Do you use Npc classes for your Npcs?

[doghead]

I said "most of the time". Like Sammael, I don't tend to stat out NPC's unless really necessary, just using a class level note to give me an idea of their basic abilities. The veteran town guard Corporal is Warrior 3 Expert 2 for example. Key skills are at max ranks, other common skills are around half that. Key stats are around +1 or +2.

I will use PC levels to give the character specific abilities. Spellcasting is the most common. I don't think I have ever used the adept.

thotd

 

[pogre]

I use NPC Designer, so all NPCs get stat blocks though as for what class it really depends on what fits best.

Big ditto.

 

[Sejs]

"On occasion", where appropriate.

Commoners, all the time. They're the fill of average, day-to-day people who live and get by in the world.

Experts, all the time. They're they broad range of people who are skilled in whatever field but certainly don't fit the mould of being a bard or a rogue. There are plenty.

Aristocrats, absolutly. The overwhelming majority of upper class folk are either exclusivly arisocrats, or have levels in both arisocrat and some other class. Brash nobleman who has a rather nasty repuation for his skill in a duel, ala Thibault from Romeo & Juliet, would be an Aristocrat/Fighter, Aristocrat/Swashbuckler, or similar.

Adepts, yes indeed. Though I'll admit I do use a house rule that states an adept has a fully customizable spell list in accordance with their concept. Adepts fill the roles of those various pseudo-magical people who wouldn't feel right as a member of another class. The wisewoman healer, the tailor who's the latest scion of his family's secret of making magical clothes, the witch who lives in the bog.

Warriors... eeh, occasionally. The rather weak distinction between fighter and fighter-that-sucks seems rather frail and artificial to me, so the class rarely sees the light of day. For most fighting men a small number of levels in fighter seems to make more sense than more levels in warrior. The other NPC classes do a good enough job justifying their own existance, the warrior does not fare so well.

 

[Blue]

I use them where people would advance in a non-XP gaining manner. So the retired knight was a paladin 7 / aristocrat 2 - he'd been in good circles for a decade or so, long enought to pick up a few levels of aristocrat. I use experts, aristocrats, and commoners often. I had one criminal who was an adept - that plot wasn't about a big fight, it was a murder mystery.

Cheers,
=Blue

 

[Nifft]

IMC, only two NPC classes exist: Expert and Aristocrat, but modified versions (as posted in House Rules). They get goodies that make them good at what they do, which is Not Adventure Much(tm).

Most NPCs that PCs will interact with have some NPC levels and some PC levels. The seasoned vetaran cum inn owner is probably a Bard 4 / Ftr1 / Expert 4, or perhaps a Rog 2 / Ftr 2 / Expert 5, depending on the circumstances of his seasoning. The barmaid is probably an Expert 4, unless she's got some other talents, in which case she may well be an Expert 3 / Rog 1.

Most shopkeepers who sell alchemical or magical items have about half their levels in some spellcasting class, and average level is 10th (total).

(Of course, my world is "high-magic". Most people on the Roads and Bridges Comission are Druids. Thus is the Kingdom kept in tune with Nature. )

-- N

 

[Imp]

The only NPC class I don't use much is Adept. I figure everyone who can wield magic in my setting is exceptional enough to merit a PC class.

I don't stat out characters unless I think they're going to get into significant fights (an abbreviated stat block: Marl of Halhaven, commoner 1, profession (farmer), hp 3, dex 13, cha 8 - covering strengths and weaknesses) and only if they're major do I do the full statblock thing. Too much stuff!

 

[Agent Oracle]

The grand majority of my NPC's have no stats, because I anticipate that those NPC's will never be involved in any more heavy lifting than the narrative allows. If I anticipate an NPC will be in combat at any time, I give them either the elete array, or I toss them a single 18.

if it's a BBEG, they will be fully statted, leveled, feated, and equipped.

 

[Drowbane]

on occasion...

Adept: Nope. If an NPC is cool enough to be a spellcaster, he/she/it might as well be a PC class.

Aristocrat: Never, why is this a class again?

Commoner: Never. Each of the creature types have racial hit dice defined in the MM... why can't Joe Turnup Farmer be a 2 HD Humanoid (Human)?

Expert: Yes, yes, and yes. Everybody who isn't an adventurer can easily be an expert. The skills selected (as well as personality portrayed) define the NPC.

Magewright: In Eberron, yes. In FR, sure. Greyhawk? Naw...

Warrior: Yes. This is a solid class for NPC grunts who lack the talent to be Fighters, Rangers, etc.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Lots of warriors. Mercenaries/grunts IMC are generally warriors. Other than that, not really.

 

[Li Shenron]

My first poll, so I'll try to make it good. In your game, do you use the npc classes for your npcs, or do you default to the regular PC classes?

I never use npc classes myself, I find the regular pc classes with less gold are good enough.

I never used them on purpose, but when they are used in printed products I do not bother to change them to other classes.

I could say that all unimportant NPCs IMC are 1st level Commoners, but truth is that they are basically unstatted or at best they have a couple of skill ranks assigned.