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<blockquote data-quote="Stalker0" data-source="post: 5779965" data-attributes="member: 5889">This issue is a big one for me. Its one of those narrative sticking points for me that is hard to explain because there are so many other narrative handwaves I'm fine with, but this one for whatever reason bothers me.First of all, I think 4e monster design of one of the systems greatest strengths. I like that monsters are different than PCs, that they have different powers, can do different things, and are balanced to challenge a party.And from a narrative standpoint, I can explain them. Monsters are different, because they are monsters!But with NPCs this divide really bothers me. I do not like that a dragonborn npc operates very differently from the dragonborn PC. I don't like that magic items work differently for them, or armor, or just about anything really. Its a big break in the &quot;realism&quot; for me.So I would prefer that npc design work similar to PC design, but I understand that is a lot easier said than done. 3e npcs for example could be real work to create. And of course you have the issue that while monsters can be tailored made to be challenges to the party, npcs made similar to pcs have there own balance issues.I think the answer to npc creation is to have a big load of sample npcs in the DMG, like a whole chapter of them. I want to be able to pick a level and a type of npc, look it up, and have stats ready to go.As for the balance one, that is a trickier problem...and one I don't have a great answer for off hand.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Stalker0, post: 5779965, member: 5889"] This issue is a big one for me. Its one of those narrative sticking points for me that is hard to explain because there are so many other narrative handwaves I'm fine with, but this one for whatever reason bothers me. First of all, I think 4e monster design of one of the systems greatest strengths. I like that monsters are different than PCs, that they have different powers, can do different things, and are balanced to challenge a party. And from a narrative standpoint, I can explain them. Monsters are different, because they are monsters! But with NPCs this divide really bothers me. I do not like that a dragonborn npc operates very differently from the dragonborn PC. I don't like that magic items work differently for them, or armor, or just about anything really. Its a big break in the "realism" for me. So I would prefer that npc design work similar to PC design, but I understand that is a lot easier said than done. 3e npcs for example could be real work to create. And of course you have the issue that while monsters can be tailored made to be challenges to the party, npcs made similar to pcs have there own balance issues. I think the answer to npc creation is to have a big load of sample npcs in the DMG, like a whole chapter of them. I want to be able to pick a level and a type of npc, look it up, and have stats ready to go. As for the balance one, that is a trickier problem...and one I don't have a great answer for off hand. [/QUOTE]

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