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The secrets of winging it
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<blockquote data-quote="EricNoah" data-source="post: 2903782" data-attributes="member: 4"><p>I'm not particularly good at "winging it" and particularly since 3rd edition came I've felt a bit like I never had quite the information I needed at my fingertips. Now that I've been playing for a few years, I'm getting more comfortable -- I feel like I could come up with stats off the top of my head if I needed to. And with a laptop at the ready, I have at least the SRD and whatever eTools stuff I have purchased and/or entered myself as far as coming up with raw monster stats. </p><p></p><p>NPC stats are another matter. I have the ghost of an idea in my head about how to come up with "fair" stats off the cuff but it clearly needs some work -- something like this: </p><p></p><p>* in a "typical" encounter, the PC fighter-types should be hitting the NPCs about 50% of the time; so the base AC of an opponent should be about 10+ the party's level; </p><p></p><p>* give NPCs an attack bonus equal to the party's level, and maybe half of that as a damage bonus as well.</p><p></p><p>* saves ... same deal ... a bonus equal to the party's level on "good" saves, and 3/4 of that on "poor" saves.</p><p></p><p>*Skills -- gosh, how to do this -- I guess as skill checks are required, the skill is either maxed out (party's level +3, with 1-4 extra for appropriate stats), or untrained (+0 to +4 depending on stat used). </p><p></p><p>* however, I also want to provide some wiggle room -- something to emulate various feats, differing stats, magic items, masterwork items, etc. -- so I would also scatter a certain amount of "wiggle room" bonuses among the following stats: AC, Attack Bonus, Damage bonus, and each of the three Saving Throw categories. Again, I might say that NPCs have "wiggle room" bonuses equal to the party's level. </p><p></p><p>* So as an example, a 4th level party encounters some NPCs fighter types -- those NPCs would have AC 14, +4 to hit, damage by weapon +2, Fort +4, Will and Reflex +3, and 4 points of "wiggle room" to scatter among these (this time I might spend 2 of those points on AC, 1 on damage, and 1 on Reflex save). Later, when the encounter is over, I can come up with reasonable equipment if needed. After all, the players don't know what stats I used! </p><p></p><p>* Spells are another matter -- I would just pick out some easy ones, maybe a couple per appropriate level, and set DCs as if the NPC had 16-18 in the spellcasting stat. </p><p></p><p>-----------</p><p></p><p>Stats aren't the only thing, of course, that makes winging it a challenge. If you are good at winging it in 3rd Ed, what are your secrets? Any products, methods, practices, tools you use to make it easier? Educate me!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="EricNoah, post: 2903782, member: 4"] I'm not particularly good at "winging it" and particularly since 3rd edition came I've felt a bit like I never had quite the information I needed at my fingertips. Now that I've been playing for a few years, I'm getting more comfortable -- I feel like I could come up with stats off the top of my head if I needed to. And with a laptop at the ready, I have at least the SRD and whatever eTools stuff I have purchased and/or entered myself as far as coming up with raw monster stats. NPC stats are another matter. I have the ghost of an idea in my head about how to come up with "fair" stats off the cuff but it clearly needs some work -- something like this: * in a "typical" encounter, the PC fighter-types should be hitting the NPCs about 50% of the time; so the base AC of an opponent should be about 10+ the party's level; * give NPCs an attack bonus equal to the party's level, and maybe half of that as a damage bonus as well. * saves ... same deal ... a bonus equal to the party's level on "good" saves, and 3/4 of that on "poor" saves. *Skills -- gosh, how to do this -- I guess as skill checks are required, the skill is either maxed out (party's level +3, with 1-4 extra for appropriate stats), or untrained (+0 to +4 depending on stat used). * however, I also want to provide some wiggle room -- something to emulate various feats, differing stats, magic items, masterwork items, etc. -- so I would also scatter a certain amount of "wiggle room" bonuses among the following stats: AC, Attack Bonus, Damage bonus, and each of the three Saving Throw categories. Again, I might say that NPCs have "wiggle room" bonuses equal to the party's level. * So as an example, a 4th level party encounters some NPCs fighter types -- those NPCs would have AC 14, +4 to hit, damage by weapon +2, Fort +4, Will and Reflex +3, and 4 points of "wiggle room" to scatter among these (this time I might spend 2 of those points on AC, 1 on damage, and 1 on Reflex save). Later, when the encounter is over, I can come up with reasonable equipment if needed. After all, the players don't know what stats I used! * Spells are another matter -- I would just pick out some easy ones, maybe a couple per appropriate level, and set DCs as if the NPC had 16-18 in the spellcasting stat. ----------- Stats aren't the only thing, of course, that makes winging it a challenge. If you are good at winging it in 3rd Ed, what are your secrets? Any products, methods, practices, tools you use to make it easier? Educate me! [/QUOTE]
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