AD&D % Classed Characters

[Red Baron]

The AD&D DMG states that "Human and half-orc characters suitable for level advancement are found at a ratio of 1 in 100".

In the City of Greyhawk, population 53000, assuming an average family size of 5 or so (like the Wilderlands) we get about 10,000 able-bodied men.

This yields 100 classed characters in the whole city of Greyhawk: 17 clerics, 3 druids, 36 fighters, 4 rangers, 4 paladins, 17 magic users, 3 illusionists, 13 thieves, 2 assassins, and 1 monk!

Of these, only 1 in 1000 population are interested in becoming henchmen, yielding only 10 potential henchmen in the City of Greyhawk.

[Deleted]

That makes for elite adventurers whatever the level... but does it gel with Gygax's Greyhawk fiction?

[scottyg]

Those numbers are subject to modification. Greyhawk would definitely qualify as “an active adventuring area” and the 1 in 200 would be more appropriate.

[Falconer]

Doubling Red Baron’s numbers, it seems about right to me, as a percentage of the normal human population. Plus you can add any number of mercenaries to the total based on p. 18 of WoG '83. Plus you can add 10,600 demi-humans and 10,600 humanoids.