missmvicious
2011-11-28, 03:01 PM
I don't like the way I built my NPCs, so I'm rebuilding them. Plus I've learned more about NPCs since I first started building my stockpile.
Recap:
I'm terrible at rolling up characters on the fly. To streamline game play, especially in town, I've rolled up a small army of generic NPCs so I can just grab the appropriate character sheet and go. From Adept to Wizard, these are bland, un-optimized, base race individuals right out of the DMG, with primarily Skill Focus Feats.
I'm rebuilding my Experts first... like right now. My Experts were made incorrectly when I rolled them up 6 months ago. I've since learned that and realized why my Experts are so bad at doing the things they're supposed to do.
But I'm not sure how to build a believable, yet completely unremarkable generic Expert. They get 10 class skills, and I want them to be good at what they do... whatever it is they would be doing in any given campaign session (which means I'll put max skill points into every skill I can until I run out of points).
Here's what I'm thinking any Expert should have in any given vocation:
Expert 10 Class Skills:
1. Appraise
2. Bluff
3. Craft: whatever is appropriate for their profession
4. Decipher Script
5. Diplomacy
6. Gather Information
7. Knowledge: whatever is appropriate for their profession
8. Profession: whatever is appropriate for their profession
9. Sense Motive
10. Spellcraft
The impression I get of an Expert is that they are the store owners. They hire Commoners to do most of the work for them, but they're the ones with the proper education, money, and know-how to keep the business running. You could say that they are the unofficial PrC for Commoners. If I'm misinterpreting their role, please let me know. Anyway, based on this assumption I think:
Appraise, Bluff, Craft, Diplomacy, Knowledge, Profession, and Sense Motive make perfect sense and are a staple of all Experts.
Decipher Script, Gather Information and Spellcraft on the other hand were my runner ups and I don't feel 100% about them.
I don't think Decipher Script has ever come up as a skill check for an Expert in any campaign I've been in or run, but from a fluff perspective, I can imagine it would be part of a businessperson's education to be able to read ancient writing and obscure runes.
Gather Information is a bit gray area. GI is usually for visitors, not townies. Townies have an implied circumstantial +10 for all gossip in her own home town. It feels like it fits because shopkeepers provide like 90% of all in-town hooks, but once again... this feels more like a PCs skill.
Spellcraft may come in handy, but is it generic enough? Will the owner of a tavern, a general store, or a stable need to identify a potion (DC25), Scroll (DC20-29) or identify the properties of an enchanted item (DC30)? An owner of a wand shop or an alchemical shop, yeah... but an owner of any old shop? It feels more like the domain of a Wizard or Adept.
I think of Experts as generally Lawful though not necessarily good, so that rules out seedier skill sets like Forgery and Escape Artist. And I would also think they would want repeat business so Hide, Intimidate, and Move Silently don't make an awful lot of sense either.
Spot, Listen, and Languages seem like good alternatives, but can you imagine a L1 Expert being able to speak 4 languages plus Common, plus his racial, if any? I guess since they're educated it's technically possible... but that's just level 1. Imagine an L15 Expert with max Languages. LOL
Anyway, I've rambled on long enough.
What is the Playgrounds thoughts for the Top Ten most Generic Skill Sets for an Expert? Maybe I should have labelled my thread that. :smallconfused: Hmm.
Recap:
I'm terrible at rolling up characters on the fly. To streamline game play, especially in town, I've rolled up a small army of generic NPCs so I can just grab the appropriate character sheet and go. From Adept to Wizard, these are bland, un-optimized, base race individuals right out of the DMG, with primarily Skill Focus Feats.
I'm rebuilding my Experts first... like right now. My Experts were made incorrectly when I rolled them up 6 months ago. I've since learned that and realized why my Experts are so bad at doing the things they're supposed to do.
But I'm not sure how to build a believable, yet completely unremarkable generic Expert. They get 10 class skills, and I want them to be good at what they do... whatever it is they would be doing in any given campaign session (which means I'll put max skill points into every skill I can until I run out of points).
Here's what I'm thinking any Expert should have in any given vocation:
Expert 10 Class Skills:
1. Appraise
2. Bluff
3. Craft: whatever is appropriate for their profession
4. Decipher Script
5. Diplomacy
6. Gather Information
7. Knowledge: whatever is appropriate for their profession
8. Profession: whatever is appropriate for their profession
9. Sense Motive
10. Spellcraft
The impression I get of an Expert is that they are the store owners. They hire Commoners to do most of the work for them, but they're the ones with the proper education, money, and know-how to keep the business running. You could say that they are the unofficial PrC for Commoners. If I'm misinterpreting their role, please let me know. Anyway, based on this assumption I think:
Appraise, Bluff, Craft, Diplomacy, Knowledge, Profession, and Sense Motive make perfect sense and are a staple of all Experts.
Decipher Script, Gather Information and Spellcraft on the other hand were my runner ups and I don't feel 100% about them.
I don't think Decipher Script has ever come up as a skill check for an Expert in any campaign I've been in or run, but from a fluff perspective, I can imagine it would be part of a businessperson's education to be able to read ancient writing and obscure runes.
Gather Information is a bit gray area. GI is usually for visitors, not townies. Townies have an implied circumstantial +10 for all gossip in her own home town. It feels like it fits because shopkeepers provide like 90% of all in-town hooks, but once again... this feels more like a PCs skill.
Spellcraft may come in handy, but is it generic enough? Will the owner of a tavern, a general store, or a stable need to identify a potion (DC25), Scroll (DC20-29) or identify the properties of an enchanted item (DC30)? An owner of a wand shop or an alchemical shop, yeah... but an owner of any old shop? It feels more like the domain of a Wizard or Adept.
I think of Experts as generally Lawful though not necessarily good, so that rules out seedier skill sets like Forgery and Escape Artist. And I would also think they would want repeat business so Hide, Intimidate, and Move Silently don't make an awful lot of sense either.
Spot, Listen, and Languages seem like good alternatives, but can you imagine a L1 Expert being able to speak 4 languages plus Common, plus his racial, if any? I guess since they're educated it's technically possible... but that's just level 1. Imagine an L15 Expert with max Languages. LOL
Anyway, I've rambled on long enough.
What is the Playgrounds thoughts for the Top Ten most Generic Skill Sets for an Expert? Maybe I should have labelled my thread that. :smallconfused: Hmm.