Do you use NPC classes!?!

[Chimera]

I'm with Derulbaskul on limits to the NPC classes, except that I will allow the occasional higher (6th-9th) level warrior. These are tough sob's that are just too lazy or stupid to put the effort into acquiring feats.

I use Adepts sparingly, them being the witchdoctor/healer/hedge wizards of isolated tribal groups.

Most people are commoners.

 

[Argus Decimus Mokira]

Hey

In my FR campaign, I make use of all the NPC classes.

Specifically, adepts form the lower echelons of the churchs, while clerics fill the roles of missionaries, defenders, upper hierarchy, and "fund" gathering. When the PCs roll into town, the common church of whatever deity is led by a mid-level cleric who may or may not have a lower level cleric apprentice in tow, and several adepts of low to mid level. A rare high level adept is mixed in to represent an older clergy member. The bulk of the healing is performed by these guys. Adepts also fill the traditional roles of midwives, witches in the woods, humanoid tribe witchdoctors, demon worshipping cultists, and anyone else I feel should be able to cast divine spells without necessarily having weapon or armor training, or the ability to channel energy. Oh, for the record, my adepts have spell lists based on the domains of their deity ie their first level spells are the first level spells from each domain of their diety, with whatever filler is necessary. They are also proficient with the same weapons as wizards, not simple weapon proficiency, and have no armor pros.

Warriors are fairly common, as I maintain that the only people who become Fighters are those who have trained extensively (and I mean extensively) in a military, with a mercenary company, or at a weapon academy. Thus the great majority of fighter types are, in fact, warriors or warrior/fighters. The town militia, city guard, standing army/mercenary grunt, street tough, town bully, sheriff, woodsman, besieged farmer on the frontier, castle guardsman, bodyguard, and anyone else with lesser weapons training most likely has a few levels of warrior.

Aristocrat is a fine class, though I have removed the weapon and armor proficiencies. As someone already mentioned, not every courtier should be able to wear havy armor and wield a greatsword. Instead, they have simple, rapier or longsword (depending on geographic location), and pistol or longbow (again, geographic location). They also get simple armor and shields. I removed some skills, mainly to stop an aristocrat from stepping too much on the rogue's toes, and added the 1st level abilities of the Courtier class from theRokugan campaign setting, split over the first 5 levels.

Expert and Commoner are untouched.

I do not stat every Joe Bob and Gary of my campaign world, however, my PCs tend to conscript locals in their fights. They also like hearing the dice rolling behind the DM screen when the ask a sage what he knows about what, instead of me decided what to tell them. Frankly, I concur. Because of this, the ability to stat up NPCs which are obviously weaker than PCs is a boon to me.

Thanks
-Matt

 

[Shin Okada]

*Adepts

I use this class often. Remember they are divine casters and thus don't suffer from arcane spell failure check, but still can use combat spells such as Sleep, Mirror Image or Lightning Bolt. Adept/Warrior or Adept/Fighter can be a good foe. Also, you can add this class to some monsters which are wearing armor.

In my current campaign, may foe is an evil religious knightly order. They are mainly composed of Clerics and Cleric/Fighters (and Blackguards at higher level). They also have Adept/Fighters and such. They are wearing full-plate and thus PC cannot distinguish them from other members of the order. But they suddenly cast Sleep (at lower level) or Lightning Bolt. This is a good surprise. Also, many of them are carrying Divine Scrolls which non of PCs can use (say, Divine Scroll of Lightning Bolt). This is a good way to annoy players

*Aristocrats

I use this class often to make Noble NPCs. In my campaign, most of the nobles are from this class. Some born knights are pure Aristocrats, some are Aristocrat/Warrior, yet others are Aristocrat/Fighter or something. In a recent adventure, the main villain was Aristocrat 8/Black Guard 5.

*Commoners

Well, I am using town making rule as the guideline. Thus most of the people are 1st level commoners. There are some high-level commoners, too (an oldest farmer in the village?). In most cases, their stats are not so important. But sometimes, I apply template such as Lycanthrope to them, to create monsters.

*Experts

Same way as commoners. But not so numerous.

*Warriors

In my campaign, most of the soldiers are warriors. Also, I often add Warrior class to some monsters. By CR rule, Ogre/Fighter4 and Ogre/Warrior5 are both CR6 monsters. So indeed Warrior is not a bad choice for a DM.

 

[Tonguez]

Commoner Class is pointless - Peasant mooks with 1 HP and one skill don't need stats!

Expert - Often: anyone with a trade is an Expert including Farmers. Farmers are Experts (not Commoners)

Warrior - Sometimes (town guards etc): got a generic stat block and just change the name and personality

Adepts - Often: everything from Midwife to Village Shaman to High Priest of the Lost Temple of Doom.

Aristocrat - this is a PC class isn't it?

 

[Nifft]

Experts & Aristocrats -- both with some extra beef, and comparable to PC classes.

-- Nifft

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

I use NPC classes a lot for NPCs. I also tend to multiclass my NPCs a lot. A gnome who learned the family trade and served several years in the militia might be an Expert 1/Warrior 2. Her brother who also learned the trade but dedicated himself fully to militia training and is now a lieutenant might be Expert 1/Fighter 2.

My take on the individual classes:

Commoner: drifter, hired laborer, or a character without a lot of drive, motivation, or training. When I stat NPCs who are supposed to be protected by PCs but not show them up in any fights, I find commoner levels quite helpful too. A Commoner 2/Cleric 2 can make a believable wise old man who joined the clergy in his twilight years without risking showing up any PCs with his combat competence (especially if I give him low str and con).

Expert: Probably half of the NPCs I give classes are experts of one variety or other. Expert levels round out the life experience of older NPCs who I want to give skills but not first class powers (a lot of priests are something like Expert 3/Cleric 3). They also make good skilled craftsmen and leaders.

Aristocrat: This is another class I've used a fair amount. A lot of my NPCs are fighter/Aristocrats or Expert/Aristocrats. High priests might well be Expert 2/Cleric 3/Aristocrat 6 or something similar--depending upon the level of magic in the world.

Warrior: I use warrior levels mostly to give NPCs weapons and armor training. So, if all adults between 14 and 30 serve in the militia, most people in that town will either have one level of warrior by their mid 20's or the militia training feat (an FR feat adapted to my home campaign).

Adept: I have to admit I've never used this class. I tend to just make spellcasters either clerics or wizards (although if I start running another campaign, I'm considering using variant druids quite a bit--perhaps even making them the default "wizards" or the world).

 

[WattsHumphrey]

I'd use Commoner if the PCs were low level and someone was attacking them... beyond that, common people just die when someone wounds them at all severely . There's no need for 20 levels there, IMO.

I don't use Aristocrats. See above.

I don't use Adepts. I agree that Wizards/Sorcys and Clerics are special, and I'll use them whenever needed.

I don't use experts as NPCs, but if a PC'd like to level as one, that's all fine with me.

I do use Warriors occasionally. This's because they can be double the level of the PCs while remaining at their CR. (lvl6 warrior is CR3, IIRC). This allows me to throw tough fighters at the party without having the fighters load up on equipment that the PCs get.

 

[Staffan]

Actually, NPC class CR is 1 less than "regular" CR, not half.

 

[WattsHumphrey]

Actually, NPC class CR is 1 less than "regular" CR, not half.

Aah, if that's correct, then my bad. Either way, it lets me make much (or somewhat, if I follow the rules properly) higher level characters that equate to close to the same CR.

 

[Malicene]

Npc class is very handy IMO.
some innkeeper can be commoner/expert with a few level.... the thing is I was fed up by 2ed due to that, there was a point were stories were full of high level you don't see in low level (even in the same town) now I use the dmg town generator and soonly you find you have 2 x 8th commoner (for example) . a commoner 8th can be a good Innkeeper, and low level character will not mess with him (even a commoner)

power players willn't choose npc classes but, I did it for characters and it add a lot of flavor to char.

(Aristocrat is a good pick to start : HD8/good skills/armor prof/martial weapon prof... for a spellcaster it's a good start in life)