How to Build a D&D NPC in 15 minutes

[Voadam]

I find equipment the most nit picky and time consuming aspect when making NPCs. Looking up the amount of gold, spending it on appropriate things, then factoring in the bonuses.

I've gotten burned a few times grabbing NPC stats off the d20 NPC wiki that were appropriate thematically but not realizing until they gathered loot that they were designed with PC wealth instead of NPC wealth ("I'll throw in a dozen of this level 8 duergar fighter rogue to use as mooks to round out this fight for my 16th level group").

 

[Kwalish Kid]

Exactly. The apex of NPC design is to do no more work than is minimally necessary for them to perform their on-screen role. Also, it permissible and perhaps ideal for NPC tactics to be simple and predictable; at best, the encounter can turn into a sort of puzzle where the PCs analyze their opponent and devise a good way to defeat them.

Hmmmmmmmmm.... apply this reasoning to minions.

 

[pawsplay]

Hmmmmmmmmm.... apply this reasoning to minions.

This reasoning has already been applied to every 1 HD humanoid in the MM for me?

 

[pawsplay]

Whoa there! I wasn't talkin' TPK, neither. I want to make sure they are effective villains*.

Toughness is *so* suboptimal, it's very nearly in its own category, is all.

* which doesn't equate to insta-TPK, I might add (again.)

Actually, if you try it, Toughness is pretty strong until level 6 or so. Until you hit the level where you are facing multiple, high damage attacks, 3 hit points means about even odds of surviving one extra hit. That translates into one more round, which means another round of attacks for you and your allies.

Just as an example, I made some 2nd level pregens once. The human fighter had Con 14 and Toughness, which gave him 23 hit points. That's a huge number of hit points; he can personally take a hit from two greataxe wielding orcs, and a third before he dies. Assuming the cleric heals him, his ability to kill low level humanoids is nearly unlimited.

I'm not sure I'd bother with Toughness for an 18 HD monster... then again, with six feats, why not? But for like a dragon I usually go Multiattack, Improved Natural Attack x2, Improved Critical x2, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes. Then I might add Weapon Focus x2, Improved Natural Armor, etc.

A human Blackguard definitely gets Toughness, though. It's okay for the feat to be suboptimal; it's still worth 3 hit points. And that's good enough.

 

[Kraydak]

Whoa there! I wasn't talkin' TPK, neither. I want to make sure they are effective villains*.

Toughness is *so* suboptimal, it's very nearly in its own category, is all.

* which doesn't equate to insta-TPK, I might add (again.)

You are forgetting the cardinal rule: optimization does not matter for the DM. If you don't have time to choose a good, well coordinated feat set, don't sweat it. Just add an extra level instead. Toughness is perfectly fine.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Actually, if you try it

*sigh* Actually, I have tried it. Please don't assume that I haven't, as it doesn't help your argument much. I first tried it for a PC, way back when. I also tried it for a number of NPCs. It's ass.

You are forgetting the cardinal rule: optimization does not matter for the DM. If you don't have time to choose a good, well coordinated feat set, don't sweat it. Just add an extra level instead. Toughness is perfectly fine.

No, I'm not forgetting any rule worth DMing by. I never suggested that optimising NPCs is necessary. I did suggest that gimping them is unnecessary, and well, kinda daft. YMMV.

I already know how to add levels and stuff, thanks. Don't sweat it.

 

[pawsplay]

*sigh* Actually, I have tried it. Please don't assume that I haven't, as it doesn't help your argument much. I first tried it for a PC, way back when. I also tried it for a number of NPCs. It's ass.

I meant experimentally, not "for the first time." No offense intended. You are of course entitled to your interpretation of your own experiences.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

2. Assign ability scores. Always assign Int to be as high as it's going to be and don't adjust it for leveling up...Go ahead and advance all the ability scores now; it evens out in the end, except for Int. Just do the Int advances first, and note what levels you took them.

Too much tracking; I calculate final NPC skill points by their final Int score. Players get retro skill points; it's just so much simpler this way.

TS

 

[pawsplay]

Too much tracking; I calculate final NPC skill points by their final Int score. Players get retro skill points; it's just so much simpler this way.

TS

That's fine, too, and the D&D writers seem to use this shortcut frequently, as well as assigning an undead's ability score 8 to its Con.

 

[Mighty Halfling]

I was recently thinking that the next time I DM, my NPCs will be completely classless. I would purchase a book like "Buy the Numbers" and build the NPCs exactly how I wanted them to turn out. No worries about throwing in Rogue levels to get Evasion when I can just "purchase" them all individually.
Sure, my players could stick to core, but I don't need to.
By eliminating the need for them fitting into a class, and all the attached rules that slow you up during character construction, I bet I could build them pretty fast.