Victim
First Post
In most cases, NPCs should follow the rules.
The rules essentially provide the framework that the players use to understand the world. If NPCs don't follow the rules, then the players lack the basis for making informed decisions. People then stop thinking as hard, and their decisions and plans aren't as important because they don't have the information to make informed decisions. Trying to come up with an attack strategy or counter strategy would like trying to build on sand or mud. For example, players might notice that the guard in the first post appears relatively weak (2nd or 3rd level), but has a really high spot. To get a high spot that fast, they might assume that he has high wisdom - there by discouraging attempts to charm or sleep the guards (and why do all the guards have a higher starting wisdom than the cleric) - or some skill boosting feats, which reduces his potential fighting ability since he has alertness instead of weapon focus. Maybe both. Of course, since you winged everything, both those reasonable deductions could be false.
Also, not following the rules tends to lead to incompleteness. Take the AC 20, +5 attack, 20 HP, +10 spot guards mentioned earlier. No saving throw numbers, no information about flat footed or touch AC, etc. Where does his attack bonus come from? If he's disarmed and has to pull some random junk, what is new bonus? Without knowing if he has a masterwork weapon or weapon focus, you can't immediately tell what the attack bonus is. Does he die if hit with a 2 level enervation ray? I'm sure you get the idea. Yes, you could just make that stuff up in the game, but A) you're less likely to come up with a reasonable or fair number and B) it will take some time to make up a new number. "Oops, I didn't expect him to be disarmed. He'll have to use his dagger. Well, the Montarionan guards are mostly known for their use of polearms. Therefore, I guess a +3 is fair. (Of course, a 2 point difference in attack will require some kind of bonus on the polearm like masterworking, or a cursed/junky dagger. Players might start wondering where the extra +1 is coming from.) On the other hand, a fully statted guy will probably have an attack bonus listed for all his weapons, or the generic melee attack bonus. Considering how often people wonder how to speed fights up, I think it's important to put the work in ahead of time, to save time during the game.
Of course, things like new spells, new prestige classes, new monsters, templates, magic items, etc can all seem to break the rules. And players can still figure things out: the first time they come across a purple robed representative of the Flying Purple Fists Order, they'll be suprised. But others that they fight later will show the same or similar (higher level abilities of the PrC) tricks, so they can learn to fight them. Or, after they defeat the evil wizard, they learn his cool custom spell. Wishes and such provide other ways of pseudo rules bending.
The rules essentially provide the framework that the players use to understand the world. If NPCs don't follow the rules, then the players lack the basis for making informed decisions. People then stop thinking as hard, and their decisions and plans aren't as important because they don't have the information to make informed decisions. Trying to come up with an attack strategy or counter strategy would like trying to build on sand or mud. For example, players might notice that the guard in the first post appears relatively weak (2nd or 3rd level), but has a really high spot. To get a high spot that fast, they might assume that he has high wisdom - there by discouraging attempts to charm or sleep the guards (and why do all the guards have a higher starting wisdom than the cleric) - or some skill boosting feats, which reduces his potential fighting ability since he has alertness instead of weapon focus. Maybe both. Of course, since you winged everything, both those reasonable deductions could be false.
Also, not following the rules tends to lead to incompleteness. Take the AC 20, +5 attack, 20 HP, +10 spot guards mentioned earlier. No saving throw numbers, no information about flat footed or touch AC, etc. Where does his attack bonus come from? If he's disarmed and has to pull some random junk, what is new bonus? Without knowing if he has a masterwork weapon or weapon focus, you can't immediately tell what the attack bonus is. Does he die if hit with a 2 level enervation ray? I'm sure you get the idea. Yes, you could just make that stuff up in the game, but A) you're less likely to come up with a reasonable or fair number and B) it will take some time to make up a new number. "Oops, I didn't expect him to be disarmed. He'll have to use his dagger. Well, the Montarionan guards are mostly known for their use of polearms. Therefore, I guess a +3 is fair. (Of course, a 2 point difference in attack will require some kind of bonus on the polearm like masterworking, or a cursed/junky dagger. Players might start wondering where the extra +1 is coming from.) On the other hand, a fully statted guy will probably have an attack bonus listed for all his weapons, or the generic melee attack bonus. Considering how often people wonder how to speed fights up, I think it's important to put the work in ahead of time, to save time during the game.
Of course, things like new spells, new prestige classes, new monsters, templates, magic items, etc can all seem to break the rules. And players can still figure things out: the first time they come across a purple robed representative of the Flying Purple Fists Order, they'll be suprised. But others that they fight later will show the same or similar (higher level abilities of the PrC) tricks, so they can learn to fight them. Or, after they defeat the evil wizard, they learn his cool custom spell. Wishes and such provide other ways of pseudo rules bending.
