200 Pages of NPCs For 5E, Pathfinder, or S&W

If you want 200 pages of NPCs for your game - and by game, I mean D&D 5E, Pathfinder, or Swords & Wizardry - Nord Games looks like it has you covered. Ultimate NPCs has NPCs galore at levels 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20. It's a Kickstarter, already funded, and they've kindly sent me along a couple of pages from the book to share with you. I had the choice of 5E, Pathfinder, or S&W, and figured 5E would gather the most attention, but if you're a fan of those other two awesome games, just imagine these with suitable stat blocks. Anyhow, on with the preview! This is Jana, a gladiator, at levels 1 and 4.

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So what else is there to know about this Kickstarter? It's being spearheaded by Christopher Haskins from Frog God Games. You get a PDF for $15, or a softcover for $25. Or you can go up to $40 for a hardcover. There's a whole bunch of stretch goals - guilds, generic NPCs, brigands, ruffians, assassins, and more - many of which are already unlocked. The book and art is done - it's just production left to do. There's also add-ons like cards.

Those 200 pages include 30 unique characters at level 1 then leveled up to 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20, for a total of 180 NPCs, plus the more generic NPCs of which there will likely be about 30 to make small groups of ruffians, bandits, thieves, etc.

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[S'mon]

I was hoping these would be 5e-style generic NPC stat blocks like the ones at the back of the 5e MM, or similar to the generic role-based NPCs in the Pathfinder Gamemastery Guide. I'm definitely not interested in 200 pages of special-snowflake PC-type NPCs.

 

[pukunui]

I'm definitely not interested in 200 pages of special-snowflake PC-type NPCs.

Agreed. I don't mind named NPCs with a bit of personality, but these guys have a little too much backstory for my taste. I don't need an explanation for each and every personality trait, for instance. Even the vignettes feel unnecessary. I bet they could've condensed that all down to one page. Then they'd have had room for even more NPCs!

This is a pass for me.


EDIT: I'm also put off by the somewhat amateurish formatting of the statblocks. The main thing that irks me is how they've moved the AC/HP/Spd line to the right and put the extraneous info about class/background/occupation in its place. I won't need to reference that stuff during a fight, but I will need to reference the NPC's AC and such, and since it's not where I would expect it to be at a glance, it would no doubt prove annoying in play.

 

[Charles Rampant]

By contrast, I quite like the detail to this. It makes the npcs more than just combat fodder, but also inspiration for characters to be met. It allows the roleplaying pillar to have some utility from this product, and 'level 4 gladiator' is a sufficiently useful statblock that I could see myself using a pack of these even as I described them as Drow or whatever. I think that I shall have a look!

 

[BrockBallingdark]

Does anyone know about the company? Anyone have any of their other products?

I have, their KS Fantasy RPG Bookmarks! Loved the product and received the product maybe a month after their intended release. That's pretty good in my book!

 

[Jester David]

Agreed. I don't mind named NPCs with a bit of personality, but these guys have a little too much backstory for my taste. I don't need an explanation for each and every personality trait, for instance. Even the vignettes feel unnecessary. I bet they could've condensed that all down to one page. Then they'd have had room for even more NPCs!

This is a pass for me.

That's what's keeping me at the softcover rather than hardcover level.
Its seems neat and I can strip away the unique snowflake elements and still be left with lots of statblocks, but it doesn't seem like a book I'll use as often. However, that content does mean less work for me and easier improv style play.
And sometimes you just need an NPC (or guest PC).

I have, their KS Fantasy RPG Bookmarks! Loved the product and received the product maybe a month after their intended release. That's pretty good in my book!

Looks like they've done a couple other Kickstarters that delivered. That's a positive. But this is their first book, and the designer behind it seems to be a lesser known figure at Frog God Games. It feels like a bit more of a leap of faith. But if he delivers this should really make his reputation and name (and possibly career), so he probably wants it to go smooth.

 

[Celebrim]

The codex appears targeted mostly at DMs that have trouble creating memorable NPCs, rather than at DMs who easily create memorable PCs, but run into trouble as soon as they need to associate the NPC with a stat block.

The level of professionalism seems quite high, but I'd rather more stat blocks and less color. We're probably paying $0.30 an NPC, and I doubt I'd use 1 in 10, which makes it like $3.00 an NPC.

There is definitely a niche for this product, but I don't think it is for me. I have the additional problem that NPC codices tend to have to make assumptions about demographics, grittiness, and availability of magical items that are actually particular to a campaign world. This usually results in low percentages of pages I'd find useful.

A very difficult product to do well. I wish them luck and hope that they find people who can really use their work.

 

[TerraDave]

Looking very good. Will definitely check it out.

Definitely the kind of thing 5E can use. And their is not point waiting on WotC.

 

[TerraDave]

Looking at the KS, this looks like part of a series. These are "Skulduggery" NPCs. Next up is a book of "War" NPCs.

 

[dave2008]

I was hoping these would be 5e-style generic NPC stat blocks like the ones at the back of the 5e MM, or similar to the generic role-based NPCs in the Pathfinder Gamemastery Guide. I'm definitely not interested in 200 pages of special-snowflake PC-type NPCs.

I believe one of the stretch goals is a bunch of generic NPCs and I think it has already been met. So you looks like you will get that too.

 

[dave2008]

Agreed. I don't mind named NPCs with a bit of personality, but these guys have a little too much backstory for my taste. I don't need an explanation for each and every personality trait, for instance. Even the vignettes feel unnecessary. I bet they could've condensed that all down to one page. Then they'd have had room for even more NPCs!

This is a pass for me.

Just confirmed on the kickstarter, you will get generic NPCs as well:

$15,000 Brigands (UNLOCKED) - At this stretch goal we will add an assortment of low level NPCs primarily used for combat to the book. Each of these NPCs will have unique stats, skills, fighting styles and personalities.

$16,000 Ruffians (UNLOCKED) - At this stretch goal we will add an assortment of Medium level NPCs primarily used for combat to the book. Each of these NPCs will have unique stats, skills, fighting styles and personalities.

$17,000 Swindlers (UNLOCKED) - At this stretch goal we will add an assortment of Medium level NPCs primarily used for role playing to the book. Each of these NPCs will have unique stats, skills, fighting styles and personalities.

$18,000 Thieves (UNLOCKED) - At this stretch goal we will add an assortment of Low, Medium, and High level NPCs primarily used for role playing and combat to the book. Each of these NPCs will have unique stats, skills, fighting styles and personalities.

$19,000 Bandits (UNLOCKED) - At this stretch goal we will add an assortment of Low, Medium, and High level NPCs primarily used for role playing and combat to the book. Each of these NPCs will have unique stats, skills, fighting styles and personalities.

$20,000 Assassins (UNLOCKED) - At this stretch goal we will add an assortment of High, and Very High level NPCs primarily used for role playing and combat to the book. Each of these NPCs will have unique stats, skills, fighting styles and personalities."