[Speculative] Rivals or What level adjust to you put on PC glow?

[Toras]

While I am perhaps the most stalwart champion of 4e edition but something that has occurred to me as discussions have moved forward about the seperate system for NPC's. Now I can sort of understand the need for short hand for monsters or npc's of a certain type. A basic combat summary is certainly something that is useful, but it does leave me with questions.

If I were to construct, say a rival adventurer or even adventuring party, could I use the player character rules. Say the 'rival' is an someone from a PC's past, say from a same fencing school. It would make sense for them to have similar if not the same abilities, would it not? Can NPC's have pc classes or are the pc's supposed to be the only ones like that anywhere?

On related note, if a player character were to attack another for any of a multitude of reasons from treachery to mind control, do the pc's pc only abilities still come into play?

And if I were to give Healing Surges to Elite/Solo NPC's, what effect would might that have?

 

[hong]

Nothing stops you creating an NPC using PC chargen. The WotC ninjae aren't going to carry you off for doing so. In practical terms, PCs may have a lot more abilities that require keeping track of, so running a bunch of NPCs built on the same lines may be cumbersome.

Why on earth should PCs attacking other PCs change what powers can be used?

 

[Saishu_Heiki]

I see no reason who you could not create a NPC from the ground up, using the same rules as the PCs. In fact, I have a feeling most BBEGs will be made exactly this way.

As for giving Elites and Solos Healing Surges... Second Wind is the main way that Healing surges are used in combat, so any more than one HS would likely be wasted. Also, giving them HS means that they just became much more dangerous than their level would indicate. You would have to test carefully to make sure that you don't give these already tough monsters too much more power.

 

[Toras]

I suspect a great deal of my 'tentive' confusion hits in the healing surge and similar, as there has been some debate about if a 'monster' who joined your party getting healing surges and the like. Since that seems to be the larger part of my confusion, I should probably rephrase my question.

What grants Healing Surges? (PC being, part of the party/ally, sufficient importance) Why?

 

[fafhrd]

There's a creature, Dwarven Warlord I think, that is able to activate its allies healing surges. It may be that all creatures have a healing surge or two but lack the second wind feature to access it in combat.

 

[hong]

Heh. I suspect 4E combat strategy will shift from "kill the wizard!" to "kill the medic!".

 

[fafhrd]

"Son, if you plan on surviving your first day on the battlefield, you're gonna need to take off the Red Cross pin."

 

[Jack99]

Nothing stops you creating an NPC using PC chargen. The WotC ninjae aren't going to carry you off for doing so. In practical terms, PCs may have a lot more abilities that require keeping track of, so running a bunch of NPCs built on the same lines may be cumbersome.

Why on earth should PCs attacking other PCs change what powers can be used?

It's quite disturbing. Every time someone mentions that, I get a mental picture of teh Rouse in a tight ninja-suit, sneaking up upon a poor unsuspecting DM.

Maybe I should go see my shrink...

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

It's quite disturbing. Every time someone mentions that, I get a mental picture of teh Rouse in a tight ninja-suit, sneaking up upon a poor unsuspecting DM.

Maybe I should go see my shrink...

It's only disturbing because it's true! Why do you think they changed their original plan and are now releasing all rulebooks in June? The delay of the PHB is exactly the time the tailor and smith need to get "The Rouse"'s Ninja army ready!

 

[WalnutNinja]

WotC Ninja Army

Psh, Ninja please.