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<blockquote data-quote="Mustrum_Ridcully" data-source="post: 4449006" data-attributes="member: 710">One thought occur to me: If there are powerful NPCs, don't make the &quot;world-wide&quot; threat apparent until the PCs have achieved the same power as the NPCs.This still requires the NPCs to have a level of power that doesn't make them omniscient. They must be able to miss some stuff, and as such, divination magic might need to be handled with care. As do the NPCs &quot;high level&quot; connections - if the gods can just inform him of any big threat, he will reasonably want to deal with it immediately. Keeping the NPCs busy with other world-saving business doesn't sound like a good plan. It still steals some spotlight - the PCs just thwart one of many crises. Otherwise, I think NPCs work best if they really don't have the power to deal with the threats the PCs ask them to do. The most powerful established NPC Cleric in Eberron only has her powers while she is near the Silver Flame. Even if she is fully aware of a great threat looming over there, she needs someone to do it for her.A little less contrived is it to use use &quot;non-combat&quot; NPCs - kings, princes, lords and mayors are wealthy and might even have their own army, but this kind of power can't be bring to bear everywhere. They can't do it themself anywahy, and sending troops doesn't solve all problems, and sometimes create new one. (Investigating a cult? An army can't help you. Finding an assassin that fled to another country? An army is a great way to start a war with the country, but is that what the king really wants?)</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Mustrum_Ridcully, post: 4449006, member: 710"] One thought occur to me: If there are powerful NPCs, don't make the "world-wide" threat apparent until the PCs have achieved the same power as the NPCs. This still requires the NPCs to have a level of power that doesn't make them omniscient. They must be able to miss some stuff, and as such, divination magic might need to be handled with care. As do the NPCs "high level" connections - if the gods can just inform him of any big threat, he will reasonably want to deal with it immediately. Keeping the NPCs busy with other world-saving business doesn't sound like a good plan. It still steals some spotlight - the PCs just thwart one of many crises. Otherwise, I think NPCs work best if they really don't have the power to deal with the threats the PCs ask them to do. The most powerful established NPC Cleric in Eberron only has her powers while she is near the Silver Flame. Even if she is fully aware of a great threat looming over there, she needs someone to do it for her. A little less contrived is it to use use "non-combat" NPCs - kings, princes, lords and mayors are wealthy and might even have their own army, but this kind of power can't be bring to bear everywhere. They can't do it themself anywahy, and sending troops doesn't solve all problems, and sometimes create new one. (Investigating a cult? An army can't help you. Finding an assassin that fled to another country? An army is a great way to start a war with the country, but is that what the king really wants?) [/QUOTE]

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