NPC statting

[Morgan_Scott82]

Well first and foremost, if it's not in combat it doesn't need stats. Which means most of my NPCs don't have stats.

If something is in combat and it's not a PC, I write it up like a monster. If I need the NPC to have certain specific or custom abilities I'll write him up as a monster from scratch, but most of the time I just find an appropriate monster in the monster manual and make cosmetic changes.

 

[Mr. Teapot]

This method is -also- correct.

There's actually quite a lot of ways of making NPCs. Say you want to make an elven wizard. You could:

1) Use the NPC creation rules on page 187, to create an NPC who has some of the powers PCs can have, but not all the options.
2) Take an elf creature from the monster manual (possibly adjusting its level) and apply the Wizard template from the DMG, giving you an elite monster.
3) Reskin and tinker with another monster that provides similar services to what you want. In this case, an eladrin Incanter monster might lose its teleport but gain the Elven Reroll power instead. Or a Gnome arcanist or any other ranged Controller monster might be reflavored to be an elf wizard.
4) Use the monster creation rules to make a Medium sized Fey Controller monster of the appropriate level, who has some arcane flavored abilities.
5) Use the PHB's rules for creating PCs. (Least reccomended method.)


Which fits with the variety of different purposes NPCs fulfill, and the varying amounts of time GM's have or amounbts of detail the GMs care about.