NPC Advancement

[Milagroso]

In my campaigns, some NPCs are set at a static level. Some NPCs such as quest villians, allies, and the like scale with the PCs.

For example, I will design an adventure that might have an NPC in the game that must be defeated by the PCs. To save time, I create this NPC already. I give him levels, feats, skills, equipment, and spells if necessary. Assume that I created this NPC to be a challenge for the PCs when they encounter him say around level 10. But, throughout the course of the adventure, the PCs accumulate more experience then I originally estimated and wind up making the NPC much less of a challenge I intended. I simply add a few more levels to NPC to make up for it. Since I use ETools, adding levels is easy.

In the case of the static NPCs, such as "named" merchants or the like, I grant them a level based off the region I have them operating in. A merchant in Urmlaspyr might be lower level then a similar merchant in Ordulin. Ordulin is the capital of the country of Sembia, so it might be assumed that the guards there are more canny, the merchants more savvy, and the rogues more deadly.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I figure out what the role of recurring characters is, and advance them accordingly.

If they're a combat nemesis, I advance them on roughly a 1:1 scale.

If they're a combat enemy that's not a very serious threat over the long term, but who somehow managed to avoid death the first time around, I advance them more slowly, at a 1:2 ratio or the like.

If they're a higher-level nemesis they should eventually get a chance to overcome, I advance them on a 1:4 or so, if I advance them at all.

Other NPCs I don't bother advancing unless there's an obvious need to. The Baron of Midwood is going to stay a level 11 diviner indefinitely, for instance.

 

[Mallus]

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.

I am so stealing your system!

 

[Huw]

I go by the general rule "1 xp per day, starting at 15 years old" (adjust for non-humans). Certain events (like interacting with adventurers or surviving a calamity) give bonus xp. So the middle-aged inkeeper is probably a 4th or 5th level commoner, but the same guy in an inn popular with adventurers might be a bit higher.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I go by the general rule "1 xp per day, starting at 15 years old" (adjust for non-humans). Certain events (like interacting with adventurers or surviving a calamity) give bonus xp. So the middle-aged inkeeper is probably a 4th or 5th level commoner, but the same guy in an inn popular with adventurers might be a bit higher.

Hmmm, I've never thought of this, but it certainly is practical and would explain the level spread among non-adventurers.

Anyone with access to the level chart want to say what this would translate to for a 20 year old (1,825 XP), 30 year old (5,475 XP), 40 year old (9,125 XP), 50 year old (12,775 XP), 60 year old (16,425 XP) and 70 year old (20,075 XP)?

 

[an_idol_mind]

Hmmm, I've never thought of this, but it certainly is practical and would explain the level spread among non-adventurers.

Anyone with access to the level chart want to say what this would translate to for a 20 year old (1,825 XP), 30 year old (5,475 XP), 40 year old (9,125 XP), 50 year old (12,775 XP), 60 year old (16,425 XP) and 70 year old (20,075 XP)?

20 years old: 2nd level
30 years old: 3rd level
40 years old: 4th level
50 years old: 5th level
60 years old: 6th level
70 years old: 6th level

 

[Voadam]

I have a party at 5th level and there are several important NPCs around that are at various level. As the party advances in level, I don't want these NPCs to stay static, but I am not sure how to deal with their level advancement.

For example, there is an important 10th level NPC and another 8th level NPC. How should they advance as the party advances in level?

If they are not going to fight the PCs it usually does not matter. The fact that the king is 8th or 18th level in aristocrat does not really affect the game, his role as king is what's important to the game.

If you want a wizard to be a mentor and source of apropriate high level spells/crafting for the party then advancing makes sense so he still has powerful stuff the party wants as opposed to just the midling but useful offerings of lower level spells and items.

If you need the important NPCs to stay more powerful than the party for a plot reason then advance them. If not then don't.

I wouldn't worry about advancing NPCs stats for the most part. My high level group (16) encounters wildly varying levels of people and NPCs. Levels affect combat power, they are not that important for other roles that NPCs take in RPG plots (guide, sources of information or goods, victim, behind the scenes manipulator, local authority, etc.)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

20 years old: 2nd level
30 years old: 3rd level
40 years old: 4th level
50 years old: 5th level
60 years old: 6th level
70 years old: 6th level

Thanks. That's a pretty good level spread for aristocrats, commoners and experts. Anyone higher level than that would pretty clearly be someone unusual anyway.

 

[Li Shenron]

I was reading the old DotF yesterday and there's an example of a PC party that keeps going back to a troll cave. I am not sure I remember the levels exactly, but it's something like this:

When the party is 3rd level, the troll is CR 8.
When the party is 8th level, the troll is CR 11.
When the party is 11th level, the troll is CR 12.

(CR increase is obtained by adding barbarian levels to the troll)

Between the encounters, the party has gained first 25000xp and then 27000xp per PC.

The base troll (i.e. without class levels) is CR 5, has 6 HD, and LA +5.
Therefore it always has ECL = 6 + 5 + class levels.
At CR 8, it has 3 class levels, hence ECL is 14.

Between the encounters, the troll has gained first 45000xp and then 17000xp.

Counting xp doesn't seem a particularly useful of thumb... Furthermore, it's not so meaningful to use the PC xp calculations (using ECL) for a monster.

We could try to get a rule of thumb based on levels from the example above, and we can see that while the party increased by 5, the troll increased by 3, and while it increased by 3, the troll increased by 1. But how to proceed?

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

If they are not going to fight the PCs it usually does not matter. The fact that the king is 8th or 18th level in aristocrat does not really affect the game, his role as king is what's important to the game.

It makes a difference when it comes to social interactions. For instance, you might want to know the magic item shopkeeper's Diplomacy score for when PCs want to make deals with them.