Creating NPC Classes (Sort of) in protos.tab

While it's not perfect, this method can be used to simulate the function of the PNP NPC classes in ToEE. Please note, this should only be used for NPCs who are not meant to be adventurers or join the party. Forcibly joining NPCs modified in this way to the party (such as via Suggestion and other spells) causes some weirdness (modifiers get messed up and the game wants you to level the character up) but won't cause a CTD (that I know of.)

What are NPC Classes?

NPC classes are weaker classes designed to be used to create the non-adventurers that populate the world, such as farmers, merchants, tradesmen and the like. The PNP stats can be found in the 3.5 DMG, d20 SRD and at http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/classes.htm

Any character who is not meant to be a combatant and/or hero/villain is best-served as an NPC class character.

All NPC classes count as 1 CR lower than a PC class of the same level. If the character only has one level in the NPC class, give them a CR of 0, which the game will calculate as the PNP CR of 1/2.

There are 5 NPC classes. Adept, Aristocrat, Commoner, Expert and Warrior.

Adepts are lesser spellcasters, such as hedge wizards, wisewomen, and tribal shamans and cast divine spells (but from a mix of the cleric, wizard and druids list). Since there's no way to actually replicate them in the game through the protos.tab, we'll leave it at that. Mona in Nulb would most-likely be an Adept, if the class was possible.

Aristocrats are nobles, whether inherited or created, who have a good education and some amount of practice with arms. Some wealthy merchants would also fall into this category. Former adventurers or rulers who regularly lead their troops into battle would be better-served with a PC class levels or a combination of Aristocrat and PC class levels. Nira the Jeweler in Homlett would be an Aristocrat.

Commoners are pretty much what the name says, common folks. Farmers, innkeepers and day laborers would most-likely fall into the Commoner class. Most citizens of Homlett and Nulb would be Commoners.

Experts are skilled tradesmen and non-noble people of education. Anyone in Homlett whose job is to make something through skill would be an Expert. For example, the Stonemason would be an Expert. The day laborers working on the castle would not.

Warriors are your basic rank-and-file soldiers. Whereas Fighters, Rangers and Paladins are highly-skilled armsmen, warriors are your basic grunt. Enlisted soldiers and town guards, as well as most members of humanoid tribes, are warriors. Burne's Badgers would be warriors.

Now that I've babbled on about it, here's how to do it. Remember these are kludges, not fully-realized classes.

1st, remove all class levels the character currently has.
Now, decide which NPC class is most appropriate.

Aristocrat (1st Level)
NPC Challenge Rating: 0
NPC Save vs. Reflexes:0
NPC Save vs. Fortitude: 0
NPC Save vs. Willpower: 2
NPC Hit Dice: 1d8

Skills: In-game Class Skills for Aristocrats are Appraise, Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, Listen, Perform, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival.

Aristocrats get 4+Int Mod skills per level (x4 at first level.) +4 skill points and +1 per additional level if Human. This means an Aristocrat with 10 Intelligence would have 16 skill points. 20 if Human.

Assign 4+Int Modifier skills. If the skill is a class skill for Aristocrats, give it 8 ranks (to make up for the engine automatically counting any skill possessed by creatures without character levels as cross-classed.) If skill is cross-classed for Aristocrats, put 4 ranks in it. Add one more skill at 8 (or 4, if appropriate) ranks if Human.

Or, you could get fancy and assign them more skills and divide the points among them. Just remember no class skill should have more than 8 ranks and no cross-class skill should have more than 4.

Feats: 1 feat of any kind. 1 more if human.

Equipment: Aristocrats are proficient in all simple and martial weapons, as well as all armor and shields.

If you want to make them higher than 1st level, add 1d8 HP per level, raise each skill 2 points per additional level if class, and 1 per level if cross-class, give them an extra feat every level divisible by 3, consult the Wizard chart to determine their saving throws and change their CR to current level -1 (So a 3rd level Aristocrat would be CR 2.)

Commoner (1st Level)

CR 0
Reflex Save: 0
Fort Save: 0
Will Save: 0
Hit Dice: 1d4

Skills: In-game Class Skills for Commoners are Listen and Spot.

Commoners get 2+Int Mod skills per level (x4 at first level.) +4 skill points and +1 per additional level if Human. This means a Commoner with 10 Intelligence would have 8 skill points. 12 if Human.

Assign 2+Int Modifier skills. If the skill is a class skill for Commoners, give it 8 ranks (to make up for the engine automatically counting any skill possessed by creatures without character levels as cross-classed.) If skill is cross-classed for Commoners, put 4 ranks in it. Add one more skill at 8 (or 4, if appropriate) ranks if Human.

Or, you could get fancy and assign them more skills and divide the points among them. Just remember no class skill should have more than 8 ranks and no cross-class skill should have more than 4.

Feats: 1 feat of any kind. 1 more if human.

Equipment: Commoners are proficient in one simple weapon.

If you want to make them higher than 1st level, add 1d4 HP per level, raise each skill 2 points per additional level if class, and 1 per level if cross-class, give them an extra feat every level divisible by 3, consult any PC class chart (except Monk) to determine their saving throws, choosing the worst modifier listed and applying it to all saves and change their CR to current level -1 (So a 3rd level Commoner would be CR 2.)

Note, this won't be perfect as at 2nd level and above, their BAB will be too high, but it's close enough. Plus, if you think a Commoner character should be higher than 1st level, giving them a different NPC or even a PC class would be more appropriate.

Expert (1st Level)

CR 0
Reflex Save: 0
Fort Save: 0
Will Save: 2
Hit Dice: 1d6

Skills: Any 6 skills at 8 ranks (to make up for the engine automatically counting any skill possessed by creatures without character levels as cross-classed.) Add 1 more skill (at 8 ranks) for being human and 1 more skill for each point of intelligence bonus. (This is easier than calculating 6+Int Mod x4 skill points, adding 4 if human and then divying the points up, remembering to double the amount afterwards. I figure most NPCs, if they have a skill, are going to max it out anyway.)

Feats: 1 feat of any kind. 1 more if human.

If you want to make them higher than 1st level, add 1d6 HP per level, raise each skill 2 points per additional level, give them an extra feat every level divisible by 3, consult the Wizard chart to determine their saving throws and change their CR to current level -1 (So a 3rd level expert would be CR 2.)

Equipment: Experts are proficient in all simple weapons, as well as light armor, but not shields.

Warrior (1st Level)

Here's where it gets tricky.

Assign them 1 level of Ranger

CR -1
Ref Save:-2
Fort Save: 0
Will Save: 0
Hit Dice: 0

Skills: In-game Class Skill for Warriors is Intimidate

Warriors get 2+Int Mod skills per level (x4 at first level.) +4 skill points and +1 per additional level if Human. This means an Warrior with 10 Intelligence would have 8 skill points. 12 if Human.

Assign 2+Int Modifier skills. If the skill is a class skill for Warriors, give it 8 ranks (to make up for the engine automatically counting any skill possessed by creatures without character levels as cross-classed.) If skill is cross-classed for Warriors, but on the Ranger class skill list put 2 ranks in it. If skill is cross-classed for both Warriors and Rangers, give it 4 ranks. Add one more skill at 8 (or 4, or 2 as appropriate) ranks if Human.

I'd advise against getting fancy with the skills for a Warrior, as the skills are going to be enough of a headache as-is.

Feats: 1 feat of any kind. 1 more if human. Armor Proficiency (Medium), Armor Proficiency (Heavy).

Equipment: Warriors are proficient in all simple and martial weapons, as well as all armor and shields.

If you want to make them higher than 1st level, add additonal ranger levels, raise each skill 2 points per additional level if class, 1 per level if cross-class for both Ranger and Warrior, 1 per two levels if class for Ranger and Cross-classed for Warrior. Give them an extra feat every level divisible by 3. Leave the CR at -1. Increase the Reflex save penalty to -3 at 2nd level, and change it back to -2 at 3rd level. If you're going to give them more than 3 Warrior levels, just make them a Fighter and be done with it.

ETA: After further testing, the game does not apply a non-proficiency penalty to PCs for weapons or armor. If you have character who is going to use a weapon or armor his class is not proficient in, spend one of his feats on Martial Weapon Proficiency for that weapon or Armor Proficiency for that armor.

 

Actually, no, I wasn't. Huh. I was just thinking wealthy, cultured merchant with some degree of skill with arms. If he's a rogue in the protos, I'll leave him that way.

Sorry, dude. It's the only way to get 1d8 HP per level combined with +1 BAB per level. Though, honestly, it's probably easier to just leave the characters in question as fighters. I was just giving an option.

 

Is this actually in the game, or something from the module?

 

Module....

 

Ah. Thanks.

I never played or read the module, so anything that doesn't come up in the game, it's unlikely I'll know it.