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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Guest&nbsp; 85555" data-source="post: 9257406">I think it is fine to do it this way, but I don't see as much on ought here as you do. Classing is a convenient mechanic for making player characters, and can work for NPCs. Most NPCs are going to follow this approach. But I don't think they have to follow all the same character creation parameters a PC does (because the parameters for player characters are about balance). For example, I don't see an issue with simply assigning stats that make sense for the character you are creating. I also don't even have a problem with putting a stat above what a PC can roll, if there is an in setting reasons why. The point pemerton made in the OP, which again disagreed with in many ways, I think makes a very sound point about the need for there to be creativity around this stuff (he is simply arguing that creativity should extend to the players, which in some campaigns, some groups, some games, is going work well). But I am saying, given that my general preference is for games where the players don't have this kind of power to side step the parameters of character creation and premise, it is still very important that the system not then go and also constrain the GM in the act of designing NPCs, adventures, etc. Once in a while the GM needs to make an exceptional halfling NPC, like a Gollum character. And yes the game may have existing paths to achieve something like that, but I think the more creative freedom the GM has to fully realize the concept, the better (for me as long as it isn't a crazy violation of the setting or cosmology, you need that sort of thing).Also there is another point here that is important: ease of use. The GM shouldn't have to generate a fully fleshed out NPC using the class system every time the players meet someone new. It is much easier sometimes to have shorthand for this sort of thing rather than make every NPC have to dot each I and cross every T.But why should I have to stick to classing the monster. I often do it, but I don't understand why I can'y completely ignore that in favor of something else that makes sense or saves me time. I get that Strahd did that and it worked well. It is one tool in the toolbox, but I can also just take the vampire stat and say "he is a skilled warrior and magic user so I am going to adjust this and that, increase HP and give him some spells". It is both time consuming to level every monster like this (again that is one of the reasons things like templates really bothered me in 3E---it is additional work) and it constrains that creative aspect to it. Again, I don't see the classes as mapping to real things in the setting. They are broad types meant to make character creation easier and workable. But I always assume there are thieves in the world who don't exactly match a thief who is designed like a PC thief (there has to be, or the world would basically just be a video game)</blockquote>

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