D&D: Enough with the Sample NPCs

[MerricB]

I don't run a Greyhawk campaign, so I would prefer to have one page of the straight-up prestige class RULES, without having to then get four whole page of stats about Trevor Goodheart, Ranger 6/Knotty Pine Ranger 4, and the Role of the Knotty Pine Rangers in the Greyhawk world.

I somehow must have missed buying that book.

The NPC stats take up about half a page in most instances, including the sample encounter notes.

The Prestige Class Description is a different beast altogether, one that runs to several pages.

Which don't you like?

 

[wedgeski]

Pre-generated NPC stats are for random encounters, exchangeable hirelings and unplanned "Hmm, I need a 5th level fighter -- guess I'd better look at the generic stats in the DMG" situations.

For serious NPCs, I don't grab some random schmoe's stats out of a book. I stat them out myself. I certainly wouldn't build an adventure around some random dude. (Well -- I can see someone doing it if they were REALLY short on time.)

There's no better way of explaining something than by example, and for DM's who justifiably complain at the length of time it takes to stat out complex NPC's, you can grab a pre-gen, tweak his stats to fit, add in the background which is appropriate to your campaign, and you're done. Much quicker than doing it from scratch when you have better things to be getting on with, and the more pre-gen's and examples there are in my source-books, the better the chances of finding what I need.

For me personally, and our opinions obviously differ on this, statting out NPC's - with a few exceptions like a major recurring villain or ally - is one of the dullest and least productive jobs in game prep. It's also one of the least productive tasks in terms of translating into fun at the table. The less time I have to devote to it, the happier I am.

 

[Psion]

I agree that they should not repeat abilities that were on the previous page. Green Ronin did this right with Advanced Bestiary.

That said, I disagree quite vigorously. AFAIAC, every template and every prestige class should have a sample so you can put it to use immediately.

 

[Psion]

For serious NPCs, I don't grab some random schmoe's stats out of a book. I stat them out myself.

Sure. But not all NPCs are going to be "serious NPCs". If an NPC is not going to appear in more than one session, I don't feel I should waste an hour creating an NPC that will be knocked out in one combat. But yet, I want the option to spice up my game with interesting and thematic PrCs and templates.

 

[Pinotage]

I don't know. I find them useful at times. Not because I use them, but because sometimes the NPC brings out the intent surrounding the idea, such as what is a good combination to use with this prestige class, what weapons work well etc. Often the designer has something in mind, and that doesn't always come out in the prestige class description.

Pinotage

 

[Von Ether]

I plan my adventures out, yet mostly use pregenerated NPCs. I don't have time to stat everything out. At the very least, the stat blocks offer me a starting place where I can tweak something to fit (and changing the NPCs race is child's play.)

In additon to that, I'm not above using the same stat block several times, changing the personality and description of the NPC. I get a lot of milage that way and it means the whole Greyhawk angle of the PrCs basicaly becomes filed off serial numbers.

Btw, when ever the next "We Greyhawk fans need more Greyhawk material" thread pops up, feel free to join.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Stat blocks are useful but for me, as others, perhaps more experienced GMs note, I could do without them. It's nice to have in a pinch and great for a way to easily insert the material into the game, and they've cut down on the repeitition of stat block information. (anyone remember when they fully described every ability that was just introduced on the previous page?)

 

[Mystery Man]

I disagree with the fist poster. Sample NPC's are a great resource! I will agree that they do NOT need to repeat abilities, a simple page number reference will suffice.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

As far as I'm concerned, sample NPCs are the perfect fodder for a web enhancement. I think I'd rather see that than the hole they eat in the page count.

 

[Someone]

I won´t use 99,9% of the pregenerated NPCs, so they are a waste of pages for me (though I understand that other DMs can find them useful) They should be gathered on another sourcebook or be made a web enhancement.