 for a total of 21 ranks, which means +71 from ranks and adding stats and such the skill can go nearly or even above +100, so that character would automatically succeed Medium Maneuvers and would even have strong chances with Very Hard ones. So he is almost an Expert in his main skills, but maybe a rookie or above average on things that aren't his main professions.

Above level 10 said character would have skills easily above 100 and since ranks don't payoff nearly as much, he would be proficient in other skills as well as having a number of talents, spells and definitely higher stats. Which means he could even automatically suceed even Very Hard maneuvers and even have their chances at Sheer Folly or higher! That man/woman is almost a legend. For example a lvl 10 Fighter has an even or better chance of defeating his lvl 1 counterpart even blindfolded(-100).

However it's important to bear in mind that the progression from lvl 1 to lvl 5 is a lot greater than lvl 5 to 10, than it is to lvl 10 to 15, since ranks don't payoff after the 20th. Unless you want to unlock Legendary combat moves or such.

Offline Alwyn

  • Senior Adept
  • **
  • Posts: 570
  • OIC Points +0/-0
Re: HARP Levels Guidelines
« Reply #5 on: February 11, 2016, 08:48:21 AM »
You could also gage off of skill expertise.  For example in Martial Law, Basic skill is at least one rank in the skill, Advanced is 20 or more ranks  in the skill, Expert is 40 or more ranks, and Legendary is 60 or more ranks.  Of cxourse these ratings are used in Martial Law for allowable Scaled Combat Actions, but I don't see why the idea would not work for at least ranking other skills as well. 

Just a thought.
Alwyn Erendil
Warden of the High Forest
"NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT - At least not in Yu Gi Oh"

Don't worry, be HARPy!