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NPC XP

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
DDiceRC
Oct 28, 2010 9:07:52 How would you assign XP for defeating a created NPC? I'm planning to use a couple of creatures in a future adventure built off the PC templates, with the exception of not having/using Alpha Mutations and Omega Tech. I think you could build off either a single origin or off a dual origin (as regular PCs). I'm thinking that a single-origin NPC would equate a standard monster of their level, while a dual would equate an elite monster. Any thoughts?
#2
ExcalibursZone
Oct 28, 2010 9:46:38 If you have the D&D 4e DM Guide, it states that if you are rewarding XP for an NPC, treat it as a monster of its level. I would assume you do the same thing here since standard XP for monsters is based off the party's number of characters and their level (IE a party of 5 characters at 3rd level would warrant a standard encounter of 5 monsters of 3rd level.)
#3
Tony_Vargas
Oct 28, 2010 14:28:55 I'd design an NPC as a monster, rather than creating or random-rolling one using the full PC rules.

There's less to a monster write-up than a PC's, and the exp question is taken care of.
#4
ExcalibursZone
Oct 28, 2010 16:47:06 Myeh, it's easier to just roll up a PC of x level and treat it as a monster of x level. If that's what you have in mind, rather than trying to create a new monster.

There are also D&D 4e monster manuals and other resources with D&D monsters. They should work well for extra gamma world critters.

In terms of an elite, you could give that elite either a higher level or give it alpha mutations up to it's level. For an elite, don't do the overcharges and just use the standard powers granted by the alpha mutations. For solos, allow an overcharge of one or more of the powers as standard for PCs but don't do the roll, just assume a success. Allow either elites or solos to use omega tech. The XP rewards for elites and solos are already listed in the book.

For minions, I would do 1 character origin. Enough to harass the players but make them weaker than standard critters.

You could always just use alpha mutations and/or omega tech to create monsters as well without using origins...1 mutation = minion, 2 = elite, 3 = solo...something like that. At least, this could work for quick creation of critters
#5
strand0
Oct 28, 2010 21:21:47
DDiceRC I have asked that question. ExcalibursZone has given the best answer so far. Not such a good answer for me... I don't have the DMG.
#6
Chandrak
Oct 28, 2010 22:26:31 I treated them as an Elite, since the HP / Powerlevel was about right for that.
#7
ExcalibursZone
Oct 28, 2010 23:56:13

DDiceRC I have asked that question. ExcalibursZone has given the best answer so far. Not such a good answer for me... I don't have the DMG.

From what I can tell, the Gamma World rule book does not mention NPCs at all, at least it doesn't have any rules about creating NPCs in the DM section of the book. The closest term I could come to that was not an NPC but not a monster was Villian (Page 86: Experience Points). The book does not provide rules for creating villians either.

My take on this, based on the D&D 4e DMG would be to create a character as normal and treat it as a standard monster of its level. Since a standard encounter is designed around n standard monsters of level m (where n = # of players), if you had a villian that was the same level as one of the characters, it would be considered a standard monster (through association). Thus, you could technically create 4 characters as villians and as long as the party was 4 characters and the levels of all 8 participants matched up, it would be considered a standard encounter.

If you want to make the NPC a solo or elite, follow the rules for creating a monster that is solo or elite (adding levels, boosting stats, etc.). So if you had an NPC that was to be an elite, double it's level (elites are worth and as tough as 2 monsters). If you want a solo, raise it's level 5 times (level 1 to level 5, level 2 to level 10, level 3 to level 15...uh, what do we do here? No idea since rules only go so far as 10 levels...).

The only problem you're going to find is that the levels of solos will SOAR according to the rules. And since the rules only go to level 10, we're SOL. This could be one of the reasons why NPCs as monsters aren't presented as an option in the book and you're expected to use the monsters listed.

As a house rule, I would give an NPC a full character treatment and leave it at level 10. If you need to kill players that badly, that is. As an example, Tangh from Trouble in Freesboro was a level 8 Porker elite. If his tactics weren't written the way they were, he would have turned the party into level 1 blobs of mush. His powers are obscene.

Gamma World seems to be more about wacky freaks and combat than roleplaying but I think the standard rules as presented above should do fine if you want a more long-term bad guy. Just remember that a hard encounter is 2-4 levels above the PC's party level (the sum of the party's levels). So if you have a 5-PC party that are all 2nd level, you can have 625XP for your encounter budget. A Hard encounter would be have a 700XP-1,000XP budget. That should give you enough to buy a 10th level NPC (level 10 standard monster) which would leave 200-500 XP remaining!

This is a tough call. But, according to the 4e DMG (which is what this game is built off of -- 4e) you treat an NPC XP reward as if it was a standard monster of the same level.

I would say, based on what I've read and experienced, that you use the XP budget to pay for levels of the NPC as if he or she were levelling. That would mean that 1,000 XP would give you a level 3 NPC with all the benefits as would be given to PCs. Including Alpha Mutations, Omega Tech, origins, the whole nine-yards. If the PCs defeat this character give them XP equal to that of a standard monster of the same level as the NPC.

The only way to figure it all out is to try it and see. PCs are meant to be powerful and if 6 level 1 PCs can take out a group of monsters with 9 standard levels and 2 elite levels (13 total standard levels)...That's a bit more than twice what 6 level-1 PCs and a little over three times that of 4 level-1 PCs--A hard encounter...then see how it works with NPCs.

I'm rambling at this point Final answer? Try and see what happens. Lack of NPC creation rules and NPC XP rewards makes this difficult to answer without referring to the parent rules of D&D 4e.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 DDiceRC Oct 28, 2010 9:07:52	How would you assign XP for defeating a created NPC? I'm planning to use a couple of creatures in a future adventure built off the PC templates, with the exception of not having/using Alpha Mutations and Omega Tech. I think you could build off either a single origin or off a dual origin (as regular PCs). I'm thinking that a single-origin NPC would equate a standard monster of their level, while a dual would equate an elite monster. Any thoughts?
#2 ExcalibursZone Oct 28, 2010 9:46:38	If you have the D&D 4e DM Guide, it states that if you are rewarding XP for an NPC, treat it as a monster of its level. I would assume you do the same thing here since standard XP for monsters is based off the party's number of characters and their level (IE a party of 5 characters at 3rd level would warrant a standard encounter of 5 monsters of 3rd level.)
#3 Tony_Vargas Oct 28, 2010 14:28:55	I'd design an NPC as a monster, rather than creating or random-rolling one using the full PC rules. There's less to a monster write-up than a PC's, and the exp question is taken care of.
#4 ExcalibursZone Oct 28, 2010 16:47:06	Myeh, it's easier to just roll up a PC of x level and treat it as a monster of x level. If that's what you have in mind, rather than trying to create a new monster. There are also D&D 4e monster manuals and other resources with D&D monsters. They should work well for extra gamma world critters. In terms of an elite, you could give that elite either a higher level or give it alpha mutations up to it's level. For an elite, don't do the overcharges and just use the standard powers granted by the alpha mutations. For solos, allow an overcharge of one or more of the powers as standard for PCs but don't do the roll, just assume a success. Allow either elites or solos to use omega tech. The XP rewards for elites and solos are already listed in the book. For minions, I would do 1 character origin. Enough to harass the players but make them weaker than standard critters. You could always just use alpha mutations and/or omega tech to create monsters as well without using origins...1 mutation = minion, 2 = elite, 3 = solo...something like that. At least, this could work for quick creation of critters
#5 strand0 Oct 28, 2010 21:21:47	DDiceRC I have asked that question. ExcalibursZone has given the best answer so far. Not such a good answer for me... I don't have the DMG.
#6 Chandrak Oct 28, 2010 22:26:31	I treated them as an Elite, since the HP / Powerlevel was about right for that.
#7 ExcalibursZone Oct 28, 2010 23:56:13	DDiceRC I have asked that question. ExcalibursZone has given the best answer so far. Not such a good answer for me... I don't have the DMG. From what I can tell, the Gamma World rule book does not mention NPCs at all, at least it doesn't have any rules about creating NPCs in the DM section of the book. The closest term I could come to that was not an NPC but not a monster was Villian (Page 86: Experience Points). The book does not provide rules for creating villians either. My take on this, based on the D&D 4e DMG would be to create a character as normal and treat it as a standard monster of its level. Since a standard encounter is designed around n standard monsters of level m (where n = # of players), if you had a villian that was the same level as one of the characters, it would be considered a standard monster (through association). Thus, you could technically create 4 characters as villians and as long as the party was 4 characters and the levels of all 8 participants matched up, it would be considered a standard encounter. If you want to make the NPC a solo or elite, follow the rules for creating a monster that is solo or elite (adding levels, boosting stats, etc.). So if you had an NPC that was to be an elite, double it's level (elites are worth and as tough as 2 monsters). If you want a solo, raise it's level 5 times (level 1 to level 5, level 2 to level 10, level 3 to level 15...uh, what do we do here? No idea since rules only go so far as 10 levels...). The only problem you're going to find is that the levels of solos will SOAR according to the rules. And since the rules only go to level 10, we're SOL. This could be one of the reasons why NPCs as monsters aren't presented as an option in the book and you're expected to use the monsters listed. As a house rule, I would give an NPC a full character treatment and leave it at level 10. If you need to kill players that badly, that is. As an example, Tangh from Trouble in Freesboro was a level 8 Porker elite. If his tactics weren't written the way they were, he would have turned the party into level 1 blobs of mush. His powers are obscene. Gamma World seems to be more about wacky freaks and combat than roleplaying but I think the standard rules as presented above should do fine if you want a more long-term bad guy. Just remember that a hard encounter is 2-4 levels above the PC's party level (the sum of the party's levels). So if you have a 5-PC party that are all 2nd level, you can have 625XP for your encounter budget. A Hard encounter would be have a 700XP-1,000XP budget. That should give you enough to buy a 10th level NPC (level 10 standard monster) which would leave 200-500 XP remaining! This is a tough call. But, according to the 4e DMG (which is what this game is built off of -- 4e) you treat an NPC XP reward as if it was a standard monster of the same level. I would say, based on what I've read and experienced, that you use the XP budget to pay for levels of the NPC as if he or she were levelling. That would mean that 1,000 XP would give you a level 3 NPC with all the benefits as would be given to PCs. Including Alpha Mutations, Omega Tech, origins, the whole nine-yards. If the PCs defeat this character give them XP equal to that of a standard monster of the same level as the NPC. The only way to figure it all out is to try it and see. PCs are meant to be powerful and if 6 level 1 PCs can take out a group of monsters with 9 standard levels and 2 elite levels (13 total standard levels)...That's a bit more than twice what 6 level-1 PCs and a little over three times that of 4 level-1 PCs--A hard encounter...then see how it works with NPCs. I'm rambling at this point Final answer? Try and see what happens. Lack of NPC creation rules and NPC XP rewards makes this difficult to answer without referring to the parent rules of D&D 4e.