Do the PCs follow the same rules as everyone else?

[Eye Tyrant]

I voted "No", only because PCs get Action Points and NPCs do not. However...

My PCs also get max hp with the first hit die and a minimum of 1/2 thereafter. I counter that by giving all my bad guys (from lowly Kobold to Major NPC) 80% of their max HP, and that is only to expedite their creation (I don't want to have to roll for ALL of them).

No bonus Feats or Skill Points for anyone...

 

[Ysgarran]

Well, I guess I have varying rules for the NPCs.

The majority of the NPCs get a lesser point buy and pick classes from the NPC class list (i.e. Adept, Warrior, etc).

The NPCs that get character classes are treated on an equal footing with all of the PCs. Same point buy, rolled hit points rules, pretty much exactly the same.

Major NPCs, which are actually very few, get a supperior point buy and also get more equipment than what is considered 'normal' for their level.

Ysgarran.

 

[Nikodemos]

Life to you, Crothian. And everlasting glory.

I don't believe in creating NPC's, with special stats and abilities, that the PC's cannot also gain if they had access to the same environment and circumstances. Obviously racial abilities withstanding. Whatever a PC, can do so can a NPC, and visa vesa.


Yours Niko

 

[J-Buzz]

I am not the head DM so I did not make the rules on PC's, but we take what we roll.

However, when I guest DM, I usally take the avg hp's, but when I do roll for monster hp's I re-roll 1's always but don't tell the others that...

 

[the Jester]

Yes, they're the same.

There are sometimes setting-dependent differences, such as specific npcs that have weird traits due to background stuff (though that's happened with pcs as well). Also, sometimes there are cultural differences; for instance, though the pcs are strictly limited to a short list of available feats in my current low-magic campaign experiment, npcs from the next country over have a different list. But fundamentally, they're the same.

 

[Arnwyn]

I voted "equal" because for the most part, both PCs and NPCs IMC all follow the same rules. However, I'm not impressed by your false dichotomy/poorly worded poll, because there are exceptions.

For example, NPCs don't follow the exact same character generation rules as PCs - in terms of ability scores for BBEGs, I make their stats whatever I want; I use point buy for "regular" villain NPCs. (PCs IMC roll for their ability scores.)

Further, NPCs have access to feats, spells, etc from certain books that I don't give PCs access to (e.g. BoVD).

 

[tetsujin28]

In most cases, I prefer exceptional PCs over NPCs, so there are few NPCs that use the full rules set like the PCs get. But, it does happen on occasion, and often the big baddie is better than any single PC.

That's how I tend to do it, too.

 

[Azul]

I voted no, but I actually treat PCs and NPCs the same except in one respect - death and dying rules. We use house rules that are allow more lenience in death by hp loss but inflict long term injury. PCs and significant NPCs use the more lenient rules. Mooks and minor NPCs use rules closer to stock PHB rules. My threshold for "significant NPC" is "was he worth fleshing out enough that I named him?". All named NPCs and monsters get the same rules as the PCs. This pretty much covers the BBEG and his lieutenants. Once they drop below zero hp, mooks are out of it. PCs and BBEGs might manage a desperate maneuver or two.

 

[Duganson]

Equal, of course, my only concession is that many NPCs have NPC class levels, making them weaker.

 

[Gez]

No, the NPCs are special.

PCs aren't, they follow the rules.

NPCs are, they just follow my whim.

Still try to make them rule-legit statwise, but I do not care much about things like stat-rolling method, experience aquisition and expense, wealth according to level, and prerequisites for feats or prestige classes when these prerequisites are there just for padding.

(I mean, saying "in order to become a Spellcasting Spellcaster, one has to be able to cast spell" is an OK prerequisite, while "in order to become a Frenzying Raging Berserker, one has to have at least 8 ranks in Knowledge (Astronomy) because the class is so powerful we want barbarians to multi into a weak class combination or just wait a lot otherwise it would be munchkin" isn't.)