Horrible PC class, wonderful NPC Class. Ideas?

[TheDarkSaint]

I was working with HeroLab, dinking around with the SpellThief class for an NPC when it hit me. "This class is perfect for an NPC"

Earlier in working with it I was thinking about building one for a later game and decided to import the character in as a henchman for the current game as some nemisis's (nemisi? nemisises?)for my party.

I was looking at the class from a PC perspective and on it's own, it's meta-game limited. The game we usually run with our group is overland adventure or dungeon crawls. The class seems built to really need an opposing spell caster to function at a high level of efficiency. It might work for some games, but not others.

But as an NPC, it's perfect. I can sneak-attack party spell casters and drain them of spells in the process while the NPC Knight, Marshal and Warblade keep the tanks of the party busy. That, in turn, got me thinking about you guys.

What other classes have you discovered work only so-so as a PC class but excel when pitted against PC's? (Let's assume the obvious, wizards, sorc and the like)

[georgie_leech]

Surprisingly, Truenamers. The Laws don't get in the way both due to limited targets anyway, and having used their Utterances exactly as many times as the DM wants. Reversed Words of Nurturing do irresistible damage over time, which, barring shenanigans to become immune to hp damage, can actually be rather scary; 24d6 over 4 rounds, no save, is likely to kill your average Wizard unless actions are spent healing him in combat, which most players here are loathe to do. On the Non-Antagonist side, their knowledge focus makes them natural DM mouthpieces, as they know a lot about everything. Finally, their capstone is really cool, but honestly of little tactical value to your average PC group, who tend to not split the party. For friendly NPC's, it's a convenient way to have them handy if the party needs them. For BBEG's, they can make sure that their "True Nickname" is the one commonly known, so that people (especially the PC's) can't even talk about them directly for fear that they won't suddenly appear behind them and UMD a Wand or Gate in a Demon or something. Imagine if Voldemort actually knew if people said his name, and had the power to apparate there instantly when someone did.

[blelliot]

The healer class from the miniature's handbook. I use them as the npcs that sell healing spells in the worlds I make. Also any prestige class that has a racial requirement( dwarven defender, arcane archer, gnome giant slayer, etc) also gets my vote for this.

[The Insanity]

Any class is better as an NPC than a PC.

[gooddragon1]

There's a class or PrC that's bound to a city but has incredible powers within it. Can't remember what it is though.

[blelliot]

There's a class or PrC that's bound to a city but has incredible powers within it. Can't remember what it is though.

Urban Soul from the Races of Destiny. Used one as a npc with a batman vibe, who acted. A patron to the pcs.

[Alleran]

A Tainted Scholar can make for a powerful and thematic villain.

Give that PrC to a player character, and they'll turn into a Necropolitan and lock themselves up in a room casting spells for two hundred years to boost Taint the very first chance they get.

[VariSami]

Imagine if Voldemort actually knew if people said his name, and had the power to apparate there instantly when someone did.
Actually, I think he did, in the latter books. Although he mostly sent his henchmen, the Death Eaters, to deal with such breaches. The reason was simple too: basically only Harry and some other members of the Order of the Phoenix would do such a thing.

The Marshal, in my case. In my current campaign, there is a Warforged Privateer captain with 4 levels of Marshal, 2 levels of Warblade, and 5 levels of Legendary Leader (from Heroes of Battle). Basically, he makes his crew utter beasts with 4 cumulative Auras (Major, Minor, 2xCommander Aura) and a White Raven Stance, while he himself is something of a weenie for his level. Also, Grant Move Action becomes decent with such an amount of men to command.

[DruidAlanon]

dread necro is a horrible-yet op- pc class (unless the campaign is evil oriented) but a great class and npc class in general. if the campaign goes to higher levels dread necro/tainted scholar in its hidden sanctuary, of the same average lvl can literally destroy the part and provide a good encounter.

Warmage is another one. He's not so good dmg dealer as a sorcerer, not a warrior, not a mage, meh, he needs much optimization/home rules to function but can be a very very good npc

bladesingers make great great great npcs

Slayer of domiel is another one. lawful good rogue is a "meh". But can be a good npc.

bard/diresinger is one of my favorites since bards has sooo much RP and flavor .In an npc party with a dread necro or a mindbender (another horrible pc class) and 2 rouge/assassins you can have some serious fun.

Lifedrinker(!!!) I like this one, since you must be a vampire (and it's a horrible choice for a player to become a vampire)

Effigy masters can become good npcs

Souleaters as well (I can hardly imagine how can a player become a souleater)

warrior of darkness as an anti-paladin

pale masters are usually a poor prestige class but can form a good vilain

true necros are so lame but can be used as npc

rogue/combat trapsmith/assassin variations can have much flavor

I like gray guards as well (+ justiciars) as an alternative to the classical npc paladin

magical trickster is a fine npc but bad pc class (since it looses 1 spellcasting lvl)

combat medics/apostoles of peace/risen martyrs are poor prestige classes but good npc, with much flavor

I also like ranger/dread commando as a good npc (but I think it's not horrible at all as a pc class)

wildrunners can be used as an npc especially if you have druids/barbarian/rangers in your party and they spend some time in the wild

demonologists/diabolists can provide a good encounter

[Snowbluff]

Lifedrinker -> Savage Progression Vampire 1

Souleater -> Fluffy prereqs are usually ignored or worked out with the DM. Not being a humanoid is quite easy. Planetouched are an easy way.

[Feint's End]

First thanks to OP for starting such an interesting Thread.

Second. This is the perfect opportunity to talk about one of my favourtie PRCS Crunchwise. The Sharn Skymage. Usually it's a bad choice for PC since 3 lost casterlevels are terrible compared to the benefits you get but they make for awesome NPCS. I use some in my world who do dangerous races in the biggest citties all over the world.

[The Viscount]

Sybil from Savage Species is essentially only usable as an NPC class, but makes for an interesting NPC.

Slaad brooder is a neat class, but the horrendous ECL adjuster for slaadi means this one will me an NPC class.

Warchief can make for a pretty nasty horde encounter, but doesn't really work for PCs unless they've decided to be Thrallherds, which isn't practically viable.

[Snowbluff]

The Apostle of Peace could be nifty.

[The Viscount]

Siren is similarly an interesting class, but if your DM is strict on interpretation for qualifying, it is extremely difficult to enter, leaving only monsters that can take it without much finagling.

[Phaederkiel]

I had one of the disciples from BOVD as an opponent, spreading plagues amongst the guards of a city and summoning slimes before becoming a slime himself when finally exposed. Very funny set of mostly useless abilities which are great when used on a party.

[Thurbane]

Earlier in working with it I was thinking about building one for a later game and decided to import the character in as a henchman for the current game as some nemisis's (nemisi? nemisises?)for my party.
Nemeses (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/nemesis)