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<blockquote data-quote="Stalker0" data-source="post: 8092039" data-attributes="member: 5889">Your right that there is a level of believability. Sometimes 4e crossed that line (which I think is literally THE criticism of 4e, its obsession with mechanics over flavor).But used reasonably, it enhances the world, no detracts.For example, in my world master craftsman don't need high levels to have that skill. Not every city's master blacksmith can just pick up a hammer and suddenly fight monsters like a high level PC could. Why?...because NPCs don't work the same.Another example, in my standard setting, NPCs use more gritty healing rules (my PCs use the standard), and don't have as many spells per day. And this is something that is commented on in game when NPCs travel with PC groups, noting the specialness of the PCs. This both makes the players feel special, but it also helps explain while most adventuring groups don't adventure nonstop....and why tons of spells are not available everywhere they go. Most people just don't have the &quot;get up and go&quot; of a PC...that is a special quality.But that is all secondary to my real point.... the actual NPC used in an encounter. If I want a final encounter with a mad wizard to take place, and I want to give the wizard double the normal hitpoints because I want to ensure he's actually a challenge....I don't need a feat, spell, template, etc etc like 3e encourages. I just DO IT! And I don't have to ensure he has the exact same amount of spell slots as the equivalent level PC has....I just give him some spells for the fight...and done. And if you want some flavor for it, I can have the wizard merging with stone around him, or being pumped with arcane energy from the room, or whatever.... it doesn't take a lot of flavor to reasonably explain why an NPC can do something for a short time that PCs don't normally do.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Stalker0, post: 8092039, member: 5889"] Your right that there is a level of believability. Sometimes 4e crossed that line (which I think is literally THE criticism of 4e, its obsession with mechanics over flavor). But used reasonably, it enhances the world, no detracts. For example, in my world master craftsman don't need high levels to have that skill. Not every city's master blacksmith can just pick up a hammer and suddenly fight monsters like a high level PC could. Why?...because NPCs don't work the same. Another example, in my standard setting, NPCs use more gritty healing rules (my PCs use the standard), and don't have as many spells per day. And this is something that is commented on in game when NPCs travel with PC groups, noting the specialness of the PCs. This both makes the players feel special, but it also helps explain while most adventuring groups don't adventure nonstop....and why tons of spells are not available everywhere they go. Most people just don't have the "get up and go" of a PC...that is a special quality. But that is all secondary to my real point.... the actual NPC used in an encounter. If I want a final encounter with a mad wizard to take place, and I want to give the wizard double the normal hitpoints because I want to ensure he's actually a challenge....I don't need a feat, spell, template, etc etc like 3e encourages. I just DO IT! And I don't have to ensure he has the exact same amount of spell slots as the equivalent level PC has....I just give him some spells for the fight...and done. And if you want some flavor for it, I can have the wizard merging with stone around him, or being pumped with arcane energy from the room, or whatever.... it doesn't take a lot of flavor to reasonably explain why an NPC can do something for a short time that PCs don't normally do. [/QUOTE]

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