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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BradfordFerguson" data-source="post: 2011919" data-attributes="member: 20048"><a href="http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=3884&" target="_blank">NPC Files: Rungie Rampholean</a>, published by Expeditious Retreat Press, is a PDF product sold on RPGNow.com.  For more information about the product itself, you can refer to the link above.I have a one reservation about this series as the following text is in the introduction, but not stated on the product page where the PDF is sold: "The emphasis of NPC Files is mechanically describing a story-driven character.  This means that sometimes they will incur experience penalties, sometimes they will have more or less than their expected wealth, and sometimes they don't always take the 'most efficient route' to their destiny."So while the main reason for people to purchase the PDF is to have 20 stat blocks from first to twentieth level of the same character, those stat blocks may not necessarily follow the rules.  This may irk some people who are looking for stat blocks that 100% follow the guidelines and prescriptions of the PHB and DMG.  For this specific edition, Rungie Rampholean, a gnome rogue/wizard would have incurred multi-classing penalties early on in his career as the favored class of gnomes is bard, but the levels stay balanced after a bit.The story, written by Nicholas Olivo, is interesting for all three snapshots of Rungie's life though it uses some off-genre lingo like "security firm." Rungie is a true master of traps.  Traps are this character's life.  This NPC would definitely be a cool NPC to incorporate into fantasy campaigns.The mechanics, done by Joseph Browning and Suzi Yee, are very well done as a whole.  I only have a couple of gripes.  The first-level character is a rogue, but his untrained hide bonus isn't provided.  Also, the character later has Craft (trapmaking) as a skill, but never has traps listed as a possession.  However, this trapmaster is all about elaborate traps that can't simply just be laid down on the ground.I refuse to give this product the 'John Cooper review treatment', but to my untrained eye, the stat blocks look good.  Even if there were errors, all the stat blocks are playable—all the necessary spells prepared and spells in spellbook are given.Likes: Delivers on its promises.Good back story.  Good mechanics.Dislikes:Deviates slightly from PHB and DMG guidelines.Score: 16 of 20 (or 4/5)-----Bradford Ferguson</blockquote>

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