Questions tagged [npc]
For questions about NPCs (non-player characters). NPC refers to any character in an RPG whose decisions and actions are handled by the game master (or a designated assistant) rather than by a player.
344
questions
-1
votes
0
answers
48
views
How would a School/ Education Institute Role Playing Game take place? [closed]
I'm trying to create a History based on characters in a Space College, but I'm missing some Key components regarding the challenges players will face, for example:
If a player has a physical test, ...
- 175
24
votes
8
answers
5k
views
How can a DM communicate to the players that subtlety is needed in a mystery adventure?
I am a beginner DM and also a player.
In our current adventure (Rise of Tiamat), where I am a player, we are tracking some shady individual (Mr. X) involved with a cult. We recently entered a tavern, ...
- 1,792
8
votes
2
answers
369
views
How to present background information and NPC backstories?
The books for a published adventure I've GM'd recently (PF1's Wrath of the Righteous) contain a lot of background information about NPCs, events and locations, which is very fun to read for me as a GM ...
- 3,241
1
vote
0
answers
32
views
Can NPC scouts make a bonus action shortsword attack? [duplicate]
In the game I'm playing, the DM gave each member of the party control over an NPC in combat, in addition to our own characters. My NPC is a scout, so she can use her action to make 2 melee attacks ...
5
votes
2
answers
89
views
How do allied Supporting Characters (NPCs) work in Dune combat?
I'm struggling to work out what to do with allied Supporting Characters (allied NPCs) during a skirmish conflict in Dune. Some parts of the rules seem to imply the GM treats them like they would an ...
- 2,300
11
votes
2
answers
904
views
Are there published stats for regular soldiers in Pathfinder 2e?
The Pathfinder 2e Gamemastery Guide includes stats for a bunch of NPCs, including bandits, pirates, and (city) guards, but it doesn’t include any kind of soldiers. Looking at the online indexes for ...
- 26.9k
5
votes
2
answers
145
views
Are there balanced alternatives to Leadership?
The Leadership feat has always interested me, but many times I have seen people call it overpowered, unbalanced, and ripe for abuse by min-maxing players. And these are all fair points, not just about ...
- 1,245
13
votes
3
answers
2k
views
When do monsters not have average hp?
The Monster Manual (7) says:
A monster's hit points are presented both as a die expression and as an average number. For example, a monster with 2d8 hit points has 9 hit points on average (2 x 4 1/2)....
- 34.4k
1
vote
2
answers
328
views
When rolling initiative for DM-controlled creatures, does their Dexterity modifier apply?
When the DM is rolling initiative for its monsters, does their Dexterity modifier apply, or does the DM just roll a d20 on its own?
- 35
11
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Do lifestyle expenses alter by the number of people in a family?
I was toying with the idea of my character, a Chronurgy Gladiator, sending gold home to support his family (mother, father, and two younger sisters). This idea was spurred from the oddly succinct ...
- 6,503
28
votes
10
answers
4k
views
Strategy to roleplay conversations between groups of NPCs?
I'm a newish DM, and I'm having a hard time coming up with a strategy to roleplay conversations between NPCs.
For example, in the game I'm currently running, there is a "town council" ...
- 389
3
votes
1
answer
138
views
What happened to Pseudo?
Pseudo was a heroic Grue metamorph in 2E Freedom City's Freedom League (I have a vague memory that he was not in the 1E book, but I might be wrong on that count). In the 3E Freedom City book, he's no ...
- 9,873
-1
votes
3
answers
586
views
How prepared is "too prepared" for an endgame-like NPC?
I'm currently running a guild heavy campaign with the two major guilds being the Bandit's Guild and the Adventurer's Guild. The bandits guild runs in territories where noble rank and lord rank bandits ...
- 33
1
vote
0
answers
36
views
Can an NPC Duergar end a size change early? [duplicate]
Let's say a regular NPC Duergar is Large, and wants to hide behind something Smallish, or a Mind Master is currently Tiny and he knows he'll be making Athletics checks in less than a minute. Their ...
- 395
2
votes
1
answer
268
views
Seeking references to child NPCs in published adventures
I'm working on a supplement for Strixhaven where the players take the roles of counselors at a magical summer camp, and I wanted to list some potential tie-ins to other products, specifically where ...
- 3,981
6
votes
4
answers
808
views
Is there a way for a same-sex couple to have biological offspring?
One of my player characters disguised themselves as a prince to marry a princess in order to steal something. Along the way, the PC and the NPC fell in love for real. The problem is that they are both ...
- 561
7
votes
2
answers
832
views
How might I instantiate this NPC concept in a fun way within the systems of DnD 5e? (think Picture of Dorian Gray crossed with Dr Jekyll)
I have this concept for an NPC that I would like to throw into a world I am building for my friends. We are all novices to dungeons and dragons.
The NPC is a Baron in a backwater village that sits in ...
- 211
13
votes
1
answer
981
views
What's the procedure for monsters/NPCs using stealth?
I've been GMing PF2e for a few months, but I still struggle with understanding stealth, especially when it comes to enemies.
An example from an upcoming dungeon I'm planning:
There's a room with an ...
- 131
9
votes
1
answer
302
views
Were some of the NPCs in 'Waterdeep: Dragon Heist' player characters at some point?
The Waterdeep: Dragon Heist adventure has some rather colorful NPCs that, as part of their backstory, were adventurers exploring the Undermountain in the past. Among them are:
Durnan, the propietor ...
8
votes
2
answers
614
views
Shortcuts for GMs preparing a boss sheet
Due to time constraints, I simply do not have the time any more to read through the list of all the feats, all possible enchantments, and all the prestige classes, to then build a boss.
What are the ...
- 2,041
40
votes
9
answers
5k
views
How can I protect an NPC's death scene from interfering PCs with cure magic?
In my current campaign, a plot point is going to involve the PCs finding a dying man who has been kept prisoner and beaten repeatedly over a long period of time. He is able to give the party some ...
- 70.1k
0
votes
1
answer
974
views
What is the difference between a DMPC and an NPC? [duplicate]
Most of the references to DMPCs I see in fora and stuff seem to be describing characters played by DMs who want to have their cake and eat it too—both to DM and to play. In these references it’s often ...
- 1,967
22
votes
8
answers
4k
views
How can an NPC replace some pages of a book with different pages, without leaving a trace of manipulation?
A NPC in my adventure (set in Eberron), which I lead as DM, wants to replace some maps in a book with different maps. The person removes the maps by cutting out the pages containing them and somehow ...
- 1,499
25
votes
2
answers
3k
views
How is cantrip damage determined when cast by NPCs? [duplicate]
A Green Hag (MM, p. 177) has an Innate Spellcasting trait that includes the spell vicious mockery. The description of the vicious mockery cantrip states, in part:
[The target] must succeed on a ...
- 353
8
votes
1
answer
1k
views
In Curse of Strahd, why were the Belviews transformed into mongrelfolk?
In the Curse of Strahd adventure book for D&D 5e, in chapter 8, section S.14 (page 151), there's a section that reads as follows:
So my question is: why would
transform the Belviews into ...
- 841
41
votes
3
answers
6k
views
How do I respond to players who keep asking powerful NPCs to help them in ToA?
I'm playing Tomb of Annihilation(ToA) with my group right after playing Waterdeep Dragon Heist. The group have met powerful characters like Vajra Safahr, the open lord Laeral Silverhand, Mirt, Artus ...
- 391
10
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Dominate Person but without them realizing?
So I was looking through the Enchantment Wizard and am interested in how the spell Dominate Person interacts with the 14th level ability Alter Memories
Specifically this text from the class ability.
&...
- 712
9
votes
3
answers
743
views
Can monsters use lair actions on targets in any part of their lair?
My previous experience with Lair Actions has been when the party fought Strahd (a vampire lord in Curse of Strahd) and Arauthator (an adult white dragon in Rise of Tiamat). Both of these creatures ...
- 34.4k
7
votes
3
answers
458
views
Weapon modifiers before/after a weapon's title in a stat block: where do they come from, and how are they used?
Where are these modifiers before and after a weapon's title on a stat block coming from? Also, how are these used when rolling for an attack?
Melee +1 dagger +10 (1d4+4 plus poison), or +1 dagger +8 (...
- 73
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What is an orb of dragon's breath?
My players have just started Rise of Tiamat and are likely to encounter a Dragonsoul in their next session.
The Dragonsoul NPC in Rise of Tiamat has an Action called "Orb of Dragon's Breath" ...
- 34.4k
5
votes
0
answers
354
views
Are there any official references to the "a cat is a deadly encounter for a commoner" meme?
I have encountered several times the claim that cats are rather deadly encounters for any commoner and the difference between a commoner and an adventurer is, that the adventurer actually would have a ...
- 34.6k
12
votes
4
answers
2k
views
How do you balance encounters between NPCs?
Right now, I’m planning a situation where faction “a” is going to fight faction “b” and the players pick a side, and the side which the players choose is fairly likely to win, in which they have to ...
3
votes
1
answer
857
views
When an NPC is under the effect of Dominate Person, can they cast spells under orders?
If a PC casts dominate person on an NPC, can they (the PC) require the NPC to cast spells? Some of the spells I had in mind were fireball, dominate, etc.
27
votes
9
answers
7k
views
Can you lower your AC on purpose?
For roleplaying reasons I would like to make a NPC appear weaker than it actually is. When the players first fight it, it should seem to have a very low AC and miss many attacks.
Is this possible in ...
- 1,499
8
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Is there a RAW way to resurrect the dead as an undead slave without changing its stats?
The trivial answer, of course, would be "Wish", but perhaps there is something more specific that I overlooked.
I'm asking for a plot-device in my homebrew campaign. The idea is that the big ...
- 2,153
14
votes
3
answers
3k
views
How can this regular hobgoblin from the Acquisitions Incorporated adventure "The Orrery of the Wanderer" use a Spell Scroll?
The official D&D 5e book Acquisitions Incorporated published by Wizards of the Coast includes an adventure, The Orrery of the Wanderer. In a section of Episode 2 (p. 116), a hobgoblin carries ...
8
votes
5
answers
1k
views
How can I get my players to delegate to NPCs?
I have ran into this issue in many games using different systems. My players either start in or reach a point where they should be above things that normal adventurers are about, whether it be ...
- 19.6k
26
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Why do we assume that PHB rules apply to monsters?
The party is deep into my 5e-updated classic Greyhawk Giants series.
They are returning the body of a stone giant killed in the siege of Headwater to the stone giant's clan. The Thane of the Stone ...
- 34.4k
-1
votes
3
answers
134
views
Timing of Suggested actions and a target's "best ability"
The first level enchantment spell Command specifies that the action the target is forced to take happens
on its next turn
The second level enchantment spell Suggestion, on the other hand, says that ...
- 34.4k
3
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Can an Order of Scribes Awakened Spellbook communicate in any way?
Can an Order of Scribes Wizard's Awakened Spellbook communicate in any way? This seems like it would be up to the DM but it's not clear whether it is a possibility or an expectation.
Arguments against ...
- 2,959
6
votes
1
answer
587
views
Can you use named NPCs as Sidekicks?
Can you use named NPCs as Sidekicks (Tasha's)? For example Pidlwick II from Curse of Strahd. I'm guessing the only caveat is that they must be from a book?
- 732
8
votes
1
answer
487
views
D&D My character is not interested in flirty NPC [closed]
I’m playing a Drunken Master Wood Elf Monk named Jade. Last session, my party after about a weeks worth of traveling had finally made it to their destination. Our party rested up and then decided to ...
- 81
6
votes
1
answer
802
views
How does the Evoker NPC statblock have a CR of 9?
The Evoker in Volo's Guide to Monsters (p. 214) is listed as CR 9. However, I just can't figure out how to calculate its CR to get that high a result.
AC: 15 (with Mage Armor) & HP: 66 with 2 ...
- 63
2
votes
0
answers
310
views
Is there a way to convert MTG creatures and characters to AD&D? [closed]
There are a lot of creatures and characters from the trading card game Magic: The Gathering that I would like to incorporate into my Advanced Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. Specifically, I'm ...
- 53
15
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How easy is it to recognize that a creature is under the Dominate Monster spell?
Had an interesting session with a DM I generally quite like playing with where he made 2 decisions I disagreed with. Unfortunately a bit of research hasn't clarified if I'm misunderstanding the rules, ...
- 159
17
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Why would this NPC in Curse of Strahd ever attack Strahd?
In Curse of Strahd, there is an NPC the PC's may encounter whose weapon explicitly does more damage when he uses it to attack Strahd.
However, said NPC states explicitly that he will not attack ...
- 34.4k
7
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Controlling an Evil aligned ‘pet’ creature for an NPC
What is there in the rules which could allow me to make an evil creature less evil, or inhibit their evil, to the point they are “house safe”?
I’m ideally looking for something like an item (e.g. a ...
- 2,009
9
votes
6
answers
3k
views
One of my players "adopted" an orphan girl, how do I go about this?
I DM a game for 4-6 people. I'm a newer DM but am quite comfortable doing it.
One of my players, a dwarven princess, has decided to adopt a young orphan girl who was begging on the streets as her ...
10
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How much damage does the NPC assassin do in the first two rounds to a sleeping creature?
A related concern in calculating the damage potential is does the poison stay on the short swords after the first round? I am trying to get a grip on how much damage does the NPC assassin does in the ...
- 141k
3
votes
1
answer
173
views
NPC Gear Advice
I'm GMing a 1st Edition Pathfinder campaign after a long hiatus from GMing and starting up NPCs has never been a strong suit of mine - typically I try an officially made, appropriate statblock for the ...
- 176