NPC Paladins and Lay on Hands

[Nail]

This is obviously not right. This should obviously be fixed. Please don't tell me you have a problem with this.

(No, really, please don't)

I have a problem with that.

<poke>

 

[Prism]

Doesn't an out of the book Paladin have 13 wis and therefore only gets one use of lay on hands anyway

Regardless, it doesn't really bother me and I don't see this as an error. Two pages on NPC stats is fine for me and I wouldn't expect them to check if every stat, power or feat combo works. I would guess that some of the other NPCs aren't too optimal either

 

[-Avalon-]

Doesn't an out of the book Paladin have 13 wis and therefore only gets one use of lay on hands anyway

Regardless, it doesn't really bother me and I don't see this as an error. Two pages on NPC stats is fine for me and I wouldn't expect them to check if every stat, power or feat combo works. I would guess that some of the other NPCs aren't too optimal either

optimization is not a an optional in my group, so the enemies have to be optimized as well... plus an out of the book pally may have a 13, but a solo one, or an elite one, should have a much better ability to heal themselves than a one-time "touch-heal" lol...

 

[James McMurray]

Has there ever been a perfect set of rules that covered every eventuality? Of course not. The authors do the best they can, and it's up to the groups to fill in the holes. The easy solution is to give the NPC the resources he needs. The harder solution is to complain about the authors being mere humans, and then give the NPC the resources he needs.

 

[Nail]

Has there ever been a perfect set of rules that covered every eventuality? Of course not. The authors do the best they can, and it's up to the groups to fill in the holes. The easy solution is to give the NPC the resources he needs. The harder solution is to complain about the authors being mere humans, and then give the NPC the resources he needs.

Yep.

Look, what *should* have been "done right" were Skill Challenges and the Stealth system. Those were big holes in the system (now mostly fixed!). Complaining about how many healing surges an NPC paladin should have is.....tiny, in comparison.

 

[-Avalon-]

Yep.

Look, what *should* have been "done right" were Skill Challenges and the Stealth system. Those were big holes in the system (now mostly fixed!). Complaining about how many healing surges an NPC paladin should have is.....tiny, in comparison.

Nonsense! Fabrications!!! Fictitious Allegations!!

How can one even compare the enormous magnitude that is the exceptionally common ENEMY paladin to a mere trifling thing like stealth or ... *shudder* skill challenges? Like those ever happen! Come on!

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Actually, I think it's fully appropriate for an NPC paladin to be limited to one LoH--Because if that paladin's an enemy, then you're going to be fighting him once, so giving him a full day's worth of LoH is just asking for a grind.

I second that. One healing surge per tier for NPCs.

If that paladin is an ally NPC who comes along for part of the adventure, then treat him like a full PC and cut a share for XP for him. If he's just there for the encounter, then just one use of the lay on hand power is plenty.

 

[Cadfan]

Remember that NPC and monster rules are written from an "effects" perspective, not a "gear head" perspective.

The "effect" you want is for the npc paladin to touch someone and cause them to heal. How its accomplished isn't important. Honestly, they don't even need "real" lay on hands- they can get by with an encounter ability to heal someone with a touch. That's almost guaranteed to be imperceptibly different from a "real" lay on hands ability, at least from the perspective of your players, which is the only perspective that matters. Its not like they know his stats, how many healing surges he has, or the mechanical data of his abilities. They just know the big dude in the armor touched the other dude and reattached his severed arm or something.

 

[DracoSuave]

NPCs aren't supposed to have the same compliment of abilities as a PC.

One LoH is enough.

Also, to whoever said monsters can't use healing surges:

That is incorrect. Monsters cannot use Second Wind. However other means of using Healing Surges are more than welcome if the Monster has it. This includes Healing Word, Lay on Hands, Healing Strike, Orcs Orcs Orcs, and the occasional monster that plain ol' has Second Wind as a stated power.