Post/Author/DateTime	Post
The Listener 06-01-05, 11:58 AM	I'm just curious as to how people tend to stat their commoners and other low combat NPCs. Do you have them all have 10s and 11s or do you have their stats all over the place, but the sum of everyone combined is around 10?
Lord Ian Stark 06-01-05, 12:35 PM	All commoners may be NPC's but not all NPC's are commoners. I usually personalize my NPC's and make them different then the generic 10 and 11's. If they are just peeps in town that have no real purpose then I usually go with the average 10 - 12 in the stats unless they have deficiencies.
The Shaman 06-01-05, 12:44 PM	In the games that I run, most ordinary NPCs get 13, 12 ,11, 10, 9, 8 as their stat array - heroic or otherwise exceptional NPCs get the standard array of 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8.
LadyCreator 06-01-05, 12:49 PM	I go with the standard, non-elite, and elite arrays given in the back of the MM, for classless, NPC classed, and PC classed NPCs respectively. But my rule is that if it's important enough to have a name, it's important enough to roll the stats. If it's got a PC class I roll 4d6 like with PCs; anything less and I roll 3d6.
pres_man 06-01-05, 01:00 PM	Elite NPCs get 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 stats, these NPCs usually have PC class levels or are high level NPC classes. Otherwise the typical NPC with low NPC class level has 10's and 11's equally, usually distributed based on their sex, carrear, race, etc. Of course since most of these NPCs almost never get involved, it is usually not worth my time to make stats for them.
Sildatorak 06-01-05, 01:16 PM	If I don't expect a particular NPC to be involved in combat when PC's are around, I don't even bother with stats except knowing which ones are higher and which are lower because they affect roleplaying and description. If I do stat I usually use 10's and 11's for classless things, standard array for NPC classed things (sometimes for monsters that I've customized with different feats, too), and elite array for NPC's with PC class levels. For the true elite (high priests, rulers of large cities, renowned heroes and villains), I use whatever system the PC's use for character creation (currently a 30 pt. buy).
Nom 06-01-05, 11:30 PM	The "standard" way of doing it is on MM pg 7 and DMG pg 110. Monsters get 11,11,11,10,10,10 (arranged as appropriate). Humanoids get 13,12,11,10,9,8 ("standard array", 15 points, ~ 3d6). "Elite" humanoids (typically those with PC class levels, including PCs) get 15,14,13,12,10,8 ("elite array", 25 points, ~ (best 3 of 4)d6) and max hit points at 1st level. I tend to lift monsters straight out of the MM, build humanoid opponents from scratch based on the MM (standard array), and build elite opponents using elite array. On very rare occasions I might build an elite opponent on 25 points, but this is rarely needed. PCs are built on 25 points. Background characters I usually don't build at all - a few notes on who they are and what sort of personality they have is sufficient.
WCH 06-02-05, 12:12 AM	I like to err on the side of high stats; if someone is important enough for me to name, he will likely be made with either a 25 or a 32 point buy -- a 36 if he's really exceptional (all PCs are 36 PB). For a completely random person in the city, average around 10 is reasonable, but if it's someone who's at all involved in combat, average will be around 12 at least, 13 if he's unusually talented, 14 if he's better than the vast majority of his peers.
allenchan 06-02-05, 12:14 AM	I like to err on the side of high stats; if someone is important enough for me to name, he will likely be made with either a 25 or a 32 point buy -- a 36 if he's really exceptional (all PCs are 36 PB). For a completely random person in the city, average around 10 is reasonable, but if it's someone who's at all involved in combat, average will be around 12 at least, 13 if he's unusually talented, 14 if he's better than the vast majority of his peers. Roger that.
WunderGoat 06-02-05, 12:37 AM	My stat arrays Common: 14, 12, 12, 10, 10, 8 This array represents the bulk of the population and is used for things with a few NPC class levels. Most often represents city gaurds and conscript troops/militia Standard: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 This is the array I use for low level NPCs with PC class levels, such as the standard career soldier or wizard apprentice. Elite: 16, 15, 13, 13, 12, 8 This array is for elites, generaly NPCs with PC class levels exceeding 5. Some lower level NPCs have this array but they are always special (i.e. the 14 lvl 4 special forces troops along with their lvl 7 captain) Master: 17, 15, 14, 14, 12, 8 This array is reserved for very special NPCs, NPCs with class levels exceeding 14, and NPCs of at least 7th level who are part of their society's cream (i.e. cavaliers for a horse people, archers for elves, dwarven defenders for dwarves). These arrays are high, I know, but I run a fairly hard campaign in an unforgiving world. My PCs are poor for thier level in general, but none have stats worse than the master array. I hope this helps!
weasel fierce 06-02-05, 02:05 AM	Whatever they need at the moment. I generally put generic peasant types so as not to have any modifiers on their rolls.
Al2902 06-02-05, 04:50 AM	I used to have three parallel systems for low, mid and high powered NPCs. Unimportant NPCs (i.e. non-plot significant) would get a standard array, plot-significant or recurring NPCs would get dice rolls. Generally, I had a "low" array of 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8 (for e.g. generic commoners) which was equivalent to straight 3d6 (for e.g. Glenda the Barmaid at the PCs' favourite tavern). The next was a "middle" array for most NPCs (e.g. Arcanus guild wizard) of 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8, which was matched by 4d6 drop lowest (for e.g. Verspel the Knight, the local garrison commander). Above that was a "high" array for the really outstanding but non-(plot)important characters (e.g. Imperial Elite Bodyguard) which was comparable with 5d6 drop two (for e.g. Emperor Gladus III the Conqueror). However, I then dropped the top arrays ("high" standard and 5d6 drop two) as I felt that the PCs should be amongst the elite of any society. So now I just used the lower two of the original three.
Eliza_Stormwhisper 06-02-05, 07:13 AM	Well, since I play an older edition, it's easier for me... NPC's who aren't anything special (namely, the ones I don't bother to stat out), have abilities between 7 and 14. In 1st edition, that range yields no real modifier to anything. For craftsmen, I assume they have a 14 in their crafting ability, and have spent all five of the nonweapon proficiencies I give to craftsmen as a rule I made up randomly, so they only fail their crafting checks on a roll of 19 or 20. That probably wasn't helpful at all... sorry.
LCD2YOU 06-02-05, 07:43 AM	I differentiate NPCs into 5 groups: Poor: 11, 10 , 9, 8, 8, 7 Example: The starved, downtrodden, will broken, slack jawed, etc. They have no responsibilities and are lucky to make it past 5th level commoner. They make up 33%, 1 out of 3, of the population Average: 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8 Example: 50% of the population. Typical guards, journeymen, typical workers who have some responsibility Good: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8 Example: Sgt of the guards, mid level civil servants, most merchants, store owners, etc. Makes up 16%, 1 in 6, of the population. NPC: 17, 15, 15, 13, 13, 11 Example: Most NPC adventurer types, army or town guard commanders, high powered merchants, etc. They make up 1% of the population. Custom: Rolled stats as a PC, usually with an 18+ in one, if not two, stats. Examples: The movers/shakers of the world. The BBEG, high level wizard of the city/country, any high level NPC of high reputation. Rolled as needed. Usually 1 on 10,000 to 50,000 people. The first 4 are based on population of the area. If there are 5000 people in an area, there will be 1667 Poor, 2500 Average, 833 Good, and 50 NPC types. There might be a Custom in the area, but they are not from the area. Hope that helps.
Yruc 06-02-05, 07:50 AM	3d6 no rerolls important - simi important - Usually point buy same as PCs.
Gilean 06-02-05, 09:04 AM	I go with the standard, non-elite, and elite arrays given in the back of the MM, for classless, NPC classed, and PC classed NPCs respectively. But my rule is that if it's important enough to have a name, it's important enough to roll the stats. If it's got a PC class I roll 4d6 like with PCs; anything less and I roll 3d6.This is the good one. Otherwise, arbitrary decisions are the key to GMing.
High Octane 06-02-05, 09:25 AM	For simplicity's sake I assume your average joe has 10s all around. No real point in giving every commoner walking down the street a full character sheet.
snowlynx 06-02-05, 09:58 AM	If I don't care, I just presume a 10. I've had situations where I did care, for example, giving a blacksmith a decent strength or giving a bar patron a low charisma and playing it out. For the most part, if the stats don't matter, I don't really think about it; I'd rather concentrate my efforts on roleplaying and not in numbers. Occasionally this means after the fact I end up having to make the character, admittedly, because the PCs have a bizzare habit of trying to drag non-adventurers adventuring.
Thoronmir 06-02-05, 10:43 AM	I use a series of standard stat arrays for an NPC’s class and level. “Mundane” NPCs in my world are level 1, 3, 5, or 7 in some NPC class. I categorize NPC into “types” and set their stats based on those types. For example, “Craftsman: Heavy” is a type of NPC in my game that covers NPCs such as blacksmiths and stonecutters (people who use brawn to craft). “Craftsman: Light” is the category for most other NPC crafters. The two types of NPCs will have different stat arrays (a smithy will have a higher Strength than a lapidary), but they will all average out at 10-11 at 1st level.
astute1 06-02-05, 10:52 AM	The "standard" way of doing it is on MM pg 7 and DMG pg 110. Monsters get 11,11,11,10,10,10 (arranged as appropriate). Humanoids get 13,12,11,10,9,8 ("standard array", 15 points, ~ 3d6). "Elite" humanoids (typically those with PC class levels, including PCs) get 15,14,13,12,10,8 ("elite array", 25 points, ~ (best 3 of 4)d6) and max hit points at 1st level. I tend to lift monsters straight out of the MM, build humanoid opponents from scratch based on the MM (standard array), and build elite opponents using elite array. On very rare occasions I might build an elite opponent on 25 points, but this is rarely needed. PCs are built on 25 points. Yep, that's basically the same way I do it too. I like giving monsters the elite array or class levels to make for interesting fights - noone ever expects the beholder to be a monk!!!