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<blockquote data-quote="Celebrim" data-source="post: 6234251" data-attributes="member: 4937"><p>So, let's start from first principle.</p><p></p><p>Good RPG design suggests that as a proposition decreases in risk and interest, the number of fortune rolls decreases proportionally. In general, this suggests that if the outcome of the proposition doesn't really matter, we shouldn't bother with dice or mechanics.</p><p></p><p>In this case, basic RPG principles suggest that in the majority of cases, NPC's don't have and don't need stats. There is usually not a case where the NPC does something where we need to really worry about the outcome enough to throw a dice about it.</p><p></p><p>But, that isn't always true. We do care about exactly what an NPC can do when the NPC is acting as a foil, villain, ally, or ward of the PC. </p><p></p><p>There are basically now two theories here, depending on what we are willing to risk. Either we can pick what happens based on what the Storyteller(s) think is best for the narrative, in which case we still don't need stats but we're risking impartiality and not allowing ourselves the joy of unexpected surprises, or we can try to resolve the test within the constraints of the system in which case impartiality demands stats and preferably stats that can be derived from the context as needed.</p><p></p><p>In general, there are two ways to define something. Either we can make a list, or we can make a 'rule'. Both have advantages and we might choose one or the other depending on the scale of the thing being described and often we choose 'both'. We make a system for the sake of consistency and make lists for the sake of usability. </p><p></p><p>Where I find the system is particularly useful is when I'm surprised by the fact than an NPC has become elevated to a position I didn't anticipate. Suddenly, I've gone from a note that says 'Expert 2' or 'Craft (Masonry) +9' to needing a bunch of attributes I never expected to know for this NPC because I never expected them to matter. For example, I had a very minor NPC - a 1st level clerk - that I never even necessarily expected the characters to meet become elevated to an important NPC because he was adopted as the henchmen/ward of the party. In this capacity, it's easy to conceive that I need to know everything about the characters abilities, and not just 'Knowledge (Math & Accounting) +10'. Having a system lets me build the character in a way that a monster manual entry for 'Apprentice Clerk' (!!!) doesn't, even if the writers of the monster manual could anticipate my need for an apprentice clerk. In the same way that a robust character creation system helps inform good character design (if it is indeed well designed) or at least imaginative character design, having robut NPC generation can be a good thing.</p><p></p><p>In short, I don't think we can know how NPC's will be interacted with unless we are on a railroad. I've had NPC's meant to be quest givers/mentors end up being enemies/foils, and NPC's meant to be enemies become allies. The course of the story seldom goes where I anticipate it.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Celebrim, post: 6234251, member: 4937"] So, let's start from first principle. Good RPG design suggests that as a proposition decreases in risk and interest, the number of fortune rolls decreases proportionally. In general, this suggests that if the outcome of the proposition doesn't really matter, we shouldn't bother with dice or mechanics. In this case, basic RPG principles suggest that in the majority of cases, NPC's don't have and don't need stats. There is usually not a case where the NPC does something where we need to really worry about the outcome enough to throw a dice about it. But, that isn't always true. We do care about exactly what an NPC can do when the NPC is acting as a foil, villain, ally, or ward of the PC. There are basically now two theories here, depending on what we are willing to risk. Either we can pick what happens based on what the Storyteller(s) think is best for the narrative, in which case we still don't need stats but we're risking impartiality and not allowing ourselves the joy of unexpected surprises, or we can try to resolve the test within the constraints of the system in which case impartiality demands stats and preferably stats that can be derived from the context as needed. In general, there are two ways to define something. Either we can make a list, or we can make a 'rule'. Both have advantages and we might choose one or the other depending on the scale of the thing being described and often we choose 'both'. We make a system for the sake of consistency and make lists for the sake of usability. Where I find the system is particularly useful is when I'm surprised by the fact than an NPC has become elevated to a position I didn't anticipate. Suddenly, I've gone from a note that says 'Expert 2' or 'Craft (Masonry) +9' to needing a bunch of attributes I never expected to know for this NPC because I never expected them to matter. For example, I had a very minor NPC - a 1st level clerk - that I never even necessarily expected the characters to meet become elevated to an important NPC because he was adopted as the henchmen/ward of the party. In this capacity, it's easy to conceive that I need to know everything about the characters abilities, and not just 'Knowledge (Math & Accounting) +10'. Having a system lets me build the character in a way that a monster manual entry for 'Apprentice Clerk' (!!!) doesn't, even if the writers of the monster manual could anticipate my need for an apprentice clerk. In the same way that a robust character creation system helps inform good character design (if it is indeed well designed) or at least imaginative character design, having robut NPC generation can be a good thing. In short, I don't think we can know how NPC's will be interacted with unless we are on a railroad. I've had NPC's meant to be quest givers/mentors end up being enemies/foils, and NPC's meant to be enemies become allies. The course of the story seldom goes where I anticipate it. [/QUOTE]
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