D&D 4E How do I create an NPC Locksmith in 4e?

[Cadfan]

But they may fight him...

Alright... this is a place where 3e and 4e style are very different.

In 3e, there was a certain assumption that an NPC must be at least THIS combat worthy in order to be THAT good at picking locks. So if you wanted an NPC with a +20 Open Locks modifier, you could reverse engineer and determine how powerful he was in battle. You'd reason that he might be an "Expert" NPC class, that he might have a starting 15 Dexterity, that he might have the Skill Focus feat in Open Lock, and you'd conclude that he needs about 13 ranks in Open Lock plus his adjusted dexterity of 18 and his feat. So you'd make him a level 10 expert.

Of course the better you got at learning the details of the system, the more you could vary. For example, discovering some other feat that gave an untyped +2 bonus to Open Lock would free you to reduce his level by 2. Of course, that would lower his ability score bonuses from levelling up, so you'd really need to reduce by 1... and you'd work out all the details and get the outcome that you wanted. And if you didn't like how combat ready this guy became because of the high numbers of level in Expert, you'd learn tricks like sabotaging his constitution to ruin his hit points. Or you'd go off road with the system into the wilds of the uncharted, and give miscellaneous bonuses and penalties for half defined reasons in order to get everything to match what you wanted.

In 4e, things aren't interconnected like that. If you want someone to have a +20 bonus on checks to open locks, just say that he's got that bonus. Or don't bother- just declare that this NPC is "really darn good" at opening locks, and leave it at that. If you want this NPC to be combat effective to a certain degree, just make him so. If you want him to be incompetent in battle, just say so.

Pick the outcome you want, and make it happen. The system doesn't use the same organic process as 3e. Just do what you want.

Of if you like, tell people online what you want, and they'll make it for you for fun.

 

[StAlda]

Cadfan, that is the most insightful reply I seen in months! LOL

Alright, I'll make it happen.

 

[Turtlejay]

My opinion differs slightly from the above, in that if you are making an NPC locksmith to pick a lock (makes sense, right) then his ability to pick locks should hinge on plot, not random chance.

In other words, without knowing the exact scenario that he will show up in, my view is that he doesn't need ranks in Thievery, by the DM's will he either gets in or doesn't. Focus more on what you want him to *do* in combat than what he does for a living. All of that can be determined by you at your whim, you are Gods, for heaven's sake. So, *if* the PC's encounter him, what kind of encounter do you want it to be? Work from there.

Jay

 

[Garthanos]

My opinion differs slightly from the above, in that if you are making an NPC locksmith to pick a lock (makes sense, right) then his ability to pick locks should hinge on plot, not random chance.

In other words, without knowing the exact scenario that he will show up in, my view is that he doesn't need ranks in Thievery, by the DM's will he either gets in or doesn't. Focus more on what you want him to *do* in combat than what he does for a living. All of that can be determined by you at your whim, you are Gods, for heaven's sake. So, *if* the PC's encounter him, what kind of encounter do you want it to be? Work from there.

Jay

Right I was going to say if you need him to open the lock... he opens it .. if you want him to get poisoned while failing to do so... then it will happen that way.... so the pc's can go find him the antidote and run into something else interesting on the way... or one of the primal party characters uses nature skills to hunt for the antidote and the hunt is in the woods nearby and a different set of fun ensues.... pc skills are reliant on dice... and they introduce the gum in the works plenty... npc's shrug.

 

[Morrus]

He's an NPC. So you just give him the abiities you want him to have. He doesn't follow the character generation rules.

So give him the hit points you want him to have, the defenses you want him to have, give him a few attacks, and give him a high Thievery score. Done!

4E is about it all being easy for you, the DM. An exception based rules system, which means that he does exactly what you want him to be able to do. There's no rules telling you what abilities NPCs must have.

You're making things far too complicated for yourself. There's only one rule: he can do what you say he can do. There's no sense creating work for yourself.

Here he is (I did it for you). Of course, I don't know what level you need him for, or what weapons you want him to have (I gave him a hammer, but if you don't like the hammer, simply substitute the word "hammer" below for whatever tickles your fancy). He doesn't even really need a level or role to perform his function, but you can give him those if you want. Say, Level 4 Soldier.

Tom the Locksmith (Level 4 Soldier)
AC 20 Fort 20 Ref 20 Will 20
Hit Points: 60, Bloodied 30
Move 5 (7 fairy skipping lightly through the dew on a moonlit eve), Initiative +6

Hammer Strike, +10 vs. AC, 1d8+4 damage
Mighty Smash (recharge ,), +10 vs. AC, 2d6 + 6 damage
Stunning Blow (recharge ), +8 vs. Reflex, 1d8 +4 damage, target is knocked prone and dazed (save ends)
Key To Your Heart (minor, encounter, charm), +6 vs. Will, target is dominated (save ends)*


Thievery: +20
Equipment: Masterwork Hammer, Leather Armor, Thieves Tools, 50gp


*He learned how to blow a kiss when dancing in the moonlight. Yes, he has something of a "weekend life"; just don't tell his wife.
​

 

[Ketjak]

Personally I would make him a 2wf swinging massive padlocks, perhaps with encounter powers that make him immobilize or slow a target, or with clockwork lock beasts as minions - and I'd make him elite or a level lower and solo. Thievery? Yeah, but he has Knock as an encounter power, too.

 

[StAlda]

Thanks everybody, I think the locksmith will have huge vorpal keys he whirls around himself when he gets nervous. Probably +18 to hit, 3d12 damage with 15 points ongoing. That should work for my 1-3 level adventure - or am I nerfing him too much?

My first attempt at a solution is here http://www.enworld.org/forum/4e-fan-creations-house-rules/268587-generic-non-minion-npcs.html

 

[the Jester]

Thanks everybody, I think the locksmith will have huge vorpal keys he whirls around himself when he gets nervous. Probably +18 to hit, 3d12 damage with 15 points ongoing. That should work for my 1-3 level adventure - or am I nerfing him too much?

DMG pg. 184 will tell you what a monster's defenses, attacks and damage should look like. I'm not entirely sure if you want this guy to be a combatant (ally or enemy of the pcs) or not, so it's hard to give you specific advice. The other thread seems like you don't want him to be a combatant, but I'm not sure.

 

[DracoSuave]

Seriously tho, outside the context of the adventure, it's hard to say what you need.

If he's just a locksmith to sell locks and give advice? No stats at all. He's not there to overcome challenges, he's there to further the plot. Don't need stats for that. You don't roll a save vs. getting the game moving.

If he's there to be a henchman to open locks for a party devoid of Theivery characters....

1) Do they encounter so many locks that they need one? And if they are, why are you not simply tailoring the encounters to your player's skill sets rather than pulling out 'Well you don't have this skill so NYEH' all the time. The latter is really punishing the players for not taking skills -you- think are fun. Not cool.

2) Is it just a one-shot lock and the adventure is 'Get Locksmith to Lock for Win'? Then give him a bit of survivability (less than the players) and make protecting him from enemies a focus of encounters. This is good encounter design, as he's there as a challenge, not merely as a walking McGuffin or combat stat.

Is he going to be an antagonist against the players? Do a full combat block and make it -good- and -memorable.- This guy's a villain. Make the players -want- to do bad things to him.

 

[ValhallaGH]

Thanks everybody, I think the locksmith will have huge vorpal keys he whirls around himself when he gets nervous. Probably +18 to hit, 3d12 damage with 15 points ongoing. That should work for my 1-3 level adventure - or am I nerfing him too much?

Someone's a snarky recipient of attempts to provide non-minion combat stats that would be fun / interesting to fight and run.

Duly noted.

My first attempt at a solution is here http://www.enworld.org/forum/4e-fan-creations-house-rules/268587-generic-non-minion-npcs.html

... You really like giving things a PC-class-style structure. Even when they don't need or warrant one.

... Well it seems to be what you want and the point is to have fun, so good luck. Awfully large block of text for the equivalent of one table-column from the DMG 1 (pg 184). Or for a codification of the first two paragraphs of pg 187.

But maybe you'll stop insulting the people trying to assist you. Have fun.