MaxKaladin
First Post
Perhaps this is more appropriate here...
I've got a sea voyage coming up in my campaign and that means possible monster and/or pirate attacks. That, in turn, means some NPCs who have remained statless so far will need to be stated so I know things like initiative, HP, and AC (which are still important even if just running and hiding).
First of all, I was reading in the DMG last night that there are two classes of NPC, elite and average. Elite ones follow the same rules as PCs. Average ones only get 3d6 for stats and roll for hit points at 1st level. This is not really too different from earlier editions where you had 3d6 stats for the general populace and, in 1st edition, had hit points based on things like 'sedentary' and so on. The main difference is that there are now offical NPC classes instead of '0-level'.
Most NPCs won't be a problem, but a couple raise some questions.
One is a Gaius, a street urchin of about 13 years of age. He started out as a minor contact the party paid for information, to help spread rumors and stuff like that, but the noblewoman priestess has decided to reform him and has taken him on as a servant so he'll be travelling with the party. Does a street urchin count as a thief level or two or is he a commoner? If a commoner, what happens to those levels if/when they teach him to be something else (he was promised training as part of his service)? Is a 13 year old entitled to a feat (which I think all characters technically get at 1st level of anything, even commoner)? Roll stats as for 'average', I presume, but some stuff like strength probably ought to be penalized some. Do any rules exist for this? Advancement may be an issue soon since I've heard talk of making him a torchbearer.
He pretty much embodies both questions. There is another, even younger, NPC travelling along who is the stereotypical lost-prince and is currently under the protection of the party. I'll need stats for him at some point because of the voyage mentioned above and because people occasionally attempt to kidnap him to use as a puppet. He won't be fighting, but his AC (dex), HP (con) and
initiative (dex again) will probably be needed at some point, thus a need for stats (presumably average, but should have heavy penalties on stuff like strength and wisdom). Also, he's just a 1st level commoner now, but he will presumably be trained as a warrior when he gets older. What happens to his commoner level? I've never seen a Ftr4/Com1, for instance. Said lost prince's mom is another. She is a former courtesan to the king serving the noblewoman priestess in the party as a ladies maid right now so I peg her as an 'expert', but she may end up picking up a PC class if she learns to fight or something to help defend her son. If so, what happens to those NPC class levels?
In a nutshell, I'm trying to figure out how to stat out young NPCs and how to handle people who go from NPC classes to PC classes.
Thanks.
I've got a sea voyage coming up in my campaign and that means possible monster and/or pirate attacks. That, in turn, means some NPCs who have remained statless so far will need to be stated so I know things like initiative, HP, and AC (which are still important even if just running and hiding).
First of all, I was reading in the DMG last night that there are two classes of NPC, elite and average. Elite ones follow the same rules as PCs. Average ones only get 3d6 for stats and roll for hit points at 1st level. This is not really too different from earlier editions where you had 3d6 stats for the general populace and, in 1st edition, had hit points based on things like 'sedentary' and so on. The main difference is that there are now offical NPC classes instead of '0-level'.
Most NPCs won't be a problem, but a couple raise some questions.
One is a Gaius, a street urchin of about 13 years of age. He started out as a minor contact the party paid for information, to help spread rumors and stuff like that, but the noblewoman priestess has decided to reform him and has taken him on as a servant so he'll be travelling with the party. Does a street urchin count as a thief level or two or is he a commoner? If a commoner, what happens to those levels if/when they teach him to be something else (he was promised training as part of his service)? Is a 13 year old entitled to a feat (which I think all characters technically get at 1st level of anything, even commoner)? Roll stats as for 'average', I presume, but some stuff like strength probably ought to be penalized some. Do any rules exist for this? Advancement may be an issue soon since I've heard talk of making him a torchbearer.
He pretty much embodies both questions. There is another, even younger, NPC travelling along who is the stereotypical lost-prince and is currently under the protection of the party. I'll need stats for him at some point because of the voyage mentioned above and because people occasionally attempt to kidnap him to use as a puppet. He won't be fighting, but his AC (dex), HP (con) and
initiative (dex again) will probably be needed at some point, thus a need for stats (presumably average, but should have heavy penalties on stuff like strength and wisdom). Also, he's just a 1st level commoner now, but he will presumably be trained as a warrior when he gets older. What happens to his commoner level? I've never seen a Ftr4/Com1, for instance. Said lost prince's mom is another. She is a former courtesan to the king serving the noblewoman priestess in the party as a ladies maid right now so I peg her as an 'expert', but she may end up picking up a PC class if she learns to fight or something to help defend her son. If so, what happens to those NPC class levels?
In a nutshell, I'm trying to figure out how to stat out young NPCs and how to handle people who go from NPC classes to PC classes.
Thanks.
