New Ideas: NPC classes

[ricardo440]

NPC Classes
The objective is NPC classes is to create opposition to the players who are capable of presenting a threat to high level characters, but who don’t have so many HP that they take ages to kill, or are only removable by the party’s best fighters.

This 1st version is very simple.

Instead of adding HP for NPCs of higher than level 1, just add a number of HP as you would for all characters over 10th level.
e.g. 1d8 HD gives +2 HP.
So an NPC level 6 fighter would be the same as a PC one except HP would be 10+CON + 5*3 = 25+con

This can be used anywhere the GM wants elite guards, expert pirates, experienced NPCs without them actually holding up the action for very long.

To vary the difficulty a GM can simply add more actual HD, changing the break point. So 2D10 + 2* CON + 4*2 HP or 3D10 +3*CON +3*2HP

 

[thulsa]

The objective is NPC classes is to create opposition to the players who are capable of presenting a threat to high level characters, but who don’t have so many HP that they take ages to kill, or are only removable by the party’s best fighters.

Why bother? With the (lower-threshold) Massive Damage rules in the Conan RPG, anyone can be killed with a well-placed strike, regardless of the number of hit points they have.

Plus, hit dice are capped at 10th level for the regular classes.

- thulsa

 

[Yogah of Yag]

I have been tinkering with the idea of developing discrete types of Commoner NPC classes or other classes, based on references in REH's stories. E.g. a leech, or court physician is mentioned in "Phoenix on the Sword" (Coming of Conan, DelRey, p. 26), so I have contemplated working up something. A leech would obviously have extremely high ranks in Heal, and Craft (herbalism, alchemy), and Appraise (malady, disease, illness), &c. I may also suggest a new skill: Surgery (unless this is a sub-set of Heal skill...?)

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On a side note: the weapon cestus is mentioned in the same story in Part V.

cestus (prop. caestus, ūs, Smith, Dict. of Gr. & Rom. Antiq., p. 269) [RPG: automatically turning "unarmed strike" into lethal damage. 1d6, x2, AP 2. Also possibly used by pit-fighters, gladiators]. Since the cestus consisted of leathern bands wrapped around the hand (and forearm?) it would take at least 20 rounds (=2 minutes) to don/remove. Just some ideas.

 

[Mark Dunder]

Surgery is a tough one. Most people being cut into need several people to hold them down, and some sort of pain deadener is a must. Lotus powder would possibly work. But anyway, germs being what they are, anyone who has to be cut open will probably die of infection anyway. If you don't have Medicine as a skill, this could work. Part of the Medicine skill, can be broken up into: Set Broken Bone, Clean and Stitch Wound, Amputate Limb (as close to surgery as you might get, cauterize that wound!), Care for Shock, Care for Fever (herbalism treats a lot of this stuff also). There's a lot more, but my training is mostly just in First Aid. It would be cool to have a doctor or nurse tell us what they think.

Anyway, I don't know if that's what you looking for or not. You understand, it's just my two cents worth.

 

[thulsa]

I have been tinkering with the idea of developing discrete types of Commoner NPC classes or other classes, based on references in REH's stories. E.g. a leech, or court physician is mentioned in "Phoenix on the Sword" (Coming of Conan, DelRey, p. 26), so I have contemplated working up something. A leech would obviously have extremely high ranks in Heal, and Craft (herbalism, alchemy), and Appraise (malady, disease, illness), &c.

I hate to sound negative, but again, why bother creating a whole new set of classes?

Why not just use the Expert NPC class from the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/npcClasses/expert.htm) and give them maxed-out ranks in the appropriate skills?

- thulsa

 

[Taharqa]

Why not just use the Expert NPC class from the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/npcClasses/expert.htm) and give them maxed-out ranks in the appropriate skills?

I have always thought the one thing missing from Conan class-wise is the expert NPC class. It can be used to fit a wide variety of NPCs including merchants, blacksmiths, leeches, sages, etc. With the Noble Blood feat, it could also be used to create a less-combat oriented version of the Noble.

 

[Yogah of Yag]

I have been tinkering with the idea of developing discrete types of Commoner NPC classes or other classes, based on references in REH's stories. E.g. a leech, or court physician is mentioned in "Phoenix on the Sword" (Coming of Conan, DelRey, p. 26), so I have contemplated working up something. A leech would obviously have extremely high ranks in Heal, and Craft (herbalism, alchemy), and Appraise (malady, disease, illness), &c.

I hate to sound negative, but again, why bother creating a whole new set of classes?

Why not just use the Expert NPC class from the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/npcClasses/expert.htm) and give them maxed-out ranks in the appropriate skills?

- thulsa

Great idea! Thanks!

 

[René]

I'd take the Commoner (if there is a need for stats at all). One example:

Hyborian dancing girl can have at 2nd level Perform (dancing) 13!

This comes from: 5 (regular maximum rank for 2nd level) + 3 (from Skill Focus) + 2 (from Performer feat) + 3 (from a high ability stat)

The same goes for a cutpurse, a blacksmith etc.

Remember the True Professional feat, too!

Well, it's your game, so give it the degree of complexity you see at right, but for me the existing Commoner class covers alomst every NPC, which is not of the heroic classes.

 

[Mark Dunder]

I hate to sound negative, but again, why bother creating a whole new set of classes?

Cause it's just plain fun to do. I created 77 for my High Fantasy, Magic Myth game. Want me to list them? Do you..? Do you..?

Oh well, it was just a thought.

 

[Damien]

I created 77 for my High Fantasy, Magic Myth game. Want me to list them? Do you..? Do you..?

I do. I'm interested. I think the most base classes I've ever used in any game was something like 10-15.

 

[Yogah of Yag]

Conan meets Marx: "ONE CLASS! ONE CLASS ONLY!"

 

[MadDog]

Class ? How about classless ? More on this later......

Mad Dog

 

[Damien]

Classless Conan? I believe they called that GURPS Conan.



Yogah of Yag: For follower types you should consider templates. Green Ronin's Cavalier's Handbook presents a really nifty system of adding templates like 'Squire' or 'Animal Handler' to NPCs in your retinue (and it would also work for non-retinue NPCs) which gives them bonuses to certain skills and other small abilities related to their profession. It's actually really cool. The last vanilla D&D game I ran was a Cavalier and his pals with plenty of NPC followers with these templates.

 

[Mark Dunder]

Well, they are not "base" classes. They are designed more so to assist in selecting Talents for the game. A way to "quick start" your character. They are grouped into 11 categories (you could call them "base" I suppose).

Adventurer, Altruistic, Cleric, Craftsmen, Fighter, Hero, Mage, Magical, Professional, Rogue, and Specialist.

Adventurer: Barbarian, Explorer, Gypsy, Mariner, Noble, Nomad, and Ranger.
Altruistic: Counselor, Philosopher, Physician, Scholar, Scientist, Sage, and Tutor.
Cleric: Divine, Druid, Priest, Monk, Seer, Shaman, and Witch Doctor.
Craftsmen: Artist, Builder, Jeweler, Shipwright, Smithy, Tinker, and Wainwright.
Fighter: Amazon, Archer, Gladiator, Knight, Scout, Veteran, and Warrior.
Hero: Partisan, Buccaneer, Cavalier, Heroine, Martial Artist, Paladin, and Samurai.
Mage: Achemist, Diabolist, Illusionist, Magician, Sorcerer, Thaumaturge, and Wizard.
Magical: Bard, Conjuror, Enchanter, Healer, Houri, Psion, and Witch.
Professional: Actor, Armorer, Beast Master, Bounty Hunter, Mercenary, Merchant, and Musician.
Rogue: Assassin, Highwayman, Necromancer, Ninja, Pirate, Reaver, and Thief.
Specialist: Apothecary, Caravan Master, Miner, Monster Slayer, Scald, Weapon Master, and Weirdling Warrior.

I made up a lot of these so I could make NPC quickly. But I don't disapoint, here they are. I hope they give you some ideas.

 

[ricardo440]

I was thinking a bit like the Star Wars NPC classes. Pretty much identical to the regular classes except they don't get the Vitality (HP) meaning they can shoot straight as they have BAB but fall over dead when you breath near them.

 

[Mark Dunder]

The Conan RPG I play is radically different from d20 Conan. The PC is made up entirely of Talents (skills, characteristics, abilities, attributes, etc.). The Talents are grouped under "pools" (tables) that have similar qualities. Here is one pool of Talents under INSIGHT.

INSIGHT:
Animal Senses
Berserk
Danger Sense
Directional Sense
Hypnotism
Information (M)
Magic Sense
Mind Control (M)
Natural Magic (M)
Personal Magnetism
Telepathy
Transmutaion (M)
Weather Sense

Just an example. You can check out the original Talent Table here:
http://www.dunder.com/Conan/ConanTalentPools.html

 

[Yogah of Yag]

dunderm: I like the website, esp. the scan of the chart at

http://www.dunder.com/Conan/ConanResolutionTable.html

However, I can't make heads of tails of it, though. Pretty colours! :shock: What would RPG be without strange charts and tables?

It looks like a wild ride on Wall Street.

 

[Mark Dunder]

I think it was all the charts and tables that really got me into RPG.

The numbers along the bottom are the Talent level columns (as modified) that are cross referenced to the d100 roll on the left. The Resolution Table gives you a Color result, that determines how successfull you are.

I've modified the chart and the damage system for my game. In the original game, Green was 1 point of damage up to Red giving 4 points of damage, and a chance for Specific Damage (death, unconsciousness, etc.). In my game, Green does Minor damage, Yellow Major damage, Orange Severe damage, and Red Critical damage. Because, damage can be modified less than Minor, but a weapon can still hit, there is a possible chance of doing Slight damage.

Still confused? Well, I still have pretty colors, right?

 

[Yogah of Yag]

I think it was all the charts and tables that really got me into RPG.

:lol:

For me, it was the pretty, glittery dice of different shapes! :shock:
Oooh, aahh! 8)

Seriously, though: I think the appeal of RPG is the feeling of CONTROL. :twisted:
Sad, isn't it?

 

[Mark Dunder]

I think the appeal of RPG is the feeling of CONTROL

That's why I GM Paranoia also.

I almost forgot about the dice. I'm serious! One of the reasons I miss D&D was all the different dice you get to roll. My game uses d10 only. I've got a big plasic case just full of dice, and hardly ever use them.

I guess I could slide and play some d20 games.

I plan to put the complete original rule system for the TSR Conan RPG up on my sight. I wrote to Wizards of the Coast legal dept. and they sent back a nice letter saying that even if I paid them a six figure dollar amount they still would not give me a license or sell it to me. Can you believe that? As if I had even a thousand dollars lying around! But they said it would cost them too much to persue copyright searches for the game. In light of their reluctance to persue this matter, I don't suppose they will bother me much! I mean, all I have to say is, "well, who owns the rights to the game?"

Oh well, gives me all kinds of room to do what I want, right? Don't answer that!

Anyway, thanks for all your kindness, and my cell block number is d20.
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