Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Majoru Oakheart" data-source="post: 6234637" data-attributes="member: 5143">Yes, I'm advocating no rules at all for NPCs that aren't intended for combat.  They don't need rules and rules only get in the way because they provide restrictions.That's pretty much my reply to the rest of your post.  Your being picky about rules details that I don't care about and didn't have to consider because I wasn't following any formulas.  I just considered what type of character I wanted and made that.Apparently you are using low numbers.  Every character in my games both 3.5e, 4e, and D&D Next have at least one 18 and one 16.  At that's at first level.  With stat bonuses and level bumps, the numbers mean that after level 8 if there is anyone left without a 20 in a stat they are amazingly poor.That's the point, it doesn't follow any rules because no rules are needed.  In this circumstance, I'd only include stats in the off chance that she had to roll a skill check that wasn't sewing at some point in the game or if I needed to figure out how much she could carry.  Ideally, I wouldn't write the stats down at all.My point is that by having rules on how to calculate how many skill points she has, what her combat abilities are and so on based on a class which gives a package of benefits means I HAVE to write down all that stuff.Sewing is only a craft skill in 3.5e D&D.  Given this thread was labelled D&D Next and the proposed class was a D&D Next class, I was using D&D Next rules.  There is no craft skill and skills in D&D Next are based on whatever stat the DM finds most appropriate for the skill check.  In this case, I figured that working with your hands would be a Dex check.  That makes much more sense than an Int check.Though, I am trying to discuss generically, across all editions rather than use any one edition.  I don't think it's a good idea to include in ANY edition of D&D.Ok, a Knitting Needle.  She also knits.The elite array in 3.5e is:15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8My proposed stats were:16, 14, 14, 12, 12, 10They are a couple of points above the elite array, which the rules suggest you use for any exceptional NPC.  She's pretty exceptional being an adventurer in addition to a seamstress and I didn't have the elite array handy to look up and just use that so I made up numbers and ended up getting pretty close.When I used to run 3.5e, my general rule was if they had a name they got the elite array.  Troll #2 used the standard array: 11,11,11,10,10,10 and the Troll leader had the elite array.  Or anyone who has class levels gets the elite array automatically.Your proposed stats are so far below the average person that if you used even the standard array, in order to lower 3 stats to 3, you'd have to raise all 3 of her other stats to 18 to make up for it.Generally, I assume the minimum stat for the humanoid races allowed as PC races is 6.  Those are the weakest and most frail example of their species.  Basically, I assume that since point buy starts at 8 and you can apply a -2 penalty that 6 is the lowest stat anyone will have.  In 2e I used to use 4d6, take the best 3, reroll ones which had a minimum of 6 for stats.  I MIGHT use a 4 or a 5 for what I'd consider to be an exceptionally poor person at that stat.Even if we use the age modifiers and standard array, that means the old version would have started at 10 con and had -2 applied to it due to her age.  She'd have 8, not 3.  Same with her Strength and Con.  Even if we somehow lowered all of them to 8 to start with, the lowest she'd have is 6.Though, now we've already spent 2 days analyzing the proper use of the NPC rules about 2 sets of NPCs.  Which is a far cry from "It's really simple".The same way people do in the real world.  I don't know if my boss secretly has a degree in nuclear physics or if he is the best swordsman in the world by looking at him.  Though I suspect not because he works in the IT industry as a manager.I don't know precisely how much he knows about carpentry based on his job or experience either.  There are no rules that govern what his hitpoints will be.  In fact, he's likely just as easy to kill with a knife as everyone else I know.I guess at his skills and abilities just like I do each and every other person I meet and they vary wildly.Huh?  I didn't see any explanation.  You just said "14 is too high!" and "I think it should be 3!"  Your stats are just as arbitrary as mine.  Following the rules would require using the standard array or the elite array and then lowering one stat to raise another.I've never seen an NPC in any officially published adventure with less than a 5 in a stat, even the most frail person in the world.  I take my cue from the "norm".</blockquote>

Verification