Do you build NPCs to live or to die?

[Dannyalcatraz]

It depends upon the NPC.

Commoners, Mooks & Minions? AC, HP and equipment will be as variable as their stature would suggest (IOW, regulars would have standardized equipment, brigands would have a hodge-podge). I may or may not fudge/nerf their rolls for storytelling purposes.

Important NPCs? They're set up to be normal for their type. If that means tough, they'll be tough. If that means paper kittens, then paper kittens they shall be. I may or may not fudge/nerf their rolls for storytelling purposes.

BBEGs? Tough. Intelligent. Crafty. Prepared. They'll use equipment and tactics sufficient to let the players know they've been in a fight, up to and including a possible TPK. This also means that they will NOT get fudged or nerfed unless it is absolutely critical to do so, and that's rare.

How rare? In a campaign I ran a few years ago, the players conspired while I wasn't around. They tracked down the BBEG to a meeting with a Master Weaponsmith, and approached him. (This was an unscripted encounter- I run a pretty big sandbox style of game.) In fact, it was an ambush...and a well thought out one. On top of everything else, the party rolled obscenely well and the NPCs couldn't get out of single digits. The BBEG went down in just a couple of rounds. AND they escaped the BBEG's guards with barely a scratch!

All of a sudden, I had no BBEG for the final encounter of the story arc...

I was flummoxed, and with the players laughing their collective [DONKEYS] off, I called the evening short so I could regroup.

Fortunately when we reconvened 2 weeks later, the BBEG's consort turned out to be nearly his equal in matters arcane...and she and her entourage rolled a bit better, resulting in a nice, dramatic encounter with plenty of give & take.

I didn't fudge rolls for the sake of the plot- the players planning and execution (heh, nice choice of words) was rewarded- even though it meant more work for me.

 

[Slife]

Wait, you guys build your NPCs? I just jot down a level and class...

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

pffft.

It's not my job to figure out how to punch the guy on the back of a dinosaur.

PS

The fun is seeing the PCs stumble cluelessly around trying to find a way to punch the guy in the face, or at least somewhereseeing the PCs cleverly finding a way to punch the guy in the face!

---

NPCs that are meant to be fought (and don't just get accidentally in a firefight) are built to die, but preferably in an interesting way.
If an NPC is supposed to enter combat, I build him to be interesting there. High defense might be a way to do this (but I think, a cool combat trick - even if defensive in nature - is a better approach).

Outside of combat purposes, I build NPCs to fill their role in the story or world.
In 3E, I used to shuffle skill points around to match the NPCs skills to the story and past I had in mind for him. "He's a leader, he needs diplomacy, even if it's cross class!"
These days, I just decide the skills he is trained in and maybe a skill he deserves "special" training.

Assuming I have stats at all and don't just guesstimate stuff...

 

[mach1.9pants]

Combat Do you build NPCs to live or to die?

Mostly to die, but occasionally some to serve beer to heroes.

 

[Quartz]

Ideally, I'd like every other boss fight to result in a PC death, but not a TPK.

No thanks. IMHO they should be >< that close to dying, but with skill, guile, and decent dice, they should prevail.

 

[Aus_Snow]

I build my NPCs to live. That doesn't mean "to be as hard is possible to kill", but "Build them not like a 5 round combat encounter, but as something which lives in the game world and has a place in it".

Indeed,

I build npcs as part of the world.

yes.

To the extent that any are 'built' in the first place, they are made as PCs are made. In other words, as real, living beings, with lives and history all their own. Which, of course, ties into the real, living world, and its history.

And on the specifics of defence / toughness? Well, whatever suits the character or being best, and represents their skills, background, training, preferences, attitude, personality and so on.

 

[Nebulous]

For me, it totally depends on the PC in question, so their build can change from person to person. Right now we have Splug running through Thunderspire with a 5th level party, but he doesn't have heroic levels. The PCs LOVE Splug and want to keep him alive, so he is only used in strategic situations and otherwise kept out of the forefront of battle (if possible).

Usually though i guess i design NPCS to bite it pretty quickly.

 

[wedgeski]

I... don't really think about it in those terms. I cook NPC's based on personality and role in the game (ally, antagonist, bystander, etc.), and stat them up only if it's obvious I'm going to need to, or later, if I unexpectedly find it necessary.

I'm not a sandbox DM and NPC's aren't ants in my antfarm. If an NPC is not going to be encountered by the PC's at some point (a judgement call which is often difficult to make), I need to employ my limited prep time elsewhere.

 

[Janx]

I was thinking about this assumption awhile ago. Phrased differently, consider:

Do you run your combat encounters with the expectation that the PCs will be victorious?

It's not quite the same thing as the OP, but there are parallels.

As the GM, if you assumed the PCs would be defeated (at each encounter), there'd be little reason to plan more encounters. Therefore, at least unconciously, the GM expects the PCs to win.

By default, that means the GM expects the NPCs (in planned combat encounters) to die.

 

[Kask]

By default, that means the GM expects the NPCs (in planned combat encounters) to die.

Umm, no. The PCs could flee. The NPC could flee. They could parley. Both sides could take casualties and separate. Lot's of different scenarios are possible.

I guess if the DM just sets the story and the PCs are "along for the ride" it would be this way...