D&D 5E NPCs and Encounter Calculations

[KahlessNestor]

My players have an NPC Scout with them, a CR 1/2. How would one go about calculating encounter XP values to take her into account? Just add the equivalent of her XP value to the encounter?

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[aco175]

The simplest way would be to just count the NPC as a PC when determining the amount of XP to give out. This would simply give the NPC enough XP to stay up with the PCs as they advance. This would keep the NPC on par with continuing to adventure with the PCs,

 

[dgscott]

I would add the addendum for aco175's post that you should treat them as a PC, but try to figure what level they would be. I'd recon a scout is close to a level 3 PC. Despite having 2 attacks, PCs have a lot more tricks up their sleeves, and usually more HP.

 

[Quickleaf]

My players have an NPC Scout with them, a CR 1/2. How would one go about calculating encounter XP values to take her into account? Just add the equivalent of her XP value to the encounter?

Sent from my SM-G900P using EN World mobile app

I'd treat the Scout as equivalent to a 2nd level PC.

For example, a 2nd level PC rogue with Con 14 and Dex 16 might have 17 hit points, AC 15, attack bonus +5, and sneak attack with a shortbow for 10 (1d6+3+1d6) damage with a range of 5-15 damage.

The Scout has 16 hit points, AC 13, attack bonus +4, and with its short bow deals 11 (1d6+2+1d6+2) damage with a range of 6-16 damage.

Very similar.

If you're using http://kobold.club/fight/#/encounter-builder , you can click "+Add Another Level" to add a 2nd level PC to the mix of a party that's mostly 5th level, for example.

 

[KahlessNestor]

Thanks for all the advice.

I ended up completely forgetting about the force multiplier in the encounter calculations. So the encounters were way too hard, and then they chained three of them together... Yeah, I'm lucky I got out of that with only 1 dead PC :/

 

[Quickleaf]

Thanks for all the advice.

I ended up completely forgetting about the force multiplier in the encounter calculations. So the encounters were way too hard, and then they chained three of them together... Yeah, I'm lucky I got out of that with only 1 dead PC :/

Well, don't sweat it. I figure if I remember maybe 50% of the good tips/reminders floating around in my head then, as long as I keep improving as a DM, my 50% tomorrow will be better than my 50% yesterday.