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<blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 4564214" data-attributes="member: 29398">While monsters can, I think, be designed pretty much any way the game system or the individual DM wants (in part because monsters aren't there to be played as PCs anyway, so as long as they're consistent with themselves it really doesn't matter), to me the problems arise when NPCs and PCs of the same race (e.g. Elf or Human) follow different rules...mostly dealing with consistency:1. What if an NPC suddenly becomes a PC, or at least a party member?&nbsp; This can easily happen - party meets a foe, but charms it instead of killing it; it sticks around after the charm wears off because it has managed to fit in, and runs with the party for several adventures.&nbsp; Does it have to be redesigned?&nbsp; And if so, where's the internal consistency in that?2. How do you handle situations where NPCs fight each other while the PCs watch?&nbsp; Do the rules change once PCs get involved?&nbsp; Again, if they do, where's the internal consistency?While Stalker0's analysis is very good, I think it starts one step after the original problem is in place: it accepts without challenge the 3e-4e paradigm of overly-complex PC design.&nbsp; If you simplify PC design, then having simple-while-internally-consistent NPC/monster design is a snap.Lanefan</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Lanefan, post: 4564214, member: 29398"] While monsters can, I think, be designed pretty much any way the game system or the individual DM wants (in part because monsters aren't there to be played as PCs anyway, so as long as they're consistent with themselves it really doesn't matter), to me the problems arise when NPCs and PCs of the same race (e.g. Elf or Human) follow different rules...mostly dealing with consistency: 1. What if an NPC suddenly becomes a PC, or at least a party member? This can easily happen - party meets a foe, but charms it instead of killing it; it sticks around after the charm wears off because it has managed to fit in, and runs with the party for several adventures. Does it have to be redesigned? And if so, where's the internal consistency in that? 2. How do you handle situations where NPCs fight each other while the PCs watch? Do the rules change once PCs get involved? Again, if they do, where's the internal consistency? While Stalker0's analysis is very good, I think it starts one step after the original problem is in place: it accepts without challenge the 3e-4e paradigm of overly-complex PC design. If you simplify PC design, then having simple-while-internally-consistent NPC/monster design is a snap. Lanefan [/QUOTE]

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