Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="redrick" data-source="post: 6513623" data-attributes="member: 6777696">DaveDash, did you build these NPCs from scratch (using DMG monster guidelines) or did you base them off of something else? I know one option is to take a CR-appropriate monster from the MM that seems to have the right offense/defense levels and then start swapping out features and traits with class-like abilities.Bganon, I'm gonna try that out and see what sorts of NPCs I come up with. I'm currently running the Expert D&amp;D module Castle Amber, which contains almost as many NPCs as monsters, and most of the monsters are not in the 5e MM. (Living Statues. Thouls. Rakastas. Lupines. Killer Trees. Aranea. Bone Golems. etc.) Converting the monsters is a breeze — I add a couple HD to the D&amp;D HD number, eyeball the AC, set attack damage based on comparative challenge and give them a cool trait or two. They might not be exactly the same as the original, but they work. Converting the NPCs, especially spellcasters, has been a bit more challenging, and I've gotten myself into trouble a few times where I've declined to stat out an NPC in the hopes that the conversation will stay cordial, and then one of my belligerent PCs decides to pop a few eldritch blasts in her face.Ah well.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="redrick, post: 6513623, member: 6777696"] DaveDash, did you build these NPCs from scratch (using DMG monster guidelines) or did you base them off of something else? I know one option is to take a CR-appropriate monster from the MM that seems to have the right offense/defense levels and then start swapping out features and traits with class-like abilities. Bganon, I'm gonna try that out and see what sorts of NPCs I come up with. I'm currently running the Expert D&D module [I]Castle Amber[/I], which contains almost as many NPCs as monsters, and most of the monsters are not in the 5e MM. (Living Statues. Thouls. Rakastas. Lupines. Killer Trees. Aranea. Bone Golems. etc.) Converting the monsters is a breeze — I add a couple HD to the D&D HD number, eyeball the AC, set attack damage based on comparative challenge and give them a cool trait or two. They might not be exactly the same as the original, but they work. Converting the NPCs, especially spellcasters, has been a bit more challenging, and I've gotten myself into trouble a few times where I've declined to stat out an NPC in the hopes that the conversation will stay cordial, and then one of my belligerent PCs decides to pop a few eldritch blasts in her face. Ah well. [/QUOTE]

Verification