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<blockquote data-quote="Kraydak" data-source="post: 4216353" data-attributes="member: 12306">*By far* the most important rule of 3E NPC design is that optimization is a game for players, whose characters have a set number of levels to squeeze the most power possible out of.&nbsp; NPCs are whatever level the DM wants them to be (in the same sense that GURPS NPCs are of whatever point value their abilities come to).&nbsp; If you think (rightly) that the CW Samurai is underpowered, but the flavor fits, it is easy to fix the power by adding a level or two (at high levels, the CW samurai might even merit 3 extra levels above the target &quot;effective PC level&quot;).Increasing a DM's library should speed NPC creation because of how class-systems work.&nbsp; If there is a class whose flavor fits, you can use it out of the box.&nbsp; If your library is bigger, you have better odds of have a class that fits.&nbsp; If you multi 2 classes together, or use 1 PrC, you should be completely set with, at most, 3 classes, and that for caster multis.So: if possible flavor-wise, single-class.&nbsp; If you need a PrC, use the obvious (there always is one) entry.&nbsp; If your concept requires feats, you already know what the character needs (if you can't fit in the prereqs, it is a good sign the the NPC you are making is a problem power-wise, just hold off a level or two), otherwise, take easy obvious stuff.&nbsp; If the power is off, tweak the levels to make it work, while staying within the rules.Gear is a problem, but NPCs have wildly varying gear values anyways.&nbsp; This, along with fleshing out spellbooks enough to be believable, is the only thing that should take any real time.&nbsp; If you want to be boring, split things up among the big six.&nbsp; If not, roll one random item 20-30% of the NPC's wealth and then split things up among the big six.Again, as a DM, you should never find yourself optimizing an NPC, unless, and *only* unless he is a very, very major figure.&nbsp; And, if that is the case, you are going to want to spend time on him anyways.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Kraydak, post: 4216353, member: 12306"] *By far* the most important rule of 3E NPC design is that optimization is a game for players, whose characters have a set number of levels to squeeze the most power possible out of. NPCs are whatever level the DM wants them to be (in the same sense that GURPS NPCs are of whatever point value their abilities come to). If you think (rightly) that the CW Samurai is underpowered, but the flavor fits, it is easy to fix the power by adding a level or two (at high levels, the CW samurai might even merit 3 extra levels above the target "effective PC level"). Increasing a DM's library should speed NPC creation because of how class-systems work. If there is a class whose flavor fits, you can use it out of the box. If your library is bigger, you have better odds of have a class that fits. If you multi 2 classes together, or use 1 PrC, you should be completely set with, at most, 3 classes, and that for caster multis. So: if possible flavor-wise, single-class. If you need a PrC, use the obvious (there always is one) entry. If your concept requires feats, you already know what the character needs (if you can't fit in the prereqs, it is a good sign the the NPC you are making is a problem power-wise, just hold off a level or two), otherwise, take easy obvious stuff. If the power is off, tweak the levels to make it work, while staying within the rules. Gear is a problem, but NPCs have wildly varying gear values anyways. This, along with fleshing out spellbooks enough to be believable, is the only thing that should take any real time. If you want to be boring, split things up among the big six. If not, roll one random item 20-30% of the NPC's wealth and then split things up among the big six. Again, as a DM, you should never find yourself optimizing an NPC, unless, and *only* unless he is a very, very major figure. And, if that is the case, you are going to want to spend time on him anyways. [/QUOTE]

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