When should NPC's get PC classes

[Dareoon Dalandrove]

When should you give npc's levels in PC classes. If the NPC classes are for the rest of the nonadventuring world why should they ever get PC class levels.

 

[shilsen]

Whenever it suits the story and the NPC.

 

[Voadam]

Because there are NPC wizards and druids and sorcerers etc. in the game world. Nonadventuring generally in this context means non buff in combat.

PCs get better stats and wealth per level at the default. The majority of the background world are NPC classes. The major interaction characters of the world are going to have whatever classes are appropriate for the campaign story needs. The classed knight you meet could still be outnumbered 100 to 1 by the commoners who work for him who you never meet but are there in the world in the background.

 

[painandgreed]

I see classes as a matter of training. PC type classes are the good training that costs more money while the NPC classes are the poorer training that doesn't cost as much or require as much time or dedication. Thus the rich, powerful or simply hardcore get the PC classes while the poorer and less motivated people get the NPC classes. The noble's son who gets formal training in weapon and armor use ends up being a fighter while the farmer who just likes to fight and may train every now and then with the militia ends up being a warrior. Similarly, clerics are the product of training by other clerics, perhaps with a long tradtion while adepts are simply people who are devout and holy enough to hear the call of their god. Thieves, ....err, I mean rogues, are an odd point as not all PCs present themselves as being trained by organized thieves guilds or even another theif. These types are simply the hardcore and strong willed who really like what they do or find it come to them naturally. Same goes for sorcerors. Someone less dedicated to the lifestyle might simply end up an expert with some similar skills.

Personally, while the NPC type classes are the majority, I don't have any partiucular shortage of PC clases in my NPCs. Probably more than is presented in the DMG under the community generation system, at least for large cities and such.

 

[Dareoon Dalandrove]

But which moments define that an NPC is a fighter and not a warrior? Sure it's easy to say random guard is a warrior. That's fine you want him to be a nobody. Then why have his superior be a 3rd lvl fighter? If he's just there to be more of a challenge or show his experience then why not 3rd lvl warrior? Why don't detailed NPC's every have mix's of NPC classes and PC classes. If you started out as a "mugger" and then worked your way up to crime boss wouldn't you be a warrior/PC class?

 

[CountPopeula]

I think you're looking at it too much as a game mechanic and it's not. The 1st level NPC warrior can become a 3rd level fighter. NPCs aren't PCs, the rules for advancement don't apply to them as strictly, because of their nature. The game mechanic is a reward system and a balancing factor for players. An NPC warrior, however, could train hard to learn new skills and become a fighter, in effect trading in his warrior levels.

The level/class system is an abstract game concept. NPCs should be statted as to what is appropriate to them. The DM should really feel free to change stats, classes, and whatever as is dramatically appropriate. Like if an NPC fighter breaks his leg and spends 6 months laid up in bed reading, it would probably be appropriate to lower his physical stats and raise his mental ones. It comes down to what you feel is appropriate for the NPC, and the rules can be ignored to a certain extent.

 

[Nifft]

When they wake up in the morning.

NPCs can be just as powerful as PCs. What separates them? NPCs have a survival instinct.

-- N

 

[Ibram]

I never realy bother with NPC classes because they have zero survivability when it comes to combat against PCs. Anyone the PCs are going to bother dealing with are going to have PC levles themselves.

 

[Crothian]

When I as DM determine it to be so.

 

[Slobber Monster]

I don't bother to use NPC classes at all, except for 1st level warriors and commoners. If someone with no combat ability should have some sort of exceptional talent, or maybe a broad but shallow range of knowledge skills (i.e. an aristocrat) then I simply assign them the skills as required by their position. Everyone else of any importance gets PC classes as required.