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At 1st level, how powerful would you say PCs are in any edition of D&D?
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<blockquote data-quote="giant.robot" data-source="post: 5490608" data-attributes="member: 93119"><p>I think the idea of needing to actually build out NPCs is a bit silly. Ability scores are scaled such that a 10 is considered to be a "normal person". So the average commoner can be said to have straight 10s for ability scores. They have whatever skill training their position might suggest they need (if that). Most of them aren't in combat situations making their off-screen skill checks so they can essentially take 20 for everything (so they don't need high ability scores or skill training). Generating actual stats for NPCs does not usually give a good return for the time invested. I'd rather spend that time adding some fluff details to an NPC's background or motivations than figuring out what stats I need to match my narrative.</p><p></p><p>I liked the sage/hireling concept from 1E and 2E, a sage had plot related knowledge or skill that you had to pay (in some manner) to access. It wasn't suggested or required that you have stats for these characters as they were more of a service you paid for like a stay an an inn. I've always run important NPCs like I might a tavern. They have narrative details and off-camera motivations but I'm not overly concerned with their stats. When players need to interact with them they're given static DCs rather than me drawing out the situation with opposed checks.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="giant.robot, post: 5490608, member: 93119"] I think the idea of needing to actually build out NPCs is a bit silly. Ability scores are scaled such that a 10 is considered to be a "normal person". So the average commoner can be said to have straight 10s for ability scores. They have whatever skill training their position might suggest they need (if that). Most of them aren't in combat situations making their off-screen skill checks so they can essentially take 20 for everything (so they don't need high ability scores or skill training). Generating actual stats for NPCs does not usually give a good return for the time invested. I'd rather spend that time adding some fluff details to an NPC's background or motivations than figuring out what stats I need to match my narrative. I liked the sage/hireling concept from 1E and 2E, a sage had plot related knowledge or skill that you had to pay (in some manner) to access. It wasn't suggested or required that you have stats for these characters as they were more of a service you paid for like a stay an an inn. I've always run important NPCs like I might a tavern. They have narrative details and off-camera motivations but I'm not overly concerned with their stats. When players need to interact with them they're given static DCs rather than me drawing out the situation with opposed checks. [/QUOTE]
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At 1st level, how powerful would you say PCs are in any edition of D&D?
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