Do NPC Classes Gain WBL?

[Palanan]

I know that NPCs with character classes follow the standard WBL progression, or near enough. But what about aristocrats, experts and the like?

I'm working on an NPC with seven levels in a simple homebrew class, and I'm not sure how to scale his wealth. He's done well enough, but nineteen thousand is an awful lot of well enough, and it feels like it would be out of his league.

Also, there's far more economic disparity between NPC classes than what's assumed for the PCs. Warriors, adepts, and especially commoners would be just scraping by, while the experts might be doing better and aristocrats, by definition, would be living well. (Apart from the occasional ruined estate, etc.)

So it's hard to see how there could be one standard WBL chart to cover all the NPC classes. Is there some other way to calculate this?

[Desril]

Remember, unlike the players, NPCs tend to own property. Have the WBL largely invested into his home and business, rather than putting everything he owns into a magic sword like a murderous hobo.

For the disparity between the various classes.....just arbitrarily subtract/add, that's how I'd handle it anyway.

[hydraa]

DMG pg 127 Table 4–23: NPC Gear Value

7th level =7200 gp gear value

[Palanan]

Ah. Thank you.

Somehow I flipped right past that chart. Those values are indeed much closer to what I had in mind.



Maybe I, um, subconsciously absorbed that information when I was flipping through before. Yeah. That's gotta be it.

:smallredface:

[ericgrau]

Major NPCs do, minor NPCs use the treasure tables. Most warriors, experts, etc. are the second type. A major NPC would be Baron Von Plothook while a minor NPC might be Minor Guard #3. Ask whether or not the NPC is "elite". Elite NPCs also use the elite array for abilities (15 high) rather than the nonelite array (13 high) or 11s and 10s for all abilities.

[Ravens_cry]

Don't be afraid to adjudicate though.
A prince of a prosperous principality, even if fairly low level, is likely to have more resources at their disposal than average.

[Doug Lampert]

DMG pg 127 Table 4–23: NPC Gear Value

7th level =7200 gp gear value

Note that although they SAY NPC gear values, that table is actually based on CR and intended for NPCs with PC class levels. (This is not stated outright IIRC, but is made clear if you start with the random NPC adventurers and run all the way through paying particular attention to what the races with a minus to level subtract and what gear they are supposed to have).

Thus an NPC aristocrat 7 should, in theory, have gear worth the entry for level 6, because NPC classes are, in theory, worth level -1 CR.

The NPC classes have a separate entry for gear value at level 1 with each class's write-up.

Oddities, like an NPC aristocrat at level 2+ having the same wealth as a commoner of the same level, and for that matter the same CR, are just more ammusement with the claim that levels are of roughly equivalent value.

[Aharon]

Note that although they SAY NPC gear values, that table is actually based on CR and intended for NPCs with PC class levels. (This is not stated outright IIRC, but is made clear if you start with the random NPC adventurers and run all the way through paying particular attention to what the races with a minus to level subtract and what gear they are supposed to have).

Thus an NPC aristocrat 7 should, in theory, have gear worth the entry for level 6, because NPC classes are, in theory, worth level -1 CR.

The NPC classes have a separate entry for gear value at level 1 with each class's write-up.

Oddities, like an NPC aristocrat at level 2+ having the same wealth as a commoner of the same level, and for that matter the same CR, are just more ammusement with the claim that levels are of roughly equivalent value.

Huh? I thought the NPC classes are worth level/2 CR? (Source: MM, Improving Monsters page 293, non-associated levels are worth level/2 CR, NPC-classes are always non-associated.)

[Jeraa]

Since NPC classes are weaker than PC classes, levels in an NPC class contribute less to a creature’s CR than levels in a PC class. For an NPC with an NPC class, determine her Challenge Rating as if she had a PC class with one less level. For a creature with monster levels in addition to NPC class levels, add the NPC levels –1 to the creature’s base CR (always adding at least 1).

Dungeon Masters Guide, page 38.

The DMG and the Monster Manual have conflicting information.

[ericgrau]

http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/improvingMonsters.htm

Elite NPCs advance at 1 level per CR.
Nonelite NPCs often but not always advance at 2 levels per CR. Depends on the class (PC or NPC, associated or non-associated) and so on. See above link for details.

It's because of the better ability scores, gear and class. Someone once mentioned that this was wonky because warrior 2 (nonelite) is "obviously" better than fighter 1 (elite) at the same CR. So I fleshed out both of them and they came out about equal mainly for reasons of ability scores and gear. Nonelite gear is really cruddy.

I agree nobles should be richer, though most of it should be kept in property as that's how they earn their money not fighting. As you tweak the wealth keep that in mind when setting CRs; as you can see it makes a difference.

[Doug Lampert]

Huh? I thought the NPC classes are worth level/2 CR? (Source: MM, Improving Monsters page 293, non-associated levels are worth level/2 CR, NPC-classes are always non-associated.)

Read the entire rule please.


Nonassociated Class Levels
If you add a class level that doesn’t directly play to a creature’s strength the class level is considered nonassociated, and things get a little more complicated. Adding a nonassociated class level to a monster increases its CR by ½ per level until one of its nonassociated class levels equals its original Hit Dice. At that point, each additional level of the same class or a similar one is considered associated and increases the monster’s CR by 1.

NPCs have one original hit dice. Their first additional HD adds half a CR, so at level 2 they are CR 1. After that you're on the second bolded section.



Dungeon Masters Guide, page 38.

The DMG and the Monster Manual have conflicting information.

No they do not. They both give the same exact rule worded slightly differently, read the entire rule in the monster manual. What are a 1 HD humaniods original class levels?