Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Di_Bastet Dec 11, 2014 14:59:29	Hello guys. All my campaigns feature a lot of companion npcs, usually just one or maybe two at the same time adventuring together with the pcs (with more usually at the base camp or doing side missions for the pcs). In fact after all these years having a group of well developed followers, allies and friends became one of the major aspects that make my campaigns unique, that make them "my campaigns". Some players even mentioned they have a "bioware rpg" feel with the companions.   Now that I'm dming 5e it's not different and my campaign has two companions at the moment (there were three, but the pcs urged her to leave them and go back to her knightly order instead of abandoning it and her honor just to be with them), with three more planned to appear.   Until now I've been using pc rules for them, one level lower than the lowest party member, usual stuff, but I always looked at the simple npc stats and wanted to use something similar. Now with the dmg out and medium values by CR and all that, I'm seriously thinking about converting the companions to simple npc stats. The PHB has some spells to conjure monsters and use them as allies, and it says that they count as full party members, so I'm guessing that a level X monster-sheet counts as a level X pc-sheet and that it works fine. My campaigns are more of the cloak and dagger variant and don't use XP but a kind of "milestones" system to level up, so there were neer XP issues.   As far as I can see the pros are these: -Simpler abilities: A companion doesn't need so many diverse abilities, just the ones that make them unique. They usually have simple, support builds anyway since I strongly believe that PCs should be more complex than companions. -Easier to give unique abilities: I don't have to follow player character classes and can mix abilities like any other npc or monster to achieve the "feel" that I want, like the Knight npc for example, with Parry and a bard-like inspiration. -Easier to build: They aren't meant to be expended like enemies, but in any case that's just a bonus. The one thing that gives me pause is monster HP. NPCs have a lot more HP than player character. This situation begs the following questions: Is that a con? The npcs has a lot more HP than PCs, and may happen to be the "last man standing". Or is that a pro? Since he has less useful abilities and plays a support role, his higher hp pool is his biggest support to the party, being able to absorb hits for his pc friends AND needing less healing. I'm strongly considering using monster stats for the companions in my games, but I want some opinions on the HP part: Do you see it more like a Con or a Pro? TL, DR: My campaigns are cloak and dagger, don't use XP, and always have support companion npcs. Want to use NPC stats instead of PC stats for them, but worried about NPC's HP being much higher than PC's. Do you consider being able to take more hits than pcs bad because it can steal the "taking hits" spotlight, or good because that it's their main "support" ability?
#2 cowleymen Dec 12, 2014 10:22:27	I would base it off what they need to do. If they are constantly on little side quest, just keep them as "monster" stat blocks. The only NPCs that need a completely fleshed out PC sheet are ones that are constantly with the party on the "main" quest. But even then, just adding one or two class features could totally make them a "Classed" creature. SO if the players have a way to measure their "class" level, like the battlemaster, then just give them a class rating equal to their CR. should be about right if you gave a warrior type NPC second wind and/or action surge.  Or full spell list/casting to magic types.