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Creating NPCs (Fantasy)
This is a brief tutorial on creating and formatting NPC stat blocks. The whole idea of this format is to make the editor's job easier, and it shouldn't make a designer's work any harder since the designer has to do this math anyway. It may look intimidating, but it's easier than it looks. Text on a red background is "show your math" text: It doesn't show up in the product, but you do need to turn it over so the editor can see your work.
As we go step by step through this, we will build an NPC. Because we want to illustrate as much as possible, we'll start with a monster and add class levels to it, creating a gnoll Rgr5 named Snagglepuss.
Blank Format
Here is the blank format we'll be filling in:
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Name: gender race classXXlevel; CR XX; size creature type [subtype]; HD XXdXX+XX [plus XXdXX+XX if multiclassed]; hp XX; Init (+XX Dex, misc. mods); Spd X ft.; AC X, touch X, flat-footed X (+XX armor, +XX Dex, +XX size, misc. mods); BAB +XX; Grp +XX; Atk +XX melee (damage, weapon) (+XX BAB, +XX Str, +XX size, +XX weapon quality +XX feat); Full Atk: +XX melee (damage, weapon) (+XX BAB, +XX Str, +XX size +XX weapon quality +XX feat) or +XX ranged (damage, weapon) (+XX BAB, +XX Dex, +XX size, +XX weapon quality +XX feat); Space/Reach XX ft./XX ft.; SA special attacks; SQ special qualities; AL XX; SV Fort +XX, Ref +XX, Will +XX (Race F+XX, R+XX, W+XX; Class F+XX, R+XX, W+XX; Con +XX, Dex +XX, Wis +XX); Str XX, Dex XX, Con XX, Int XX, Wis XX, Cha XX.
Skills and Feats: Skill +XX, Skill +XX, Skill +XX; Feat level acquired, Feat level acquired, Feat level acquired.
Racial Traits:
Spells Known:
Possessions: money derived from DMG tables for NPC wealth—item cost, item cost, item cost, item cost, item cost, XXgp remaining wealth in coins.
Skills (class): Skill XX ranks (+XX ability score, +XX feat, +XX item, +XX racial trait), Skill XX ranks (+XX ability score, +XX feat, +XX item, +XX racial trait), Skill XX ranks (+XX ability score, +XX feat, +XX item, +XX racial trait), = XX (XX skill points)
NOTE: Number of feats is derived as follows: XX
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Starting
- Fill name, gender, race, size, and creature type first. You usually know those when you start.
- Then assign ability scores. Assigning ability scores at this point makes all the rest of the work flow much more easily.
- Once you've assigned ability scores, go through all the red background areas looking for places where ability score modifiers belong and replace "XX" with the appropriate ability score modifier. Don't assign the Constitution modifier to hit points just yet, and don't worry about feats or skill points yet.
- Next, assign classes and levels. In this case, we include "Rgr5" since we're adding five levels of Ranger to the NPC.
- Before doing anything else, increase ability scores based on the total of Hit Dice and class levels. In our example, a gnoll starts with 2d8 Hit Dice and we've added 5 class levels. Seven Hit Dice means we increase one ability score, and I chose to increase Constitution.
- Now you can replace "XXdXX" with the appropriate number and type of Hit Dice(in the case of our Ranger, 5d8).
- You can also determine CR (for player races, it's equal to their character level; for player races with NPC class levels, it's equal to their character level -1; and monsters add their CR to those numbers).
At this point, our stat block looks like this:
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Snagglepuss: male gnoll Rgr5; CR 61; Medium humanoid [gnoll]; HD 2d8+4 plus 5d8+102; hp 493; Init (+0 Dex, misc. mods); Spd 20 ft. (armor), base 30 ft.; AC X, touch X, flat-footed X (+XX armor, +0 Dex, misc. mods); BAB +6; Grp +84; Atk +XX melee (damage, weapon) (+6 BAB, +2 Str, +XX weapon quality +XX feat); Full Atk: +XX melee (damage, weapon) (+6 BAB, +2 Str, +XX weapon quality +XX feat) or +XX ranged (damage, weapon) (+6 BAB, +0 Dex, +XX weapon quality +XX feat); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA special attacks; SQ special qualities; AL CE; SV Fort +XX, Ref +XX, Will +XX (Race F+3, R+0, W+0; Class F+4, R+4, W+1; Con +2, Dex +0, Wis +0; any feats); Str 15, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 8.
Skills and Feats: Skill +XX, Skill +XX, Skill +XX; Feat level acquired, Feat level acquired, Feat level acquired.
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1CR 1 for being a gnoll plus 5 for his levels of ranger
2Note that we list his 2d8 from being a gnoll separately from his 5d8 for being a ranger
3Hit points are determined by taking the maximum possible result from the first die (in this case, 8) and the average result from all other dice (in this case 6*4.5=27), then adding those together (35) and applying the Constitution modifier (35+14=49). In some cases, publishers want you to average all the dice, but this is how TGM does it.
4Grapple bonuses are BAB + Strength modifier + size modifier
Middle
- At this point, buy skills and feats.
- Characters get 1 feat with their first Hit Die, and 1 feat at 3HD, 6HD, 9HD, and so on.
- Note that skills and feats are listed alphabetically, with all skills listed first then a semicolon, then the feats. They are not listed in the order acquired.
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Cross-class vs. Multiclass: It is far easier for the editor if you do not buy skills cross-class. If a character desperately needs skills from another class, give serious consideration to multiclassing. Take a good look at the expert NPC class in the DMG if the character needs a widely diverse group of skills. Having said that, if you must buy cross-class skills, copy and paste the Skills (class) block of red text, and re-name it Skills (cross-class). Show all ranks bought cross-class here.
- Once we have feats and skills, we buy equipment. This has a direct effect on armor class and attacks, obviously. However it may also effect saving throws, skill totals, and other entries depending on the equipment.
In our example, Snagglepuss starts with Power Attack as a feat, and 6 skill points. "Gnoll" is effectively his first class because he has more than one Hit Die, so he doesn't get to multiply the skill points from his first level of ranger by 4. He gets 5 skill points per level of ranger, for a total of 25. He gets another feat at 3HD and at 6HD. Snagglepuss is a gnoll, so his level adjustment is +1. This means that his Effective Class Level (ECL) is 2 (gnoll Hit Dice) + 5 (ranger class levels) + 1 = 8. He buys equipment as an 8th level NPC. You can see the results of our choices, below.
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Snagglepuss: male gnoll Rgr5; CR 6; Medium humanoid [gnoll]; HD 2d8+4 plus 5d8+10; hp 49; Init (+0 Dex, misc. mods); Spd base 30 ft.; AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 17 (+5 armor, +0 Dex, +1 amulet of natural armor, +1 ring of protection); BAB +6; Grp +8; Atk +9 melee (2d4+2, masterwork spiked chain) (+6 BAB, +2 Str, +1 masterwork) or +7/+2 ranged (1d6+2, masterwork composite shortbow) (+6 BAB, +0 Dex, +1 masterwork); Full Atk: +7/+7/+2 melee (2d4+2, masterwork spiked chain) (+6 BAB, +2 Str, +1 masterwork) or +7 ranged (1d6+2, masterwork composite shortbow) (+6 BAB, +0 Dex, +1 masterwork); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA special attacks; SQ special qualities; AL CE; SV Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +2 (Race F+3, R+0, W+0; Class F+4, R+4, W+1; Con +2, Dex +0, Wis +0; +1 cloak of resistance); Str 15, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 8.
Skills and Feats: Skill +XX, Skill +XX, Skill +XX; Cleave 6th, Endurance 3rd level ranger bonus, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Spiked Chain) 3rd, Power Attack 1st, Track 1st level ranger bonus.
Possessions: 7,200 gp—masterwork spiked chain 625 gp, masterwork composite shortbow (+2 Str) 225 gp, 20 arrows 1 gp, +1 mithril chain shirt 2,100 gp, ring of protection +12000 gp, amulet of natural armor +1 2000 gp, cloak of resistance +1 1000 gp, backpack, bedroll, 12 tindertwigs, grappling hook, small steel mirror, 20 pitons, belt pouch, 50 ft. silk rope, waterskin, 3 sunrods, 2 flasks acid, 2 vials alchemist's fire, 2 flasks holy water, 2 tanglefoot bags, 2 potions of cure light wounds total cost 355 gp, 1 sp, 1,319 gp, 9 sp.
Skills (gnoll)5: Listen 3 ranks (+0 Wis), Spot 3 ranks (+0 ability score), = 6 (6 skill points)
Skills (ranger): Climb 5 ranks (+2 Str), Hide 5 ranks (+0 Dex), Jump 5 ranks (+2 Str), Move Silently 5 ranks (+0 Dex), Survival 5 ranks (+0 Wis), = 25 (25 skill points).
NOTE: Number of feats is derived as follows: 1 at 1st Hit Die, 1 at 1st class level (3HD), 1 at 4th class level (6HD) = 3.
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5 Note how we made two blocks for skills, one for each "class." Note also that we re-named the blocks from Skills (class), replacing the word "class" with the appropriate class name. If Snagglepuss had any cross-class skills there would be another block marked Skills (cross-class).
Wrap-Up
- Run through the stat block and make sure all XX marks are replaced with the appropriate numbers. You should have all the information you need to complete the stat block now.
- This is also the time to fill in class abilities.
- Note that class abilities appear in alphabetical order.
- Special Attacks are any race or class ability that can be used to attack.
- Special Qualities are all other race and class abilities.
- Turn over both the version of the stat block with the red background text, and a version without (usually pasted into the document for which you created the NPC).
While Snagglepuss has reached the level where he should have an animal companion, we're only going through one example here and the animal companion is just another stat block. Snagglepuss' animal companion is pretty much copied straight out of the Monster Manual, with the additions of tricks known, link, and share spells.
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Snagglepuss: male gnoll Rgr5; CR 6; Medium humanoid [gnoll]; HD 2d8+4 plus 5d8+10; hp 49; Init (+0 Dex, misc. mods); Spd base 30 ft.; AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +0 Dex, +1 amulet of natural armor, +1 ring of protection); BAB +6; Grp +8; Atk +9 melee (2d4+2, masterwork spiked chain) (+6 BAB, +2 Str, +1 masterwork) or +7/+2 ranged (1d6+2, masterwork composite shortbow) (+6 BAB, +0 Dex, +1 masterwork); Full Atk: +7/+7/+2 melee (2d4+2, masterwork spiked chain) (+6 BAB, +2 Str, +1 masterwork) or +7 ranged (1d6+2, masterwork composite shortbow) (+6 BAB, +0 Dex, +1 masterwork); Space/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA combat style, favored enemy; SQ animal companion, wild empathy; AL CE; SV Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +2 (Race F+3, R+0, W+0; Class F+4, R+4, W+1; Con +2, Dex +0, Wis +0; +1 cloak of resistance); Str 15, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 8.
Skills and Feats: Skill +XX, Skill +XX, Skill +XX; Cleave 6th, Endurance bonus, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Spiked Chain) 3rd, Power Attack 1st, Track bonus.
Combat Style (Ex): Snagglepuss gains the benefit of the Two-Weapon Fighting feat.
Favored Enemy (Ex): Snagglepuss has two favored enemies. Against humans, he gets a +4 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot and Survival checks, and a +4 bonus on weapon damage rolls. Against good outsiders, he gets a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot and Survival checks, and a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls.
Wild Empathy (Ex): Snagglepuss can add his ranger level and his Charisma modifier (-1) to checks to improved the attitude of animals. He can use this ability on magical beasts with Intelligence scores of 1 or 2, but he takes a -4 penalty to his check.
Possessions: 7,200 gp—masterwork spiked chain 625 gp, masterwork composite shortbow (+2 Str) 225 gp, 20 arrows 1 gp, mithril chain shirt 1,100 gp, ring of protection +1 2000 gp, amulet of natural armor +1 2000 gp, cloak of resistance +1 1000 gp, backpack, bedroll, 12 tindertwigs, grappling hook, small steel mirror, 20 pitons, belt pouch, 50 ft. silk rope, waterskin, 3 sunrods, 2 flasks acid, 2 vials alchemist's fire, 2 flasks holy water, 2 tanglefoot bags, 2 potions of cure light wounds total cost 355 gp, 1 sp, 119 gp, 1 sp.
Skills (gnoll): Listen 3 ranks (+0 Wis), Spot 3 ranks (+0 ability score), = 6 (6 skill points)
Skills (ranger): Climb 5 ranks (+2 Str), Hide 5 ranks (+0 Dex), Jump 5 ranks (+2 Str), Move Silently 5 ranks (+0 Dex), Survival 5 ranks (+0 Wis), = 25 (25 skill points).
NOTE: Number of feats is derived as follows: 1 at 1st Hit Die, 1 at 1st class level (3HD), 1 at 4th class level (6HD) = 3.
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