[POLL] Do you stat out every little detail?

[Ahnehnois]

I write a stat block with everything I know I'll need, usually combat stats and a couple of skill mods. I only bother to finish the skills and stuff if I know it'll be worth it or I have way too much free time.

On the other hand, I do custom-design every monster/npc/what-have-you in advance, and I do complete item sheets with item sale prices to hand to players for things that I think they will fight.

 

[Ourph]

Acolyte: 4hp

That's it. Everything else is on the DM screen.

 

[IronWolf]

I get the rough combat stats written out, character description, motivations (a one liner) and maybe anything else unique for NPC's that may be met more than once (i.e. not the shopkeep you meet wandering through a one-stop town). If the NPC will have a major recurring role I will stat out even more, more to be fair to the players and keep me from being tempted to change things in the future on the fly.

 

[Desdichado]

I think I probably should have picked your last option, except that I don't know exactly what it means. Bottom line; I sometimes actually stat someone, but as often as not, I make it all up on the fly. I don't just roll a dice, though -- I'll pick a number out of the air that sounds right.

"Hmmm... PCs are level 4? I guess attack bonus needs to be about +10 for this guy. Oh, crap, they're attacking now? Ummm... AC 21. Oh, you hit? Well, I guess he's got about 45 hit points then."

 

[shock the monkey]

If the NPC is gonna be around for more than a single encounter, I give him some basic stats with personality and unusual qualities. Otherwise, the encouter could be partially stated, a bare skeleton, or even created on the fly.

I never stat out every detail. Are you out of your mind?

 

[Kelleris]

Hmm... Depends on how you look at it. "I accurately try to guess most numbers. General ballpark should be fine" is a good guideline, but what actually happens is that I have a fair amount of time with nothing else to think about, but no books (in class, driving home for the weekend, that sort of thing). That's the majority of my free planning time, so I'll generally have good numbers for everything that I can do from memory and ballpark for everything else. So a weird mix, really.

 

[Pants]

I very rarely ever fully stat out minor, cannonfodder NPC's. +2 to damage, 1d6 for shortsword, +3 to hit, AC 17 (+3 leather, +3 Dex, +1 buckler), HP 8. Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +0. The rules may not be right, but it doesn't really matter.

For important NPC's, I usually stat out ahead of times. Sometimes I don't because, well... I'm lazy and I forget to...

 

[Agamon]

Okay, it runs the gamut, depending on the NPC's importance. Potentially long-lasting, important NPCs get a fairly full treatment, especially if I expect that they may be involved in combat. Small roles, NPCs the PCs talk to only once or twice get a name and a couple descriptive adjectives. Not that I can't fly by the seat of my pants if I need to, in fact that's often a lot of fun, but I do believe in some preperation, and my players expect it.

 

[Ravellion]

I think I probably should have picked your last option, except that I don't know exactly what it means. Bottom line; I sometimes actually stat someone, but as often as not, I make it all up on the fly. I don't just roll a dice, though -- I'll pick a number out of the air that sounds right.

"Hmmm... PCs are level 4? I guess attack bonus needs to be about +10 for this guy. Oh, crap, they're attacking now? Ummm... AC 21. Oh, you hit? Well, I guess he's got about 45 hit points then."

Yeah, that would have been the last option. I had a more accurate description, but I got the "no more than 100 characters" error. WHat I meant with "die" was an attack roll, saving throw etc. "I roll a 16... I guess my guy saved, because I have no idea what his reflex save actually is."

Rav

 

[reanjr]

I do it pretty much how the original poster does. What do NPCs need stats for? Well, of course the answer to that question is, you just don't know. Could be anything. So I just wait until they need a stat and make it up on the fly.