Bucket-O-NPC's (v3.5)

[Lucianus]

I'm positive I've seen this info posted previously, but after an hour fighting with the forum search and its many "server errors", I surrender. :smallfrown:

I have built a continent for my Players to rule, I know who lives where, have the plots, hooks, etc all figured out. What I need is to put my NPC's on paper as actual numbers that can be used when necessary. LOTS of NPC's.

I need some tips on how to make a few dozen NPC's fast and efficiently. Any info would be great please. My current system of Exel templates takes about two hours per Level 5 or higher NPC. Like I said, I've seen this info before, but can't find it. If someone has the link, I'll be their friend :smallbiggrin:

[Loki_42]

In my experience, you don't really need stats for every NPC. The player's won't ever see the actual numbers, so you can just have stats for categories of NPCs, such as guards, barkeeps, shopkeepers, minor royalty, and then have specific stats only for the important, named NPCs. You only really need complex stats for the people you think will be involved in combat.

[grarrrg]

Use Google.
Type in what you want to search for, then put

[site: giantitp.com]

behind it. The brackets and whatnot tell Google give higher priority to results from whatever site you typed in. You may need a "www." in front of it, but this forum keeps making it into a hyperlink right away...
I don't even touch the Forum Search button anymore (not lately anyway).

[Roguenewb]

DM tools has a lot of pre-built character blocks. Warning: many of these are wildly sub-optimal or non-rules compliant.

[Feralventas]

For NPC's, what I generally develop is

HP (maxed for high-op party, but averaged for mid to low groups.)
AC (high enough to avoid auto-hits, but not often higher than a 35% hit chance.)
BAB (for grapples if needed)
To-Hit (Like AC, high enough to hit, low enough to miss, and appropriate for the challenge of the party.)
Damage (if you're dealing with their main effect, like a weapon for fighters or a specific ability for warlocks (5d6 Eldritch Blast, or 2d6+10 for a greatsword.)

And the aproximate level they're supposed to be at (swift hunter ranger, 3/6 scout ranger, HP3d6+6d10, average 39+20con=59 HP, AC 20 between armor and dex,BAB+8, to hit+13 damage 1d8+4d6 skirmish+5dex+6 Deadly Aim)

And there we go. Have the Ranger's spell list open for some spur-of-the-moment utilities (entangle, cure light, eye's of the avoral, etc.)

[Lucianus]

Oops! Accidently posted this thread in two places. (The servers where acting funny and I got impatient)

Funny, the ppl over in the homebrew/world building forum gave me links to (great) online NPC generators, while the ppl here gave me (great) tips and advice on how to do it myself. Not a complaint, just an interesting observation.

I like your idea for blanket stats covering multiple NPC's, Loki-42. I'm stealing it! :smallwink:

[Kurgan]

I don't really bother with rolling up stats for most npcs to be quite honest. Usually just wing it of make stats for "town guard, novice", "town guard, veteran" and leave it at that.

Cannot say how good these sites might help you:
NPC Generator (http://www.myth-weavers.com/generate_npc.php)
Monster Advancer (http://www.monsteradvancer.com/)

Think I might have picked both of these up from this forum a few years back, honestly don't remember. I save a lot of things for future use that never get used. Hope they help!

[Spider_Jerusalem]

I usually make a few lists of "nameless" NPCs, which I use for the less important characters that the PCs find. They are often divided by race or faction. Thus, I have blocks like "Elfs" which include "Elf Militia", "Elf Orc-Hunter", "Elf Thief", "Elf Elite Knight" and so on; and some other blocks like "Mercenaries from The Web" with "Web Elven Crossbowman", "Web Half-Orc Enforcer", "Web Human Assassin" and others. It usually saves a lot of time.

Actually, if your descriptions are good enough, the players won't notice nor care about the stats of all bowmen being the same. And if they notice, it can actually be good in-game, depending on many different factors, most of them related to roleplaying. Depending on those, a group could either say "how crappy, these guys all use the same stats block" or "if you travel to the Southern realm, be sure to take a big shield, for the warriors there are well trained with the bow"

[Vladislav]

For NPC's, what I generally develop is

HP (maxed for high-op party, but averaged for mid to low groups.)
AC (high enough to avoid auto-hits, but not often higher than a 35% hit chance.)
BAB (for grapples if needed)
To-Hit (Like AC, high enough to hit, low enough to miss, and appropriate for the challenge of the party.)
Damage (if you're dealing with their main effect, like a weapon for fighters or a specific ability for warlocks (5d6 Eldritch Blast, or 2d6+10 for a greatsword.)
I try not to tie the NPC stats to my party stats. Because if I do, what's the point of making characters for me and for my players? We might as well declare than 11+ always hits, and 10- always misses, or somesuch.

If I want an NPC of Nth level, I make an NPC of Nth level, give him level-appropriate gear, give him feats and skills that make him reasonably competent* at what he's supposed to do - whether that be innkeeping, bounty-hunting, pickpocketing or highway robbery, and set him at the party.

* unless being incompetent is a character theme, of course

Of course, I try to avoid having N to be so high as to have an overwhelming challenge, but generally I don't take the position of being my player's babysitter, it's not my job to assure they can hit or that they can avoid being hit.

[Dingle100]

You can the NPC Generator on my website http://www.dinglesgames.com/tools/MonsterGenerator/dnd35/. It's free to use up to 5th level and you can create a 5th level NPC with spells, magic items, feats and skills in a couple of minutes. You can also micro manage the PC's to your taste changing skills, feats and attributes.
Let me know what you think...