PC & NPC Levels, Demographics, Creating NPCs

This table is to give a rough idea of what it means for a PC to be a certain level in world terms. Eg an 11th level Paragon PC is considered the equal of twelve 'normal men', a 21st level Epic PC is considered the equal of sixty-four normal men. A party of seven 29th level PCs would be equivalent to 7x256=1792 normal men. Equivalents assume each PC is alone on an open field, with opponents having equivalent arms. In practical terms a PC's effective power will often be much greater due to factors such as use of constricting terrain, synergy with other PCs, etc.

Minion Level is Standard level+8.

PC or Elite NPC Level	In-World Status (PC & NPC)	Equivalent Standard NPC Level	Equivalent number of ‘normal men’  (eg Standard 1 or  Minion 7-9)
1	Talented	3	1.5
2	Experienced	5	2
3	Formidable	7	3
4	Heroic	8	3.5
5	Heroic	9	4
7	Heroic	11	6
9	Heroic	13	8
11	Paragon	15	12
13	Paragon	17	16
15	Paragon	19	24
17	Paragon	21	32
21	Epic	25	64
25	Epic	29	128
29	Epic	33	256

Creating NPCs
 I (GM) do stats as required; I've done a list below to give you an idea of NPC levels. In principle you can create NPCs with a Standard Level up to 6 below your Party Level; eg at 14th that's Standard Level 8, I put Ilvanus Tarc at the max level. Minion Level is Standard Level+6. A PC counts roughly 4 levels higher on this table, so a PC is Paragon at 11th, most NPCs aren't considered Paragons until around 15th, though I made an exception for Sir Jorah  at 13th because he's so awesome. ;) Most of the major established Loudwater characters who are combat-capable come in around 5th-7th level, a few up to 9th-10th.

"0th Level" Characters, including Minions of Minion Level 1-8. 
Maximum Attributes are 1 at 16 and 2 at 12-13, with other attributes at 10-11 or lower.
Baseline defenses are all 10, modified by Attributes. Humans get +1 to Non-AC Defenses.
Damage Threshold is CON/2, rounded down: normal Minion DT is Level+2. Use whichever is higher.

Many 0th level characters are noncombatant, if forced into combat they can attack at +0 (modified by attribute) with a knife or improvised weapon, damage is 2+attribute modifier, +2 on a critical hit.
Trained Skills: The 0th level character will have a maximum of 3 Trained Skills. One Trained Skill may be swapped out for a Feat, eg Ritual Caster or Skill Focus. Humans get a Feat for free.
If the character has a Minion Level, use that for combat stats, but for skills the character is treated as 0th level, with no level modifier.

Standard NPC Level Competency
1:  Novice, eg Initiate Priest, Apprentice Wizard, Green Troops, Lackeys

2:  Trained, typical Warriors, House Soldiery, eg: Human Bandit, Elf Scout

3:  Experienced, eg: Human Town Guard

4: Experienced, eg: Human Mage, Human Berserker

5: Competent, eg Zhent Soldier, Human Aristocrat, Light of the Sun Paladin

6:  Competent, eg Senior Temple Priest, Orc Storm Shaman

7: Highly Competent, eg Human Cavalier (Knight), Human Transmuter

8-10: Minor Heroes, eg Knight Lieutenant, Pirate Chief, Templar of Cyric, Knight of Elturgard

11-15: Major Heroes, eg Shadovar Knight

16-19: Paragon Heroes, eg Shade Knight, War Wizards of Cormyr, Cormyran Purple Dragon Knights

20-24: High Paragon Heroes

25+: Epic Heroes

Minion Level Competency for Humans
1 - Sub-normal, eg child/young teen street toughs, typical goblin or kobold.
2 - Human Rabble, completely untrained. Older teen street toughs, typical adult male Townsman.
3-4 - Poorly Trained - Typical adult male human Farmer, badly trained Troops.
5-6 - Minimal Training - Typical Tribesman, Levy Militia, Sailor.
7 - Lackeys, Green Troops, eg Loudwater Patrol, goblin warrior, Miner.
8-10 - Trained Troops, eg average nobles' retainers, human warrior, bandit, hobgoblin warrior.
11-12 - Experienced Troops, typical Town Guard, Human Mage
13 - Veteran Troops,Competent characters, eg typical Zhentarim mercenary, dwarf warrior, Human Aristocrat
14-15 - Crack Troops, eg Human Cavalier.
16-18 - Elite Troops, eg Knights of Elturgard, Orlbar Royal Guard. Pirates!
19-22 - Ultra-Elite Troops, eg Shadovar Royal Guard, Shadow Knights, Cormyran Knights.
23-27 - Paragons, eg Cormyran Purple Dragon Knights, Shade Knights of Netheril
28-30 - High Paragons, eg Malgedan Sunguard, Tanthul Personal Guard

In theory sufficiently bad training could lower someone's level. Thinking of how eg Iraqi Arabs or Afghan Pashtun seem to be a lot more effective fighters *before* being trained as a part of a 'national' army, I think you could take min-5 Skirmisher Uthgardt tribesmen skilled at raider tactics, try to train them to fight in ranks with spear & shield, and end up with min-3 Soldiers.
Some other groups' minion levels for trained warriors (not commoners/rabble/drudges): a typical goblin warrior or human lackey is 7th level, hobgoblin or human warrior 8th level, orc warrior 9th level, human town guard 9th level, dwarf warrior 11th level, human knight 13th level. Queen Valeris' Orlbar Royal Guard were 14th+ level. Ultra-elites like Shadovar Knights or Cormyran Knights are 19th+ level.