Creating NPC's - Are they balanced?
Posted 5th July 2008 at 12:45 AM by Jack99
I was looking over the rules concerning the creation of NPC's, and I started to wonder if they were balanced. I do like stating out NPC's though, since making them help me focus on how they work and how they affect the world around them, more so than writing up a background or some notes. I guess I am weird that way.
I thought I would give it a whirl. The NPC I had in mind, is the secret leader of an yet undecided thieves guild in Drahar, by far the biggest city in the world that the players know off, which isn't hard, since they only know of three cities..
I was thinking of doing something new (for me at least). In the past, I have mostly used rogues (duh!), wizards, clerics (Mask!) mindflayers, dragons, beholders (wait, or was that something stolen from FR? - can't recall) and even the occasional monk in 3.x, as guildleaders of my thieves' guilds. I looked over the classes, and thought that a Warlord would make a cool new spin on it. He is smart, he is charismatic, he is basically the born leader. Sure, he can't do all the thieving himself, but that's why he is guild leader, not a burglar. And when the [censored] hits the fan (ie, when the players bust through his doors), he can actually stand toe to toe with them, and make his minions (not necessarily literally) better. That should work pretty well. A quick glance over the races, and I decided to make him stand out even more. I would make him a minotaur. This of course would not be known by many outside of the guild, in fact, I think it has possibilities. Maybe rumors circulate that the guild leader of X guild eats babies or something.. Because he literally does so!
Also. Being a major NPC that I plan the players to fight at the end (his or theirs, not the campaign) he should be an elite.
Goth, Elite Level 11 Warlord
Medium Natural Humanoid
Initiative +6, Perception +5
HP 210; Bloodied 105, see also ferocity
Speed 5
AC 28; Fortitude 28; Reflex 23; Will 26
+2 saves, Action Point 1
m Oversized Maul (standard; at-will) *weapon* +17 vs AC; 2d8+10 damage
M Wolf Pack Tactic (standard; at-will) *weapon* +17 vs AC; 2d8+10 damage and one ally adjacent to Goth or his target shifts as a free action before the attack
M Warlord's Strike (standard; encounter) *weapon* +17 vs AC; 4d8+10 damage. Until the end of Goth's next turn, all his allies gets +4 damage against his target.
M Lion's Roar (standard; recharge when bloodied) *weapon* +17 vs AC; 4d8+10 damage. Goth or one ally within 5 squares can spend a healing surge.
M Knock Them Down (standard; daily) *weapon* +17 vs AC; 6d8+10 damage. All allies within 10 squares can move 3 squares and hit someone as a free action. A hit gives no damage, but knocks the target prone.
M Inspiring Reaction (Immediate reaction, encounter) *Healing, Martial* Melee touch. Trigger: Goth or an ally takes damage. Effect: Goth or an ally can spend a healing surge and regain additionally 3 hps.
C Defensive Rally (Standard, daily) *Healing, Martial* Close Burst 5. Each ally in the burst can spend a healing surge and make a saving throw against any single effect. They also get +2 to all defenses until the end of Goth's next turn.
C Inspiring Word (Minor, encounter - special, twice per encounter) *Healing, Martial* Close burst 10. Goth or an ally can spend a healing surge and regain an additional 3d6 hps.
Combat Leader Goth grants +2 initiative to all allies within 10 squares
Ferocity (when reduced to 0 hps) Goth makes a basic melee attack
Alignment Unaligned Languages Common
Skills Diplomacy +13, Intimidate +13
Str 21, Con 17, Dex 12, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 16
Equipment Large Maul, Chainmail, Handaxes (2)
Okay. Wow. I made him based on the NPC rules in the DMG (p. 187-188) and then applied the Elite Template (p. 185). I chose Lion's Roar to be rechargeable when bloodied, as per the rules of adjusting powers, in relation to the whole "an elite monster counts for two" issue. I did not however give him double attack or an immediate at will, which they (also) suggest. Yet, comparing him to other level 11 elite monsters, he does seem quite a bit stronger. But maybe they are just supposed to be more powerful. You know, feature, not bug.
Then again, I just realised that the poor sucker only has two surges, so he can't really benefit from all the potential healing he has. Still, 2 surges is 104 hps more, not too shabby, and some of his attacks are absolutely devastating.
Maybe I ought to take a look at his powers another day, and switch a few of the healing ones, to something else, so that it doesn't all get wasted..
I thought I would give it a whirl. The NPC I had in mind, is the secret leader of an yet undecided thieves guild in Drahar, by far the biggest city in the world that the players know off, which isn't hard, since they only know of three cities..

I was thinking of doing something new (for me at least). In the past, I have mostly used rogues (duh!), wizards, clerics (Mask!) mindflayers, dragons, beholders (wait, or was that something stolen from FR? - can't recall) and even the occasional monk in 3.x, as guildleaders of my thieves' guilds. I looked over the classes, and thought that a Warlord would make a cool new spin on it. He is smart, he is charismatic, he is basically the born leader. Sure, he can't do all the thieving himself, but that's why he is guild leader, not a burglar. And when the [censored] hits the fan (ie, when the players bust through his doors), he can actually stand toe to toe with them, and make his minions (not necessarily literally) better. That should work pretty well. A quick glance over the races, and I decided to make him stand out even more. I would make him a minotaur. This of course would not be known by many outside of the guild, in fact, I think it has possibilities. Maybe rumors circulate that the guild leader of X guild eats babies or something.. Because he literally does so!
Also. Being a major NPC that I plan the players to fight at the end (his or theirs, not the campaign) he should be an elite.
Goth, Elite Level 11 Warlord
Medium Natural Humanoid
Initiative +6, Perception +5
HP 210; Bloodied 105, see also ferocity
Speed 5
AC 28; Fortitude 28; Reflex 23; Will 26
+2 saves, Action Point 1
m Oversized Maul (standard; at-will) *weapon* +17 vs AC; 2d8+10 damage
M Wolf Pack Tactic (standard; at-will) *weapon* +17 vs AC; 2d8+10 damage and one ally adjacent to Goth or his target shifts as a free action before the attack
M Warlord's Strike (standard; encounter) *weapon* +17 vs AC; 4d8+10 damage. Until the end of Goth's next turn, all his allies gets +4 damage against his target.
M Lion's Roar (standard; recharge when bloodied) *weapon* +17 vs AC; 4d8+10 damage. Goth or one ally within 5 squares can spend a healing surge.
M Knock Them Down (standard; daily) *weapon* +17 vs AC; 6d8+10 damage. All allies within 10 squares can move 3 squares and hit someone as a free action. A hit gives no damage, but knocks the target prone.
M Inspiring Reaction (Immediate reaction, encounter) *Healing, Martial* Melee touch. Trigger: Goth or an ally takes damage. Effect: Goth or an ally can spend a healing surge and regain additionally 3 hps.
C Defensive Rally (Standard, daily) *Healing, Martial* Close Burst 5. Each ally in the burst can spend a healing surge and make a saving throw against any single effect. They also get +2 to all defenses until the end of Goth's next turn.
C Inspiring Word (Minor, encounter - special, twice per encounter) *Healing, Martial* Close burst 10. Goth or an ally can spend a healing surge and regain an additional 3d6 hps.
Combat Leader Goth grants +2 initiative to all allies within 10 squares
Ferocity (when reduced to 0 hps) Goth makes a basic melee attack
Alignment Unaligned Languages Common
Skills Diplomacy +13, Intimidate +13
Str 21, Con 17, Dex 12, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 16
Equipment Large Maul, Chainmail, Handaxes (2)
Okay. Wow. I made him based on the NPC rules in the DMG (p. 187-188) and then applied the Elite Template (p. 185). I chose Lion's Roar to be rechargeable when bloodied, as per the rules of adjusting powers, in relation to the whole "an elite monster counts for two" issue. I did not however give him double attack or an immediate at will, which they (also) suggest. Yet, comparing him to other level 11 elite monsters, he does seem quite a bit stronger. But maybe they are just supposed to be more powerful. You know, feature, not bug.
Then again, I just realised that the poor sucker only has two surges, so he can't really benefit from all the potential healing he has. Still, 2 surges is 104 hps more, not too shabby, and some of his attacks are absolutely devastating.
Maybe I ought to take a look at his powers another day, and switch a few of the healing ones, to something else, so that it doesn't all get wasted..
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