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Converting NPCs from old editions
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<blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 7214837" data-attributes="member: 12731"><p>In AD&D, the settlements of Bargewright Inn, Longsaddle and Loudwater are led by, respectively, a 5th level ranger, a 9th level magic-user, and a 11th level cavalier. (Savage Frontier, page 30)</p><p></p><p>In d20, you could meet a Goblin with seven ranger levels, an Aranea with four sorcerer levels, a Blackspawn raider with six ninja levels, or Bugbears with two barbarian levels. (Red Hand of Doom, appendix I)</p><p></p><p>Mucking about with all the fiddly details that come with class levels is perhaps the single best thing with 5th edition - it doesn't. At all.</p><p></p><p>Still, what is the general "power level" of <em>your</em> campaign? Now I'm talking about the "average" NPCs that populate your world, not the end level boss of your level 19 adventure <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>The default (as borne out by observing published modules) is <strong>very low</strong>, significantly lower than in previous editions. And that's a change I'd like to discuss.</p><p></p><p>That is, the overwhelming majority of non-adventure specific NPCs that you just sort of happen upon are <strong>thugs</strong> and <strong>spies</strong> and <strong>guards</strong> and <strong>acolytes</strong>, with the odd "name" NPC being a <strong>veteran</strong> or <strong>mage</strong>.</p><p></p><p>Very roughly (and I mean very), that corresponds to <em>half</em> the power level of before. (The biggest change is how 5e NPCs have way fewer powers and abilities than classed characters of any edition; hit points and spells* being about the only resource given to NPCs in anything near parity with PCs)</p><p>*) and while almost all PC class grants spellcasting, relatively few NPCs are spellcasters</p><p></p><p>Do you like it? (I obviously love the simplicity as a DM)</p><p></p><p>Does it pose any problems? (Even though I love it, it does tend to fuel any elitist tendencies of players since their characters so quickly overshadow even so-called competent NPCs. Either the heroes do it or it simply doesn't get done - there are only PCs and monsters that stick out above the masses)</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CapnZapp, post: 7214837, member: 12731"] In AD&D, the settlements of Bargewright Inn, Longsaddle and Loudwater are led by, respectively, a 5th level ranger, a 9th level magic-user, and a 11th level cavalier. (Savage Frontier, page 30) In d20, you could meet a Goblin with seven ranger levels, an Aranea with four sorcerer levels, a Blackspawn raider with six ninja levels, or Bugbears with two barbarian levels. (Red Hand of Doom, appendix I) Mucking about with all the fiddly details that come with class levels is perhaps the single best thing with 5th edition - it doesn't. At all. Still, what is the general "power level" of [I]your[/I] campaign? Now I'm talking about the "average" NPCs that populate your world, not the end level boss of your level 19 adventure :) The default (as borne out by observing published modules) is [B]very low[/B], significantly lower than in previous editions. And that's a change I'd like to discuss. That is, the overwhelming majority of non-adventure specific NPCs that you just sort of happen upon are [B]thugs[/B] and [B]spies[/B] and [B]guards[/B] and [B]acolytes[/B], with the odd "name" NPC being a [B]veteran[/B] or [B]mage[/B]. Very roughly (and I mean very), that corresponds to [I]half[/I] the power level of before. (The biggest change is how 5e NPCs have way fewer powers and abilities than classed characters of any edition; hit points and spells* being about the only resource given to NPCs in anything near parity with PCs) *) and while almost all PC class grants spellcasting, relatively few NPCs are spellcasters Do you like it? (I obviously love the simplicity as a DM) Does it pose any problems? (Even though I love it, it does tend to fuel any elitist tendencies of players since their characters so quickly overshadow even so-called competent NPCs. Either the heroes do it or it simply doesn't get done - there are only PCs and monsters that stick out above the masses) [/QUOTE]
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