Do you roll NPC/Monster stats?

[Empirate]

The very special NPCs I build from the ground up, using the same point buy method for ability scores that the PCs get. Keeps things fair, although my optimization knowledge goes a few levels deeper than that of my players. I usually use that knowledge to make the NPC interesting, not overpowering, though.

For example, the mass murderer/contract killer they repeatedly ran into always seemed to have superior knowledge of where they were, what they had been up to etc. That was because he wasn't just a regular Ranger, but a Wildshape variant Ranger, who had been keeping tabs in various aviary forms. His wildshape ability meant he could dump his physical scores (he was of old age besides), improving his social, knowledge etc. skills. He also made massive use of poison with the appropriate feats etc. Rangers, usually not terrifying, and poison, usually just annoying, thus mixed to make for a memorable, challenging NPC antagonist.


For run-off-the-mill opponents, I usually take the numbers straight from the MM, or for NPCs, I make stats ad-hoc. For example, I might decide that these are really pathetic goons they're fighting, human Warriors 1 with Str 12 and no armor or weapons besides clubs. HP I'll just set to 5, and that's all the stats I'll probably need: minions, one-hit-kills, essentially. Or in another case, there might be an enemy Druid 6 lurking somewhere, whose only job is to throw around a Sudden Maximized Call Lightning on a stormy day. Since that NPC's best attacking options will likely be to summon forth lightning with every standard action he gets, I only need to know that, and that he will wildshape into Desmodu Hunting Bat form once discovered and attempt to fly away.


Thus most of the time I don't need very many stats at all. I'm familiar enough with the game to feel comfortable assigning stats ad hoc in the middle of things. Important antagonists I like to build from the ground up, on the other hand. Rolling though? Never enters into it, too much hassle, and in the end, you might be stuck with a result that doesn't represent what you want.
DMs want control. Rolling is giving away that control. Not good.

 

[billd91]

For faceless NPC/creatures, I generally use the stats as in the Monster Manuals - I figure any variation would average out reasonably well. Though if I want to create some weaker creatures, minion style, I'll reduce the hit points to 1 per hit die.

For significant NPCs, I pick their stats and roll their hit points.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I don't usually roll for PC stats, so I typically generate NPCs the same way I generate PCs, essentially an unweighted point buy. Occasionally when I do roll stats for PCs, I do the same for NPCs, often for non-D&D games.

I do not use the monster manual stats as is for anything. I look at those as a template to build on, not an actual functioning creature. Any creature worth giving stats to at all is worth giving customized ability scores, feat/spell/item selection, and so on.

 

[the Jester]

GM's: when you're prepping your game, do you roll up stats for NPCs and monsters? Or, do you use the averaged stats shown in the monster entry or the standard arrays for humanoid entries?

Depends on the npc or monster. I rarely roll; sometimes choose; and often just go with the default, assuming that the monster isn't a recurring villain.

Then again, I also sometimes take slightly different approaches; for instance, one 1st level 3.5 party's first major adversary was an old ogre; I slapped the age adjustments for venerable on it, which made it a tough but beatable first level encounter.

Sometimes I'll choose- like, maybe this one bad guy is an otyugh, but an especially bright one, so I give him +3 to Int and Wis over racial average.