NPC classes

[reanjr]

In my opinion, barbarian IS the primitive wilderness tribe's warrior, rogue IS the bandit expert, etc. I think these roles should be filled by characters who are a bit beefier than your average warrior or expert.

 

[Nifft]

How about using the Binder or the Warlock as the basis of the Cultist? Basically, each guy gets one or two spell-like abilities that he can use all day, but they otherwise kinda suck.


Here's one based off the Shadowcaster:

Fear Cultist -- HD 1d8
BAB: 3/4
Good Saves: Will
Skills -- 4+Int / level -- Bluff (Cha), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Hide (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana, history, local, the planes, religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Profession (Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Spellcraft (Int) and Spot (Wis).

Spell-Like Ability can be used once every 1d4 rounds.
Save DC is 10 + 1/2 class level + Cha bonus.

At every level, choose any available spell-like ability. You gain two daily uses of that spell-like ability. You can take a lower-level spell-like ability if you want -- the following table lists the earliest level at which each ability becomes available.

Level: Available Spell-Like Abilities
1: Cause Fear, Bane, Doom, Ray of Enfeeblement
3: Scare, Summon Swarm, Hold Person, Silence
5: Animate Dead, Fear, Bestow Curse, Slow
7: Confusion, Crushing Despair, Poison, Lesser Planar Ally
9: Slay Living, Insect Plague, Magic Jar, Nightmare
... etc.

Easy for a DM to run, lower power than a PC for sure.

-- N

 

[Land Outcast]

At every level, choose any available spell-like ability. You gain two daily uses of that spell-like ability. You can take a lower-level spell-like ability if you want -- the following table lists the earliest level at which each ability becomes available.

Oh! most excellent!

Really like it! The idea for building Evil Cultists (tm), I mean...

 

[Ciaran]

A good way to make a toned-down NPC version of any class is to multi-class it with Commoner.

Bandit: Commoner + Rogue
Thug: Commoner + Fighter
Cultist: Commoner + [insert spellcasting class(es) of your choice]

 

[mosaic]

Well I have a problem, in general, with NPC classes going over 10th-12th level or so. The idea of a 20th level commoner seems silly to me, and if someone wants to cast really powerful spells they should just become a wizard.

That always bugged me too. I remember back in AD&D there were racial limits to levels in certain classes. What about something like that with NPC classes, only based on ability scores? Let's say each NPC class has a key ability score - Warrior, Str; Expert, Int; Commoner, Con; etc - and the NPC can't go any higher in class levels than he/she has in bonuses from the key ability score. So, a Warrior with Str of 14 (+2) could get to 2nd level and a Warrior with Str 16 (+3) could get to 3rd. (Kinda' like Wizards can only cast 5th level spells if their Intelligence is 15, etc., only MUCH more strict.) You'd have to set a minimum level of 1 for ability bonuses of 0 or for ability penalties ... unless you wanted to bring back 0-level NPCs! I don't know; this was just an idea that popped into my head. Pretty draconian and it would mean that most NPCs in the world were only level 1 or maybe 2, but that wouldn't be all bad.

 

[EP]

We developed a PDF on NPC classes, including the Apprentice. He learns spells at a limited rate as a wizard- or sorcerer-in-training and then takes a test to prove their mettle as a true spellcaster. If they pass the test, they can exchange their apprentice levels for half as much in wizard or sorcerer.

I'll send you over a free copy if you like, Eric. Character Options: Commoners, it's called.