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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jester David" data-source="post: 7340883" data-attributes="member: 37579">Excluding curses, magical boons, special training, unique kits, and the like. Most of my experiences with NPCs in 2e was Ravenloft's Darklords, and most of those had unique little powers.But, really, NPCs weren't as much of a focus as opponents in 1e and 2e for that reason. Why not? Bandit Lord Martial ArchetypePrerequisite: Must be of evil alignment and have kicked a puppy once each day for the last yearBully: When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you are trained in IntimidateMeanie: Starting at 7th level, you get nothing new. This is a dead level. Legendary: When you reach level 10, you gain a Legendary Action. You gain an additional action at level 15 and 18.Resisty: At 10th level you gain a Legendary Resistance. This increases by one at levels 15 and 18. Seems fair and relatively balanced. But it's needlessly complicated and requires you to stat-up the monster as a full character rather than as an NPC. And we don't need a repeat of 3e (or Pathfinder) where there are dozens of feats and prestige classes and variant classes that players could technically kinda sorta take, but really exist just so the NPC humanoids can do something unique. Goblin racial feats, orc prestige classes, etc. (There were many. Orc warlord, orc scout, orc blademaster, eye of Gruumsh, blessed of Gruumsh, battle howler of Gruumsh, etc.)But that's needlessly complicated. NPCs don't need a dozen abilities. A CR 6 NPC fighter shouldn't have all the abilities of a level 12 fighter, because even a Champion will be unwieldy and they won't get the opportunity to make use of half. They don't need the ability to Action Surge and make a half-dozen attacks that recharge over a short rest, especially since that really isn't fun for the target who is being nova-ed upon.Instead, they can make more off turn attacks. Or move. Or trip. Stuff that is within the realm of the fighter or Battlemaster but executed slightly differently. Okay, the mook town guard shouldn't be able to so anything the fighter is incapable of doing. That seems reasonable, as the fighter is the best at fighting. But the watch captain of the town guard also shouldn't be a legendary creature. They're kinda the opposite. But what about the elite Lord Commander of the Knights of Solamnia? Or the grand champion gladiator of the Great Colosseum of Tyr who has never lost a bout? That sounds like the type of unique character that would have learned unique and personal fighting moves that the PC cannot replicated without a few years of practice. Signature techniques they have taught no one, or have been passed along from master to apprentice. After all, fictional narratives are full of specialised fighting styles (sword techniques, martial arts moves, etc) that require special training to master.</blockquote>

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