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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Trickstergod" data-source="post: 917507" data-attributes="member: 10825">Maybe I'm mistaken, but I'd always assumed there was a little leeway in what was a challenge for a party of PC's; that, for example, a party of four level 5 characters were reasonably challenged by anything from around a CR 3 to 7, without the challenges being too under or overpowered. Slightly less challenging in one instance, slightly more, but still reasonable challenges. If that's not the case, then there's something seriously wrong with the way monsters are being designed.Why do I mention this? Well, quite simply, at least a few of the NPC classes shouldn't be so serious a handicap that the DM needs to sweat over each and every instance of combat and skill use. It goes without saying that the NPC classes are universally weaker than the PC classes. That's the point, to a degree. But, thankfully, there's a bit of a buffer zone in the way the games set up that a character doesn't (or shouldn't) need to be optimized to be a viable character. Now, obviously, a 1st Level Aristocrat/4th Level Fighter is going to be inferior to a 5th Level Fighter (in most instances - and those that it's not, the 1st Level Rogue/4th Level Fighter mix beats out what the Aristocrat level offers). But both are going to be able to reasonably offer something to a CR 5 encounter, particularly when everybody else has an NPC class, as well. The only truly worthless NPC class would be the Commoner. Sure, you can do some tweaking to get the NPC classes "up to snuff", but doesn't that take out some of the point? If the classes are going to be equivalent to the Core classes, why run a game with the NPC classes? A Warrior is nothing more than a watered down Fighter, after all. Might as well just let someone play a Fighter if you intend on making the two classes equal in anyway. Less complex, and the character concept likely won't change. Now, admittedly, the rogue gets a kick in the ass for the first level not being rogue, but that's the only class that really gets the shaft for being taken on later as opposed to starting off.Here's the only thing that really matters: You need to make sure your players are all fine with the idea. The idea itself isn't a dumb one, but as some people have said, they really wouldn't want to play an NPC class. Not, at least, without certain stipulations. It would be best to see what the opinion is of those actually playing in your game. I for one wouldn't necessarily mind playing a game like that, though I would make sure that the multiclassing penalties didn't apply to the NPC class; otherwise, the Elven Fighter, Gnomish Rogue, Halfling Paladin, and other such characters, are all going to be taking it in some place unpleasant when it comes to experience or leveling up.</blockquote>

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