How do I mechanically handle player's improvisation?

[icefractal]

Sure, if they're brand new to FRPGs, then they can be excused for not knowing about powerful Wizards defending themselves and thieves guilds protection rackets.

Powerful Wizards have powerful defenses, sure. But "Thieves' Guilds"? Those aren't really a thing in many settings, especially not as an official organization that a non-criminal mage would have an arrangement with.

I mean, would Tony Stark pay an organized crime group to guard his tower? I don't think so.
(Now watch, it'll turn out that very thing happened in some comic I haven't read. Oh well.)


On topic of the OP, I find what can be helpful in improvising NPC stats is to decide on what the level curve looks like and then determine some benchmarks based on that.

So for example, let's say I decide a curve like this:
1-4 : Common; most people fall into this category; you can easily find a 4th level ___ for hire.
5-8 : Uncommon; a relatively small slice of the population, but still lots of people in absolute terms; an "elite ___" probably falls in this range.
9-12 : Rare; not that many people reach it, and they're more likely doing things like running organizations than being available for hire.
13-16 : Very Rare; there may only be a few people in a given speciality of this level in the entire world. You want a 16th level good-aligned Cleric? Well that's the High Ecclesiarch of Pelor, maybe if you're notable yourself you can make an appointment to see her.
17-20 : Legendary; at a given point in time people of this level may or may not exist. Like, there is an 18th level Wizard, although he only visits the material plane twice a year. There used to be a 19th level Druid, but they died and nobody else has reached that degree of natural affinity yet.

Then with that in mind, you can pre-calculate things like this:
Unremarkable Professional: 2 ranks + 3 class + 0 stat = +5
Skilled Professional: 4 ranks + 3 class + 3 stat/trait/feat = +10
Elite: 6 ranks + 3 class + 3 stat + 3 trait/feat/item = +15
City's Best: 8 ranks + 3 class + 4 stat + 5 feats + 5 item = +25

And then use the appropriate rating, or roll between the applicable ones if you're not sure.