Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions
Help me break my 3e addiction: NPCs with levels
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="MrMyth" data-source="post: 4355389" data-attributes="member: 61155"><p>Which certainly works, though I would recommend using the NPC creation rules on DMG page 187. Only really takes a couple minutes longer, but less need to make any real guesswork or arbitrary decisions, compared to using the rules for designing your own monsters. </p><p> </p><p>Step One: Choose Level (20)</p><p> </p><p>Step Two: Choose Race and Class (Human Fighter)</p><p>Check the NPC listings on page 188 for what class features you get: NPC Fighters get Combat Challenge, so they can mark enemies, and take an attack as an Immediate Interrupt if their mark shifts or attacks someone other than them. </p><p> </p><p>Step Three: Determine Ability Scores</p><p>Start with the standard array, resulting in:</p><p>Str: 16, Con: 12, Dex: 14, Int: 11, Wis: 13, Cha: 10</p><p>Apply your Human bonus to Str, and then add in level bonuses: </p><p>Str: 23, Con: 13, Dex: 19, Int: 12, Wis: 14, Cha: 11</p><p> </p><p>Step Four: Determine Hit Points and Healing Surges: </p><p>Fighter NPCs have 8 per level, plus Con score, so: 173 hp. </p><p>As a paragon tier NPC, the character has 2 Healing Surges. </p><p>Note that, as an NPC, it can use Second Wind once per combat.</p><p> </p><p>Step Five: Calculate Defenses</p><p>AC and Defenses are calculated using the normal formula (10 + 1/2 level + relevant ability modifier), with armor or shields added in the usual fashion. Then it gains an NPC level bonus to represent various extra bonuses, magical or otherwise. For a 20th level character, this bonus is +7. Finally, add in any racial or class bonuses. Thus: </p><p>AC: 10 (base) + 10 (1/2 level) + 7 (Scale) + 7 (NPC bonus) = AC 34</p><p>Fort: 10 (base) + 10 (1/2 level) + 6 (Str) + 7 (NPC) + 1 (Human) + 2 (Fighter) = Fortitude 36</p><p>Ref: 10 (base) + 10 (1/2 level) + 4 (Dex) + 7 (NPC) + 1 (Human) = Reflex 32</p><p>Will: 10 (base) + 10 (1/2 level) + 2 (Wis) + 7 (NPC) + 1 (Human) = Will 30</p><p> </p><p>Step Six: Choose Powers</p><p>At Will Powers: Choose One (Reaping Strike). Choose a second, due to being Human (Cleave)</p><p>Encounter Powers: Choose one of the NPC's level, and a second one (at a lower level) if it is 11th level or higher. (Exacting Strike, Anvil of Doom)</p><p>Daily Powers: Choose one of the NPC's level, and a second one (at a lower level) if it is 21st level or higher. (Reaving Strike)</p><p>Utility Powers: Choose one of the NPC's level, and a second one (at a lower level) if it is 11th level or higher, and another if it is 21st level or higher. (Iron Warrior, Into the Fray)</p><p>Iron Warrior: Daily Power, Minor Action, Spend a Healing Surge to regain 2d6+44 hitpoints and make a save against one (save ends) effect.</p><p>Into the Fray: Encounter Power, Minor Action, Move 3 squares, as long as you end adjacent to an enemy. </p><p> </p><p>Step Seven: Choose Skills</p><p>Fighter NPCs can choose two skills from the Fighter class list. Choose a third, due to being Human. (Athletics, Endurance, Heal.) </p><p>Athletics: 10 (1/2 level) + 5 (Trained) + 6 (Str) = +21</p><p>Endurance: 10 (1/2 level) + 5 (Trained) + 1 (Con) + 16</p><p>Heal: 10 (1/2 level) + 5 (Trained) + 2 (Wis) = +17</p><p> </p><p>Step Eight: Choose Equipment</p><p>Maul, Scale Armor</p><p> </p><p>Step Nine: Calculate Attack and Damage Bonuses</p><p>Calculate bonuses in the normal method, plus the NPC bonus as mentioned in Step Five. </p><p>Basic Attack with Maul: 10 (1/2 level) + 6 (Str) + 7 (NPC) + 2 (Profiency) = +25 vs AC. Damage: 2d6 + 6 (Str) + 7 (NPC) = 2d6+13.</p><p>Running similar numbers for our powers, we get the following: </p><p>Reaping Strike: +25 vs AC: 2d6+13. <em>Miss</em>: 6 damage.</p><p>Cleave: +25 vs AC: 2d6+13, and a different adjacent enemy takes 6 damage.</p><p>Exacting Strike: +31 vs AC: 4d6+13 damage.</p><p>Anvil of Doom: +25 vs AC: 4d6+13 damage, and the target is stunned until the end of your next turn. </p><p>Reaving Strike (Reliable): +25 vs AC: 10d6+13, and push the target 1 square.</p><p> </p><p>Step Ten: Choose Rituals</p><p>Not needed for this character.</p><p> </p><p>NPC generation: Complete! Total Time: 10-15 minutes. Completely by the books, and resulting in a simple and easy to run NPC, that still feels and functions completely like a Fighter.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="MrMyth, post: 4355389, member: 61155"] Which certainly works, though I would recommend using the NPC creation rules on DMG page 187. Only really takes a couple minutes longer, but less need to make any real guesswork or arbitrary decisions, compared to using the rules for designing your own monsters. Step One: Choose Level (20) Step Two: Choose Race and Class (Human Fighter) Check the NPC listings on page 188 for what class features you get: NPC Fighters get Combat Challenge, so they can mark enemies, and take an attack as an Immediate Interrupt if their mark shifts or attacks someone other than them. Step Three: Determine Ability Scores Start with the standard array, resulting in: Str: 16, Con: 12, Dex: 14, Int: 11, Wis: 13, Cha: 10 Apply your Human bonus to Str, and then add in level bonuses: Str: 23, Con: 13, Dex: 19, Int: 12, Wis: 14, Cha: 11 Step Four: Determine Hit Points and Healing Surges: Fighter NPCs have 8 per level, plus Con score, so: 173 hp. As a paragon tier NPC, the character has 2 Healing Surges. Note that, as an NPC, it can use Second Wind once per combat. Step Five: Calculate Defenses AC and Defenses are calculated using the normal formula (10 + 1/2 level + relevant ability modifier), with armor or shields added in the usual fashion. Then it gains an NPC level bonus to represent various extra bonuses, magical or otherwise. For a 20th level character, this bonus is +7. Finally, add in any racial or class bonuses. Thus: AC: 10 (base) + 10 (1/2 level) + 7 (Scale) + 7 (NPC bonus) = AC 34 Fort: 10 (base) + 10 (1/2 level) + 6 (Str) + 7 (NPC) + 1 (Human) + 2 (Fighter) = Fortitude 36 Ref: 10 (base) + 10 (1/2 level) + 4 (Dex) + 7 (NPC) + 1 (Human) = Reflex 32 Will: 10 (base) + 10 (1/2 level) + 2 (Wis) + 7 (NPC) + 1 (Human) = Will 30 Step Six: Choose Powers At Will Powers: Choose One (Reaping Strike). Choose a second, due to being Human (Cleave) Encounter Powers: Choose one of the NPC's level, and a second one (at a lower level) if it is 11th level or higher. (Exacting Strike, Anvil of Doom) Daily Powers: Choose one of the NPC's level, and a second one (at a lower level) if it is 21st level or higher. (Reaving Strike) Utility Powers: Choose one of the NPC's level, and a second one (at a lower level) if it is 11th level or higher, and another if it is 21st level or higher. (Iron Warrior, Into the Fray) Iron Warrior: Daily Power, Minor Action, Spend a Healing Surge to regain 2d6+44 hitpoints and make a save against one (save ends) effect. Into the Fray: Encounter Power, Minor Action, Move 3 squares, as long as you end adjacent to an enemy. Step Seven: Choose Skills Fighter NPCs can choose two skills from the Fighter class list. Choose a third, due to being Human. (Athletics, Endurance, Heal.) Athletics: 10 (1/2 level) + 5 (Trained) + 6 (Str) = +21 Endurance: 10 (1/2 level) + 5 (Trained) + 1 (Con) + 16 Heal: 10 (1/2 level) + 5 (Trained) + 2 (Wis) = +17 Step Eight: Choose Equipment Maul, Scale Armor Step Nine: Calculate Attack and Damage Bonuses Calculate bonuses in the normal method, plus the NPC bonus as mentioned in Step Five. Basic Attack with Maul: 10 (1/2 level) + 6 (Str) + 7 (NPC) + 2 (Profiency) = +25 vs AC. Damage: 2d6 + 6 (Str) + 7 (NPC) = 2d6+13. Running similar numbers for our powers, we get the following: Reaping Strike: +25 vs AC: 2d6+13. [I]Miss[/I]: 6 damage. Cleave: +25 vs AC: 2d6+13, and a different adjacent enemy takes 6 damage. Exacting Strike: +31 vs AC: 4d6+13 damage. Anvil of Doom: +25 vs AC: 4d6+13 damage, and the target is stunned until the end of your next turn. Reaving Strike (Reliable): +25 vs AC: 10d6+13, and push the target 1 square. Step Ten: Choose Rituals Not needed for this character. NPC generation: Complete! Total Time: 10-15 minutes. Completely by the books, and resulting in a simple and easy to run NPC, that still feels and functions completely like a Fighter. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions
Help me break my 3e addiction: NPCs with levels
Top