3.5 Stat Blocks Kill my creativity

[Drew]

D&D really, really needs a good, workable computer program. Of course, we've known this since AT least 2000...

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I've never made stat blocks, I just use a character sheet to flesh out my NPCs.

 

[Victim]

Didn't you already make this thread awhile ago, but without a 3.5 reference?

I don't use stat blocks. Stuff with an arbitrary format is a pain for me to write, and I can't find the information I want in them anyway.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

I agree with those who say don't overdo it. In most cases, I only fully stat out major NPC's.

For example, I just ran a session where the PC's where poking around a castle. Inside were:

-A whole lot of goblins - went straight from the SRD
-4 shadow-human rogue NPCS - these had stats rolled up, HP, BAB, Saves, Init; all identical.
-1 shifty, old goblin stablehand - standard SRD goblin.
-1 Shadow-elf monk- statted up except for skills. If it came up, I'd assume maxed out tumble, jump, and balance, little of anything else. I'll eventually stat her up all the way, as I expect she'll be a major recurring NPC.
-Several other NPC types, mostly just stats, HP, BAB and saves. They'll eventually get fully statted, but they weren't too likely to be necessary for that session.

None of that took much time.

 

[ForceUser]

I stat out most NPCs, but the OP is right, it's a chore that only gets worse as levels progress. I'm not sure what the answer is--I deserve to know what my NPCs are capable of, and my players deserve statted opponents so that encounters can be fairly resolved. But oh, the headache sometimes! BBEGs are the worst, too.

I tend to fudge on the mooks and stat in detail significant NPCs, which saves a little time. Still, I've noticed that for an average session, an hour of play requires about an hour of prep. That can get onerous at times, so I tend to focus on characteriztion, role-playing, and story, and I tend to use more monsters straight from the books as well as provide fewer combat opportunities than in the assumed standard game. This works well for me since I don't bother tallying XP at all (another onerous task, one I've completely ditched in favor of advancement upon story arc resolution).

 

[3d6]

d20 Modern somewhat reduces the difficulty of making stat blocks. It divides characters in too two classes: heroic characters and ordinaries. The vast majority of people are ordinaries, and ordinaries do not have class features or bonus feats, and cannot take advanced or prestige classes. They throw together pretty quickly.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Still, I've noticed that for an average session, an hour of play requires about an hour of prep.

I rarely spend a full hour on prep for an entire game sessions. I make sure I have some basic knowledge of what the NPCs are--X-level this, Y-level that--and some notes regarding any special abilities they have.

And that's it. Beyond that, I know how many hit points a 4th-level figther has, and what his attack bonus is, on average. And believe me, as long as the DM has an understanding of the system, "on average" is more than sufficient. It's certainly enough for me to build a fun encounter on.

I only stat out NPCs that I know are going to be major players. In my last relatively long 3.5 campaign (it lasted about 5 months), I think I statted out a total of two NPCs. Everyone else got averages and estimates, and at no point did my players have a problem with it, or even realize I was doing it.

 

[GlassJaw]

d20 Modern somewhat reduces the difficulty of making stat blocks.

Well the biggies are magic and magic items. Take those out and you've cut the job in half. A "standard" magic level D&D campaign can be very time-consuming for the DM.

 

[Kunimatyu]

Well the biggies are magic and magic items. Take those out and you've cut the job in half. A "standard" magic level D&D campaign can be very time-consuming for the DM.

And that's where Iron Lore steps in to save the day, I hope.

 

[jrients]

Stat blocks drive me nuts as well, but if I forego using them I feel like I'm not doing my job.