Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: NPC Codex
Mike Myler
Have you been to LevelUp5E.com yet?
5 out of 5 rating for Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: NPC Codex
Phil Glotfelty over at Gamemasters (Pittsburgh’s best, newly-remodeled hobby shop!) has been on to me for a few weeks about writing something for his re-vamped website. After thinking about it for a bit, I’ve decided that I owe more than just him a proper review—Paizo is due some love for the NPC Codex as well.When I first heard about this book, I wasn’t impressed—that was a mistake on my part.This is easily the best thing I got at Gencon last year and has paid for itself several times over at this point. The fact that it’s open content shouldn’t deter you either; what’s the random shopkeeper the PCs have decided to stiff have for attack options? Now those are at hand (not on a website, though that’s certainly good for preparing the game). Maybe this is their retirement from adventuring and they have class levels?Heck, let’s say they’re a fence and some brutes are waiting across the street for just such an occasion. Now you’ve got the tools as GM to truly flesh out the world in an instant. No excessive math, no questioning about the legitimacy of a random NPC’s skill bonus, no fuss.This is something Paizo was smart to expand on from the (difficult to keep in stock) Gamemastery Guide and its uses go much farther than that.Another way I utilize this as a GM (other than to quickly find basic stats for an NPC that’ll get a proper write-up later) is for character creation. As a veteran player I know exactly what I want my 1st level bard to have, but most people new to the game have enough of a time getting their head around all the numbers for attack, skill ranks, and the like already. So I hand them my NPC Codex and say, “look through these characters in the back of the book, this section here—if you don’t want to play one that’s fine, but just copy their gear until we have a chance to get you properly equipped between sessions.”That single step has greased the wheels for new players at my table several times already and I cannot thank Paizo enough for it.Then there’s the third reason I bought the NPC Codex; as OGL material, you can freely reference and site NPCs in the book just as you would a monster from one of the Bestiaries. It’s rare for me not to include one or two entries from the NPC Codex as functionaries from a given settlement in an adventure and on more than one occasion I’ve made the book a central part of my design for a module, fleshing out the cities within (or in one case, a single extremely detailed city) by referencing a dozen entries—giving me time and most importantly space.I prefer to get paid by the word for my work—a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, as they say, and bill collectors are rarely encouraged by the promise of royalties. It cannot be stressed enough how valuable this book has been to me; it has literally paid for itself several times over and definitely been a deciding factor in certain contracts.For instance, last week I wrote a module with multiple distinct settlements and an epic scale in the endgame for a publisher new to me—a very large project. We’re talking tens of thousands of words to establish a sense of completion once you factor in all the nobility (king, high mage, other town’s nobles, and a few other pertinent characters). Using the NPC Codex (retired adventurers to lord over the lesser towns and fill in the ruling class of the main city), I managed to (brilliantly) fit it just inside of 17,000 words.Don’t get me wrong—I also did not have to create another dozen high-level stat blocks and that was a huge time saver, but the space issue easily outweighs it.All in all, the NPC Codex is a smart buy and still one of my most valued purchases. If you don’t have it already, go buy a copy from Phil down at Gamemasters or if you don’t live near Pittsburgh, your local gaming haven—you’ll be happy you did.
Phil Glotfelty over at Gamemasters (Pittsburgh’s best, newly-remodeled hobby shop!) has been on to me for a few weeks about writing something for his re-vamped website. After thinking about it for a bit, I’ve decided that I owe more than just him a proper review—Paizo is due some love for the NPC Codex as well.When I first heard about this book, I wasn’t impressed—that was a mistake on my part.This is easily the best thing I got at Gencon last year and has paid for itself several times over at this point. The fact that it’s open content shouldn’t deter you either; what’s the random shopkeeper the PCs have decided to stiff have for attack options? Now those are at hand (not on a website, though that’s certainly good for preparing the game). Maybe this is their retirement from adventuring and they have class levels?Heck, let’s say they’re a fence and some brutes are waiting across the street for just such an occasion. Now you’ve got the tools as GM to truly flesh out the world in an instant. No excessive math, no questioning about the legitimacy of a random NPC’s skill bonus, no fuss.This is something Paizo was smart to expand on from the (difficult to keep in stock) Gamemastery Guide and its uses go much farther than that.Another way I utilize this as a GM (other than to quickly find basic stats for an NPC that’ll get a proper write-up later) is for character creation. As a veteran player I know exactly what I want my 1st level bard to have, but most people new to the game have enough of a time getting their head around all the numbers for attack, skill ranks, and the like already. So I hand them my NPC Codex and say, “look through these characters in the back of the book, this section here—if you don’t want to play one that’s fine, but just copy their gear until we have a chance to get you properly equipped between sessions.”That single step has greased the wheels for new players at my table several times already and I cannot thank Paizo enough for it.Then there’s the third reason I bought the NPC Codex; as OGL material, you can freely reference and site NPCs in the book just as you would a monster from one of the Bestiaries. It’s rare for me not to include one or two entries from the NPC Codex as functionaries from a given settlement in an adventure and on more than one occasion I’ve made the book a central part of my design for a module, fleshing out the cities within (or in one case, a single extremely detailed city) by referencing a dozen entries—giving me time and most importantly space.I prefer to get paid by the word for my work—a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, as they say, and bill collectors are rarely encouraged by the promise of royalties. It cannot be stressed enough how valuable this book has been to me; it has literally paid for itself several times over and definitely been a deciding factor in certain contracts.For instance, last week I wrote a module with multiple distinct settlements and an epic scale in the endgame for a publisher new to me—a very large project. We’re talking tens of thousands of words to establish a sense of completion once you factor in all the nobility (king, high mage, other town’s nobles, and a few other pertinent characters). Using the NPC Codex (retired adventurers to lord over the lesser towns and fill in the ruling class of the main city), I managed to (brilliantly) fit it just inside of 17,000 words.Don’t get me wrong—I also did not have to create another dozen high-level stat blocks and that was a huge time saver, but the space issue easily outweighs it.All in all, the NPC Codex is a smart buy and still one of my most valued purchases. If you don’t have it already, go buy a copy from Phil down at Gamemasters or if you don’t live near Pittsburgh, your local gaming haven—you’ll be happy you did.
seregil
First Post
5 out of 5 rating for Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: NPC Codex
If you're like me, you don't the time to master the "optimal" build for everything. You need a PC class, well built and put together with the appropriate items. This book is great for that. Need a level 8 cleric now? Well, it's got it. Well presented in a concise manner, the book is very useful.
If you're like me, you don't the time to master the "optimal" build for everything. You need a PC class, well built and put together with the appropriate items. This book is great for that. Need a level 8 cleric now? Well, it's got it. Well presented in a concise manner, the book is very useful.
Kramodlog
Naked and living in a barrel
5 out of 5 rating for Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: NPC Codex
This is a must buy product for people who play Pathfinder and even 3.X. Paizo didn't want to publish a new Bestiary every year, so they opted for a book full of pregenerated NPC. Each core class (classes from the PHB) has 20 different iterations. One for each level! Yup, 20 barbarians, from level 1 to 20. 20 clerics. 20 fighters. 20 wizards... All the NPCs are different from each other, so they are not the same NPC who just gains levels. You have the grunt, the chieftain, the mercenary, etc.Not enough? You also have pre-made NPCs that use the core prestige classes (e.g. arcane trickster, elven archer). You still want more? You also have pre-made NPCs for the five NPC classes. Ten NPC per class, from level 1 to 10. MOAR!? You also have the core iconics at various levels! This books gives you great value for your dollar. You could also buy the box of cardboard minis that contains a mini for each one of these NPCs. I'm surprised this is not something WotC did when it produced 3.X. It is such a no brainer. Gamers keep saying the prep time for making NPCs is too long. This book is the solution. Pure awesome.
This is a must buy product for people who play Pathfinder and even 3.X. Paizo didn't want to publish a new Bestiary every year, so they opted for a book full of pregenerated NPC. Each core class (classes from the PHB) has 20 different iterations. One for each level! Yup, 20 barbarians, from level 1 to 20. 20 clerics. 20 fighters. 20 wizards... All the NPCs are different from each other, so they are not the same NPC who just gains levels. You have the grunt, the chieftain, the mercenary, etc.Not enough? You also have pre-made NPCs that use the core prestige classes (e.g. arcane trickster, elven archer). You still want more? You also have pre-made NPCs for the five NPC classes. Ten NPC per class, from level 1 to 10. MOAR!? You also have the core iconics at various levels! This books gives you great value for your dollar. You could also buy the box of cardboard minis that contains a mini for each one of these NPCs. I'm surprised this is not something WotC did when it produced 3.X. It is such a no brainer. Gamers keep saying the prep time for making NPCs is too long. This book is the solution. Pure awesome.
5 out of 5 rating for Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: NPC Codex
Great book of NPC resources, it has a ton of base classes (levels 1 -20), iconics and all the Adepts and Bandits you need. Great art, good descriptions and great variety. I also find it a good player resource to see what can be done....
Great book of NPC resources, it has a ton of base classes (levels 1 -20), iconics and all the Adepts and Bandits you need. Great art, good descriptions and great variety. I also find it a good player resource to see what can be done....
Ezequielramone
Explorer
4 out of 5 rating for Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: NPC Codex
I would like to see other classes instead of npcs classes.
I would like to see other classes instead of npcs classes.
5 out of 5 rating for Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: NPC Codex
Packed with sample NPCs for all the core classes and NPC classes at every level (plus a selection of prestige classes and stats for the iconics), this is an incredibly useful resource for the game. If you're a player, there are all kinds of interesting builds to look at. And if you're a GM, you now have dozens of ready-made NPCs for your games. Great stuff.
Packed with sample NPCs for all the core classes and NPC classes at every level (plus a selection of prestige classes and stats for the iconics), this is an incredibly useful resource for the game. If you're a player, there are all kinds of interesting builds to look at. And if you're a GM, you now have dozens of ready-made NPCs for your games. Great stuff.
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