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<blockquote data-quote="Piratecat" data-source="post: 4804905" data-attributes="member: 2"><p>Sure, but they're <em>heroes.</em> Well, assuming they aren't evil. Heroes are, by definition, cooler than the people who surround them. Always having powerful NPCs who can push them around if necessary isn't necessary or desirable, in my opinion. For one thing, the players will start asking why the NPCs don't fix the darn problems themselves... This was the Forgotten Realms problem in 2nd edition D&D, a great campaign with what many people thought were too many powerful NPCs.</p><p></p><p>My point was also that there are lots of reasons not to attack someone, that have nothing to do with whether they're physically tougher than you are. Maybe they're popular in town. Maybe they know the local crime boss, or the mayor. Maybe they're the best cook in town, and everyone will be pretty darn mad if you hurt them. And maybe they know something you can't afford to lose.</p><p></p><p>You'll certainly want some NPCs who are more physically powerful than the PCs, of course. There's always a bigger fish. I just wouldn't necessarily closely involve them with the PCs' lives until there's a story reason to get 'em involved.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Piratecat, post: 4804905, member: 2"] Sure, but they're [i]heroes.[/i] Well, assuming they aren't evil. Heroes are, by definition, cooler than the people who surround them. Always having powerful NPCs who can push them around if necessary isn't necessary or desirable, in my opinion. For one thing, the players will start asking why the NPCs don't fix the darn problems themselves... This was the Forgotten Realms problem in 2nd edition D&D, a great campaign with what many people thought were too many powerful NPCs. My point was also that there are lots of reasons not to attack someone, that have nothing to do with whether they're physically tougher than you are. Maybe they're popular in town. Maybe they know the local crime boss, or the mayor. Maybe they're the best cook in town, and everyone will be pretty darn mad if you hurt them. And maybe they know something you can't afford to lose. You'll certainly want some NPCs who are more physically powerful than the PCs, of course. There's always a bigger fish. I just wouldn't necessarily closely involve them with the PCs' lives until there's a story reason to get 'em involved. [/QUOTE]
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