Do you use NPC classes!?!

dekrass

Explorer
I just want to know how many people out there really use them, especially the commoner. I tend to want my NPC's to be able to do things aside from one or two skills. It just doesn't make sense to me that an average person can't stump his toe and survive. My main problem is, of course, with the commoner. I almost never use them. The only NPC classes in my campaigns are expert and aristocrat, and they're used sparingly.

One of my players and I had a conversation about this, and we agreed that it would be nice if they got rid of the whole concept in 3.5.
Sorry, I'm rambling.

I'd like to hear the opinions of others on this.
 

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I actually have all my players select an NPC class as their first level class. I use it to help define the character's background. This campaign I have 4 aristocrats, 1 adept, 1 warrior. Last campaign I had 1 aristocrat, 1 expert, 1 commoner. I like the flavor it adds.

As for my NPCs, I don't use them often. If they're only worth levels of commoner, they're probably not worth statting up in the first place. I used warrior a bit when my PCs were really low level (1st-3rd or so), but after that, I tend to use fewer PC classes, rather than more NPC classes.

Then again, I'm a more free-form type of DM. I don't stat anything out unless I really have to. :D
 

In theory, I would use any of them if the situation warranted. In practice I have only statted warriors, aristocrats, adepts and experts. Keep in mind that the NPC classes are really what 99% of your campaign world's humanoid inhabitants should consist of - the eleven player character classes are intended to be far more rare and special individuals: heroes.

A friend and DM buddy of mine recently came up with a 3-tier point of view regarding NPCs in his campaign world:

Tier 3 are the masses of common folk - artisans, soldiers, milkmaids, etc. These people are built entirely from the NPC classes and are, by and large, ordinary people trying to live their lives.

Tier 2 are the uncommon NPCs who serve a special function in society: an NPC knight might be a multiclass aristocrat/fighter, a renowned sage might be an expert (sage)/wizard, and a veteran housecarl might be a ranger/warrior. These folks are capable and above the common man in expertise at their profession, but are ultimately lacking the spark of true greatness.

Tier 1 are people built entirely from the player character classes, from which a very small percentage of PCs and NPCs should fully hail. These people have the potential to do very significant things in the world, for good or ill.
 

I use Warriors every now and then as goons. Experts, aristocrats and adepts see a bit of use as well. Commoners don't see much use, mostly because commoners aren't likely to be the kind of people that need stats.
 

Commoner: Yes - particularly for people who are ..well.. common. Joe average farmer, the bartender or serving girl and so on. One thing I do a bit differently that straight by-the-book, however. If a commoner has does something that's activly physical, like say a farmer - I'll give them d6 hd rather than the normal d4. If they do something that's less physically demanding, a tanner for instance, then they get the d4.

Expert: Yes - I actually really like the Expert class, because it lets you have the highly skilled people who can do lots of things, etc and they don't need to be Rogues. I also like the customizeable skill list. In my campaign most clergymen arn't Clerics, they're Experts - theologists, scholars, or people who just want to spread the word. One of the long time NPC associates of the party was one of these Church Experts, and the PCs just adored him to bits; sure he wasn't that good in a fight, and he couldn't cast spells, but he had more knowledge skills than you could shake a stick at, was a solid diplomat, could read people like an open book, spoke and read a ton of languages, and as they later found out, was a better practitioner at Use Magic Device than anyone of the PCs hands down.

Adept: Yes, but sparingly - I took a note from Planescape: Torment for Adepts. People that were 'sorta-spellcasters' .. midwives, gypsy fortune tellers, villiage healers, people with a magical talent that's really only in one field - those folks are Adepts. For things like Humanoid Tribal Shaman, etc - those I use PC classes for. But if there's a guy who is a magical tailor.. and magical tailoring runs in his family, and he's a darn good magical tailor. He's an adept. One of the changes I did with Adepts is that, like Experts, I made their spell list customizeable rather than just one standardized thing. So if you're a villiage healer, you don't know how to chuck lightning bolts. If you're a fortune teller, you probably can't heal. If you're a magical tailor, you probably know spells that you use to enchant your clothes with.

Warrior: No. I don't like the 'sorta fighter but not' class. At least with the other NPC classes, they have an individual niche that they fill. In my games, if there's something that calls for a Man At Arms, he's most likely to be just a Fighter, though not necessarily a high level one. As a guideline, most caravan guards, town watchmen, thugs, pirates, etc range from 1st to 5th level, and elites.. the royal guardsmen, the temple knights, the guildleader's right-hand-man, those tend to be 6th to 9th. Varies by situation.

Aristocrat: No. While I like the idea of the Aristocrat class, I don't like how they executed it. Instead of the class printed in the DMG, I use the Courtier class from the Rokugan Campaign Setting book. If a nobleman's just a limp-wristed court lackey.. he's probably just all Courtier. If he's the stout-hearted good guy to have at your back, commands respect from his soldiers kind of nobleman, he's probably got a couple levels of Fighter under his belt in addition to being a Courtier.
 


Lord Pendragon said:
I actually have all my players select an NPC class as their first level class. I use it to help define the character's background. This campaign I have 4 aristocrats, 1 adept, 1 warrior. Last campaign I had 1 aristocrat, 1 expert, 1 commoner. I like the flavor it adds.

I did the same, but used the apprentice rules DMG p. 41. Solves the ugly problem of everyone wanting to pick rogue for the skillpoints or barbarian for the hitpoints at first level.

Besides, I like the wizards in my group to be able to cast at least one CLW cuz they started as Adept (Expert apprentice wizards have high alchemy for salves).

About the aristocrat... I use the Kalamar noble system with Divine Protection. Nobles get one bonus feat (Inheritance: more starting money, or some social bonus feats) and some abilities depending on their rank of nobility.
 

When using printed products, I just accepts whatever their choice, which includes all of the 5 NPC classes. But really, I never used those stats at all, they are just there for reference in the unlikely case the players come up with something unexpected that may require them (such as trying to kill the bartender).

For the same reason that I never really need those stats, I just assume everyone around is a Commoner. Still, I don't even write them down unless I need them on the fly, in which case I roll a d4 for the HP, assume 10 in every ability, and basically make them Commoner 1. If there was a "Human" entry in the MM I'd rather use that with no levels.

When an NPC interacts seriously with the PCs I only use PC classes, frequently of lower level if friendly and of higher level if villains.

And yes I think NPC classes are redundant and don't even make much sense after level 1. If the PCs want to go and buy shoes at the greatest shoemaker's shop in the world, don't expect me to flesh out a 10th level Expert and roll Craft(Shoemaking) checks
:rolleyes:. The only possible use I can think of NPC classes if for those "friendly" NPCs when PCs are level 1.

I would be greatful if you could anyway suggest me more uses for NPC classes, because it's quite a part of the DMG that I paid for but never used.:)
 

Li Shenron said:
I would be greatful if you could anyway suggest me more uses for NPC classes, because it's quite a part of the DMG that I paid for but never used.:)
Try this:
  • Make most NPC spellcasters adepts, espcially those from rural or wilderness places.
  • A friendly sage on a particular subject is most likely an expert with several knowledge skills regarding his area of expertise and skill focus (particular knowledge skill). Some might multiclass adept, bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer or wizard as well.
  • Make most NPC thieves experts, not rogues. Ditto for many other NPC professons, such as sailor, merchant, scout, administrator, healer, blacksmith, etc.
  • Make most members of the nobility and royalty artistocrats or multiclass aristocrat/xxx.
  • Make most soldiers and guards warriors.
  • Make all other NPCs at least 1st-level commoners; a particularly old commoner could be 2nd or 3rd level.
 
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