NPC Advancement

[Keeper of Secrets]

I would sugest you advance your NPCs arbitrarily, based on what you need as a DM, and rationalize the advancement retrospectively and with aplomb.

There is much wisdom in this. It is simple, it works and it creates the least amount of heartache for the GM, I think.

 

[an_idol_mind]

One way I once tried to advance NPCs was to assign them a set amount of XP (usually 100 x their level) per session they weren't in, or double that XP for sessions they were in. That allowed slow advancement, but advancement nonetheless. The big problem with this system was that it became too much bookkeeping once I had a good stable of NPCs, so I ultimately scrapped it.

 

[Shadeydm]

Personally, I handle it on a case by case basis depending upon exactly whatthe NPC is doing in the time period that the PCs have advanced. If it merits faster or slower advancement than the PCs I handle it accordingly. Much of the time it merits no advancement at all. Joe the tavern keeper might have been a retired 4th level fighter when the PCs met him and a year later he probably still is. Snidley Sneeker the leader of the local thieves guild might have been 8th level a year ago but in span of a year could have been busy enough to gain a level or three.

 

[Mallus]

That is what will ultimately happen and it is what I have done in the past, but I would like to have some kind of rule of thumb or a formula to work with when I don't want to be completely arbitrary.

Out of curiosity, what do you see as the benefit of finding some 'formula' for NPC level advancement, aside from the peace of mind you get from following some preexisting rule?

Ultimately NPC's are tools the DM uses to challenge and otherwise entertain the players with. So it's important to choose (create) the right tool for the job. And that basically means judging things on a case by case basis.

 

[smootrk]

I would advance individuals arbitrarily as needed, but generally lagging behind PCs. New 'higher power' NPCs can be introduced when necessary, as the characters move on and upward.

I also use a simple mechanic for 'graduating' npc classes into 'real' classes when necessary. When I desire to, when an NPC class I will exchange one of their lower levels for an additional standard level...
For instance: An NPC who is Adept 4/Expert 5 is playing a more pivotal role in the game. While making this transition, the NPC gains enough for another level (or arbitrarily), and actual Wizard levels are desired. The Adept levels are then intended to be upgraded to actual wizard levels. The NPC becomes Wiz 2/Adept 3/Expert 5 (gaining 2 wizard levels and dropping one of the adept levels). When the next level is attained, the NPC becomes Wizard 4/Adept 2/Expert 5.

While this can create weird situations of power level drop in the area of spellcasting, it does allow for a more orderly transition, and the power drop is corrected quickly by the rapid advancement in the 'true character class'.

Although I do not have a formal system for which npc classes upgrade into what pc class, I tend to do this in an orderly way. I also use a number of other additional NPC classes in my game to fill certain roles. My example above would actually work differently as I do not use adepts as written, but Priests and HedgeWizards/Witches. Names for these extra NPC classes mean little... one might be called a Witch, while another might be called Alchemist, while another Witch-doctor (this applies for all the npc classes to keep players guessing).

Warriors for Fighters
Hunter to Rangers, Scout (hunter = Ranger-lite)
Tribesman/Clansman to Barbarian
Squire/Aristocrat to Paladin, Knight, etc.
Priest to Cleric, Favored Soul, etc.
Witch/Hedgewizard/other to Wizard, Sorcerer, etc.
Expert to Rogues

There are others. In most situations the warrior is the base for the other NPC classes associated with fighting, with just minor changes (skills, minor abilities) to make them a little more suited for the role they take. Minor Knights or similar style mounted warrriors are simply Squires (the class) which are just warriors with some skill changes.

I think that is enough info on my own system of NPC classes and their advancement to get my concept across, eh?

 

[dmccoy1693]

This worked well enough for me back ... a long while ago last time I DMed.

Important NPCs (major villians/NPCs fighting with the PCs - Redcloak, Hinjo) advance 1 level per level the players get
Semi-important NPCs (minor villians/major contacts/npcs that no longer fight with the PCs - Miko, Linear Guild) advance 2 levels per 3 levels the players get (but they then usually have some "trick" to compensate)
Plot advancement NPCs (exist for no other purpose then to advance the plot - crazy guy with the cat) advance at totally arbitrary intervals.

I didn't follow this with rigid precision, but it was a relatively decent rule of thumb.

 

[haakon1]

Personally, I handle it on a case by case basis depending upon exactly whatthe NPC is doing in the time period that the PCs have advanced. If it merits faster or slower advancement than the PCs I handle it accordingly. Much of the time it merits no advancement at all.

That sounds right. Most of the time, I don't advance NPC's levels at all, unless the NPC's have been adventuring or fighting. If they've been adventuring and I know what they did (part of the party, part of a big fight where I know what happened), I'll give them the XP they earned. If not, they generally stay at the original level.

NPC's staying at their original levels gives the PC's the important feeling of advancement in the world. In the same way, it's fun to throw the same random encounter with wolves at the PC's at say 2nd level and 9th level, so they realize just how far they've come.

 

[Veril]

Your NPC advance as fast as makes the game most fun when the players encounter them.

Just make sure you have some details of what they could have been doing in the interim and drop those things into your campaign
fighting in a war,
caravan gaurding,
bandit hunting
Interplanar Tour Guide
Exploring the wilds of the Jumgles of Czhult
Kidnapped and subsequently rescued
Founded a new chaple of their church
Was inquisited
Did some inquisiting
Researched a new spell
Adventured to find an old spell

 

[Phlebas]

For adversarial NPC's, the only rule is to keep them a challenge to the party, so try to maintain their level relative to the party. You only need to stat the advances when a chance of combat exists

for allies - advance with the group when with the group (again try to maintain the same relationship levelwise), no advancement when not with the group (unless theres an in game reason - eg someone went off to the war)

for crazy lady with cat - why are you bothering to assign a level to a plot device? if the party attack then either 'splat' and guilt trip, or pick random NPC block from DMG/MM

I did stat a few regular NPC's a while back - I haven't bothered to update them recently and I won't until they get closer to interacting violently with the PC's. until then i just have a rough level assigned so i know what kind of skill level / spell level they'd have if I ever need to make a roll...

 

[Kae'Yoss]

The rule I follow loosely is

1d% + x per session, where x is whatever I think fits.

I follow this loosely by not bothering to roll the die.

In fact, my NPCs don't have XP. They level up when I tell them to, no sooner, no later. I run a tight ship as DM, and those NPCs that aren't okay with that can go for all I care!


The problem is that I could think of no serious formula that can properly do this. A NPT should advance as fast as is appropriate for his actions - a lazy merchant that sat on his bum the whole time doing nothing very much won't advance very fast, but a daring adventurer who had no quiet moment will advance fast - and as fast as the DM needs him to.

I only give out XP for stuff that happens at the table. If my players show up with stories of the great adventure they had in the car on the way to the game, I don't hand out XP for that. Why should I play favorites and give out XP to NPCs for their supposed "adventures" that happened while the players weren't there?

If a NPC were to fall in the forest with no one to witness it, would he grant XP?