DUH DUH DUH! Re: Monsters and NPCs

[jester47]

I just realised somthing...

In the monster statblock- you can kick the abilities line. In fact, if you do, it makes it much easier to prepare the monster.

This is kind of retro (Diaglo will be proud, maybe) but if you want a creature to have a certain hide bonus, just give it that hide bonus, if you want it to have a certain attack bonus, go for it.

For a while I have been spending a lot of time reconciling skill points and abilites in Tomb of Abysthor. Then I was thinking about the book everyone else and how it did not cover demihumans... and then I was like- what does it matter-- these scores are within the range of reason -- why am I being so anal? Just assume the abilities fit the stats. Chuck the the abilities line...

Now, you might want to recalculate everything for special encounters, but for a fight, all you really need are the HP, Attack numbers, Movement, SAs, SQs, saves and whatever skills are needed to carry out whatever tactics you plan to use.

For exaple if the players are taking on a giant, and someone cast ray of enfeblement on the Giant, you just divide the str damage the Giant takes, divide by two and subtact the result from his attack numbers.

I am sure I am ranting about the obvious here, but man this will make random encounters that turn into fights so much easier... And I think things will lighten up once I get out of old 3.0 modules. Still its good to know.

Aaron.

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

This is kind of retro (Diaglo will be proud, maybe) but if you want a creature to have a certain hide bonus, just give it that hide bonus, if you want it to have a certain attack bonus, go for it.

Oh no! You'll summon Diaglo!

 

[diaglo]

do you want me to send you the conversion materials i did for the Adventure Path series. i convert it from the new editions to OD&D.

 

[Arnwyn]

I am sure I am ranting about the obvious here,

Indeed you are.

 

[Henry]

Been doing the same thing for years now, since 2000, and well before. It's one of my pet peeves when people tell me how unnecessarily complicated 3E is. I remind them of this very thing. On top of that, I have a quick 'n Dirty system for NPCs that works very well for me.

Based on the attested problem of NPC's and monsters taking too long to stat, I've often told people that minimalist statting is how I keep sane, and it's how we used to do PC's back in AD&D, as well. In the interest of those who don't believe me, I've listed them here.

DISCLAIMER:

This method will not work well for Major NPC’s, and Major Villains. If you want to give certain villains their utmost prowess, you may need to stat them fully. However, this will work for 80% of the “shock troops”, shop keepers, bellhops, stable boys, scullery maids, and senators and mayors your PC’s will ever meet.

1. Start with Name, Alignment, Class, Level, and details. Write these down. That’s it. No need to be specific if this is an NPC they won’t be fighting.
2. If you need a specific skill (this is a skill that is actually coming into play; NPC is bargaining with PC’s, NPC is repairing armor, etc), then figure if the NPC is just decent, or GOOD at that skill. If decent, assign 1 skill rank per level. If GOOD, assign skill ranks = level +3.
3. Don’t worry about attributes unless needed. If needed, figure which one or two scores the NPC is GOOD at, and assign scores of 13 or 15 to those. Everything else, assume average.
4. Don’t worry about FEATS until needed. Feats hide a multitude of sins.
5. If combat is needed, hit points are slightly above average (Level multiplied by half of hit die number; round up a bit). BAB is = level, 3/4ths level, or ½ level, based on class. Armor class is = armor.
6. If NPC is a monster, and you EXPECT to get into combat with them, write down AC, touch AC, speed, Melee and Ranged attack, damage, and hit points. That’s it. Figure out feats and skills JUST like you do for other NPC’s.

You will wind up with characters that are only 80% accurate. Will this matter? NO. But you will wind up with generic monsters and NPC’s that took you all of 30 seconds to stat, that are playable, and for whom your players won’t be able to tell the difference.

 

[KB9JMQ]

Henry,
Consider your mook recipe yoinked.

 

[BigRedRod]

One of the things that annoyed me endlessly about AD&D was that the only stat every monster was given was Intelligence.

I love that D&D finally sorted itself out and statted everything. In most situations in though it isn't exactly needed. When a statless NPC suffers ability damage or needs a stat check it isn't hard to make one up on the fly

 

[jester47]

Been doing the same thing for years now, since 2000, and well before. It's one of my pet peeves when people tell me how unnecessarily complicated 3E is. I remind them of this very thing. On top of that, I have a quick 'n Dirty system for NPCs that works very well for me.

Thanks for that Henry. It harkens back to NPC Essentials, except in the fact that you are fully statting for any expected combat. Your system, and my reinvention of the wheel of it, probably will work better.

Aaron.

 

[jester47]

One of the things that annoyed me endlessly about AD&D was that the only stat every monster was given was Intelligence.

I love that D&D finally sorted itself out and statted everything. In most situations in though it isn't exactly needed. When a statless NPC suffers ability damage or needs a stat check it isn't hard to make one up on the fly

Welcome to the boards.

Exactly. Still thats what I have "Everyone Else" for. Need a stat for nameless NPC lickity split? Its in there.

Aaron.

 

[diaglo]

One of the things that annoyed me endlessly about AD&D was that the only stat every monster was given was Intelligence.

I love that D&D finally sorted itself out and statted everything. In most situations in though it isn't exactly needed. When a statless NPC suffers ability damage or needs a stat check it isn't hard to make one up on the fly

and that's what annoyed me about ill prepared referees.

it didn't take much to do the same in AD&D either.