DM tips on planning encounters...

[SweeneyTodd]

Thank you, Henry. That makes me feel better about the fact that what you described is the most I've ever done to stat up an NPC.

 

[Henry]

Thank you, Henry. That makes me feel better about the fact that what you described is the most I've ever done to stat up an NPC.

Yeah, the hubbub that some people go through about how complex it is to stat out an NPC leaves me to wonder how they statted their NPC's back in previous editions. I NEVER came up with every nonweapon proficiency, every stat, wrote down every ability - and I certainly didn't start when 3E came along.

 

[MarauderX]

Wow. 2-5 hours isn't long? All I can say is good job!

Thanks. That's just for a game that meets every 2 weeks, and is never a solid 5 hours of game prep. 1/2 hour here, replot a map there, cut, paste & change stats, that kind of time. It also includes spending time for filling out extra areas in a map for future adventures, NPC changes and timeline adjustments. Oh, and XP. Players hate when you don't have time for XP.