How do you stat you average NPCs

[National Acrobat]

Major NPC's I assign stats and levels to with much thought to the PC's abilities and behaviors, so that the challenge is appropriate to the adventure. Unimportant NPC's that have classes I just use the charts for NPC's in the DMG. Commoners and the like I just give all 10's and 11's, with maybe one 12 in something relevant, like Int or Cha for an Innkeeper or Merchant, as an example.

 

[Buttercup]

I do it pretty much like Barsoomcore. If the NPC is going to be fighting, I flesh out what they need. Otherwise, they're just wallpaper, so I don't bother. I'm more interested in their personalites and what info they have than their ability scores.

 

[bwgwl]

i've got my own system for determining NPC stats.

for generic "no-name" NPCS, i do the standard 10s and 11s at 1st level. generic NPCs above 1st level get +1 to one stat per level on the supposition that people with better ability scores are more likely to be able to earn the experience to get higher levels.

so the progression might look something like this:

human Warrior 1: Str 11, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
human Warrior 2: Str 12, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
human Warrior 3: Str 12, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10
etc...

"named" NPCs are built using the point-buy system (at the same points as the PCs are built). very occasionally (for "master villains" and the like) i will give a named NPC more points than the PCs got.

 

[BluWolf]

Important NPCs to the storyline get statted just like a PC. IMC uses the standard 4D6 or the 32 point buy, so it depends on the NPC which process I use.

Most other things get a standard spread out of the MM or DMG. Or I'll generate a bunch of stuff using James Buck's NPC generator. I keep it open along with MSWord on my laptop when we play.

Folks on the fly will get an arbitrary ability mod or skill check mod if a roll of some osrt needs to be made.

 

[Greybar]

Time to plug Johnn Four's "NPC Essentials", I guess.

VIP NPCs get stats, probably like the PCs 28-ish buy with GM special fudge sauce as needed.

Combat baddies have stats straight off of the book or an automatic generator. Three cheers for the NPC Generator!

That little boy who tugged on your cloak and asked if you're a hero? Well, he's a shapechanged bad nasty, so he has stats.

But, if he was really a little boy he wouldn't have any stats at all. He doesn't have a Will save or Sense Motive skill - If you try to convince him of something, you will, because you're a big impressive hero and he's a little boy. He doesn't have hit points - If you so much as slap him, he'll fall down crying and you'll have mondo bad rep among the townfolk in 5 seconds flat.

The herbalist has a Wisdom score and a couple skills due to her work, and she miraculously was manufactured a Charisma score because you asked if she was cute.

John

 

[Tonguez]

Time to plug Johnn Four's "NPC Essentials", I guess.

VIP NPCs get stats, probably like the PCs 28-ish buy with GM special fudge sauce as needed.

Combat baddies have stats straight off of the book or an automatic generator. Three cheers for the NPC Generator!

That little boy who tugged on your cloak and asked if you're a hero? Well, he's a shapechanged bad nasty, so he has stats.

But, if he was really a little boy he wouldn't have any stats at all. He doesn't have a Will save or Sense Motive skill - If you try to convince him of something, you will, because you're a big impressive hero and he's a little boy. He doesn't have hit points - If you so much as slap him, he'll fall down crying and you'll have mondo bad rep among the townfolk in 5 seconds flat.

The herbalist has a Wisdom score and a couple skills due to her work, and she miraculously was manufactured a Charisma score because you asked if she was cute.

John

Thanks John

Yeah I pretty much do the above - NPC Villain is the DMs PC and so is treated like a PC
eg Doctor Yakub the Genomancer

Cannon Fodder mooks get AC, BAb melee/ranged, Saves, Init, Damage, SA/SQ(Feats)
eg the 4 Orcs in the Guardhouse

Plot hooks get average stats (adjusted for plot)
eg Tila the Ogre Slave (Average stats - 5)

everyone else gets a name and a personality trait
eg Timmy the Curious Little Boy

 

[Olive]

well, this is kinda interesting to me.

once of the reasons i started this poll, is because the standard MM elves, dwarves etc. are all 10s and 11s with racial adjustments.

do you guys use the MM elves (for example) when a character runs into a standard elf? if so, why not use 10's etc for their human equivalents?

personally i can see the arguement for a human town guard being average, but a bit stronger, and slightly dumb. so i give him 13 str, 9 int and all else 10s and 11s.

as i said in the opening post, this isn't supposed to be about your major villains or even about their important grunts, but it is interesting to see how people do those too. I use the same character process for major NPCs as I'd use for a PC, but I tend to fudge it for effect: if such and such is a powerful, cunning sorcerer, the he's gonna have hight Int and Cha no mater what my random roles bring up...

 

[MaxKaladin]

Well, for your average "normal" NPCs that is just met once or twice, I assume average stats unless something should stick out like the smith who is known for strength or whatever. If they're going to be an ongoing but still minor NPC, I'll give them stats rolled on 3d6. If they somehow become really significant, I might give them 4d6 stats just like my PCs.

 

[Thanee]

Major NPCs just get the stats I want them to have. Minor NPCs get above average stats, between the MM average and the PCs (if we play heroic, what we usually do, where PCs have decent stats at least (i.e. 32 point buy or something like that)).

Average NPCs (you meet in town and such) get no stats (they don't need any).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Pbartender]

well, this is kinda interesting to me.

once of the reasons i started this poll, is because the standard MM elves, dwarves etc. are all 10s and 11s with racial adjustments.

do you guys use the MM elves (for example) when a character runs into a standard elf? if so, why not use 10's etc for their human equivalents?

personally i can see the arguement for a human town guard being average, but a bit stronger, and slightly dumb. so i give him 13 str, 9 int and all else 10s and 11s.

as i said in the opening post, this isn't supposed to be about your major villains or even about their important grunts, but it is interesting to see how people do those too. I use the same character process for major NPCs as I'd use for a PC, but I tend to fudge it for effect: if such and such is a powerful, cunning sorcerer, the he's gonna have hight Int and Cha no mater what my random roles bring up...

Like I said above, for most run-of-the-mill NPC's, I don't really worry about abilities, only the bonuses...

So, an average everyday Elf NPC (a town guard, for example) would have +1 to Dex checks, -1 to con checks, and +0 to everything else. A slightly tougher average everyday elf (a sergeant of the guard, for example) might have +2 to dex checks, instead of +1. It's easier to keep track of that way.