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Message: <blockquote data-quote="two" data-source="post: 2193931" data-attributes="member: 9002">I find it incrediblethat so many people suggest simply "running NPC's" without statting them out -- at least minimally.I've done this in the past; my players didn't know the difference some of the time; but things were lost.  Like, some flavor in the combat (no statted feats, so, well, can I really justify improved trip on the fly even though it would be completely useful at this precise moment)?  Specialized class abilities were underutilized or ignored; interesting synergies left untapped.And worse yet: The problem of preparing magic items, and SPELLS.A completley statted out and well thought-out Wizard 9 or Fighter12 will completley destroy a run of the mill unstatted "off the handle" "fly by night" Wizard9 or Fighter12 every time.  Plus make a lot less interesting combat for the PC's (and much less challenging).  More thought going into the NPC = a more developed and complicated and deadly NPC.  I assure you.  More fun to play, more fun to defeat.Yes, I'm calling out all the GM's who do everything "on the fly."  Oh, it might work.  It might be fun to some extent.  It's not likely, however, that it works as smoothly, nor is AS fun, as if you really statted up the NPC and selected the spells/magic items/etc precisely and with care.D&D is a huge pain in the rear in this respect.  I'm all for simplification.  But not statting out a Bard15 or a Barbarian4/Rogue4 or even a Wizard4 is asking for "cookie cutter" syndrome.  I.e. none of your NPC's takes or uses cool unusual feats, they seem to use the same spells a lot, they do the same stuff in combat.  Players don't want that.  It's boring after a while.I'd good at improv; I can do this, and it comes off ok.  When I stat things out, however, and put in the time -- I can do things really great.  But is the time worth the effort?That's the trouble.  At high levels of D&D, the answer is no.  So I just play mid-and low, where it's not so bad.Please, don't write in telling me about your incredible improv skills, how you can off-the-cuff figure out the DC of a gnomish illusionist's spell DC every time, or if you can't it doesn't matter nor does his spell list, you just choose a cool spell and you never use the same spell twice, you have every combat feat down by heart, etc.  That's great.  You are better, far better than me.  You win that argument.  Yeah.For the other 90% or so (being generous) -- we just have to plug away.Don't tell me it's not to some extent a requirement of D&D, particularly at levels 8+.  I personally think you are lying to yourself if you think that.  Or your players are relaxed and easy to please (nice when it happens).</blockquote>

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