Author Topic: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)  (Read 3332 times)

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Offline OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol

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Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« on: November 24, 2017, 07:16:15 AM »
This topic was inspired by both the "Thought Experiment" and the "Favorite/Best/Oldest PC" threads.

Since the latter seems to be addressed to players, this one is aimed at GMs. OTOH, since a GM usually has thousands of named NPCs and probably scores of favourites, taking from the former's ideas, I'll give some constraints to which kind of NPCs to present.

1) Fighting oriented character,
2) Level of 15-20,
3) Give some background.
The world was then consumed by darkness, and mankind was devoured alive and cast into hell, led by a jubilant 紗羽. She rejoiced in being able to continue serving the gods, thus perpetuating her travels across worlds to destroy them. She looked at her doll and, remembering their promises, told her: "You see, my dear, we succeeded! We've become legends! We've become villains! We've become witches!" She then laughed with a joyful, childlike laughter, just as she kept doing for all of eternity.

Offline OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2017, 07:17:25 AM »
Urania likes but one thing, fighting, and respect but one thing, the gods. Her job is to fight, her pleasure is to fight, her hobby is to fight, her passion is to fight. She was consecrated whilst very young to a war god, before turning to whom was more likely to grant her fights in a more durable way, the god whose duty was to destroy worlds and, ultimately, end the universe.
Urania isn't a military, a soldier or a warrior, but a Blood Knight. Since she likes but to battle, she doesn't care for whom or for which cause. Fighting for the pleasure to fight and neither for honour nor glory, she doesn't look for "beautiful" combats, "stimulating" or "challenging" combats. Therefore, it wouldn't bother her to be "sacrificed" in a battle lost in advance and she doesn't care about what or whom she fights. In fact, even if she'd rather win, victory is to her but a bonus and not an end in itself. What she desires, it's to live her life through battles and dying whilst fighting… to spend her afterlife fighting. The rest, she leaves it to the gods; for the rest, she trusts the gods. Let's note that Urania doesn't dislike not fighting (e.g., she wouldn't hold it against her superiors not to allow her to fight); it's just that it bores her. Of course, in the long term, if she doesn't have any opportunity to fight for too long a time, she shall try to change employer… Also, of course, it implies she talks about but battles, fights, wars, and is interested in but such stories. About the matter of weapons, she prefers axes, that she considers representing the warrior mind, may they be double-axes (her favourite), two-handed or one-handed, double or single headed, long or short, though she also enjoys fist brawls. Let's also note that Urania likes fighting, not necessarily killing, though doing so doesn't bother her at all.

Urania comes from a tribal and warmonger culture, for which to fight is the essence of existence itself. Wherewith she doesn't know her biological parents and doesn't care the least, children from her culture being taken in charge by whomever sees in them potential, to the limits of his or her educating abilities, the "ögret's", which is closer to a coach than a parent. A person thus usually has several ögret'p during his lifetime, switching to another as he progresses and exceeds the coaching abilities of his former one (or becomes so good he catches the attention of a better one), or, at the contrary, doesn't live to his expectations. Let's notice the "Uhgae" don't think one of their own may be "too bad" to the point he's useless and doesn't find an ögret's to coach as long as he wants to fight and does his best; to them, there's no bad pupil, nor bad master, just an inadequate education. Only are useless the ones (from their race at least) qui don't like or don't want to fight; in other words, if someones fights badly, it's not his fault, and he only has to find an adequate ögret's, but if he doesn't want to fight, he's a trash and a less-than-nothing.
But their culture, "Uhgae" are therefore foremost mercenaries, selling themselves to anyone willing to buy their services and give them endless fights. Let's note "Uhgae" don't look down on cowards, weaklings ou those who don't like to dirty their hands (as long as they're not from their race); on the contrary, they know there will always be fights and those people are, in fact, the ones most likely to become one day their employers and give them reasons to fight.
Urania is the apotheosis of this: she likes those who like fighting, because she can fight them, and she likes those who don't like fighting, because it means she can fight in their stead! She likes those who like her, because they understand her (or will) and let her fight, and those who don't like her, because they're likely to give her opportunities to fight.

In one occasion, Urania acknowledged she likes nothing but to fight, and never fought but for the sheer pleasure of fighting: never for a cause, never for a person, just to fight. She also acknowledged never to have become attached to anyone or anything, her friendship and respect toward a person being but professional friendliness and respect mandatory to keep good relations with people and insure future fights, including inside her own tribe. "If I get along with these people, I'll earn an eternity of fights," is the fundation of her behaviour with others, and why Urania gets along by default with anyone: because she considers any one to be likely to give her combat opportunities in the future if she acts that way.
Let's notice another important part of her philosophy: "The rest, she leaves it to the gods; for the rest, she trusts the gods." As such, if she's willing to fight for any reason, no matter what it is, nay, even for no reason at all, she's clever enough to respect the gods' will when they ask her to fight or not, so as to insure her afterlife will be filled with combats. To earn her eternity of fights, nothing indeed Urania, and she doesn't even do things with reluctance, being motivated and obsessed by promises of the futur fights it will grant her. Killing children, animals, defenseless creatures, etc. thus causes her no problem whatsoever, Urania not feeling any kind of empathy toward anyone. Each and all of her actions and words to anyone is purely interested! Everyone who came to love her and pay attention to her ended acknowledging she was totally antisocial and lacking any kind of emotion or feeling toward anyone. OTOH, they often also mentioned the weird nature of her antisocial disposition; indeed, a really antisocial person feels no empathy toward others thus cannot understand neither their suffering nor joy. Yet, Urania feels and understands when a person is in pain or is happy, reacting in consequence to achieve her aims, but without feeling herself anything toward that person's situation.

   Barbarian, 17th: +285 OB, +118 "normal" + 66 "adrenal" DB, no shield, 455 hit points, AT14[9]. Some item examples:
   * main weapon: +25 OB. By sacrifying +5 (becoming a +2O weapon), the weapon gives +10 OB to all allies in a 33 m radius; by sacrifying +10, it grants +15 OB and DB to all allies in a 88 m radius. It also grants its wearer 30 degrees in Spell deflexion and is considered a shield for such purpose. At least, if a creature injures its wearer with a metallic weapon, it becomes x3 damage against it,
   * lowers krush and impact criticals by one degree. Thrice a day, it gives its owner AT20[1] for 3 minutes. At last, it adds 20 to disease RRs and to base hit points,
   * looks like an AT5, encumbers as an AT9, protects as an AT14, +25 DB. It allows its wearer to use Adrenal defense regardless of her encumbrance (e.g., even when using a two-handed weapon).
The world was then consumed by darkness, and mankind was devoured alive and cast into hell, led by a jubilant 紗羽. She rejoiced in being able to continue serving the gods, thus perpetuating her travels across worlds to destroy them. She looked at her doll and, remembering their promises, told her: "You see, my dear, we succeeded! We've become legends! We've become villains! We've become witches!" She then laughed with a joyful, childlike laughter, just as she kept doing for all of eternity.

Offline B Hanson

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #2 on: November 26, 2017, 10:44:47 AM »
   Barbarian, 17th: +285 OB, +118 "normal" + 66 "adrenal" DB, no shield, 455 hit points, AT14[9]. Some item examples:
   * main weapon: +25 OB. By sacrifying +5 (becoming a +2O weapon), the weapon gives +10 OB to all allies in a 33 m radius; by sacrifying +10, it grants +15 OB and DB to all allies in a 88 m radius. It also grants its wearer 30 degrees in Spell deflexion and is considered a shield for such purpose. At least, if a creature injures its wearer with a metallic weapon, it becomes x3 damage against it,
   * lowers krush and impact criticals by one degree. Thrice a day, it gives its owner AT20[1] for 3 minutes. At last, it adds 20 to disease RRs and to base hit points,
   * looks like an AT5, encumbers as an AT9, protects as an AT14, +25 DB. It allows its wearer to use Adrenal defense regardless of her encumbrance (e.g., even when using a two-handed weapon).

To me, this seems like crazy powerful stats! Am I making my 50th lvl characters to weak?
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Offline Ecthelion

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #3 on: November 26, 2017, 05:23:55 PM »
To me, this seems like crazy powerful stats! Am I making my 50th lvl characters to weak?
I've got the same impression. In the old Lords of Middle-Earth books there were lots of fighter characters in the range of level 50-99 with much lower stats. To be honest, I couldn't come up with an idea how to create a character with such stats within the rules, unless handing out a couple of artifact-level items - probably multiple items stacking their bonus at least for the OB - too boost the stats to such insane heights.

On the more positive side, I like the story and that an NPC has such a detailed background story.

Offline intothatdarkness

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #4 on: November 26, 2017, 08:39:26 PM »
One of my older characters is a 23rd level Bashkar, and his hits peak at 195 and OB with a +20 magic halberd is 181 or so (both when he's not in Frenzy obviously). Given that in RM2 hits cap at certain racial levels I don't see how you can clear 200 or so and stay within RAW. This guy later became an NPC as did his wife and her father (the latter two are a Paladin and Cavalier respectively - she has 195 hits and an OB with a settling-specific two handed sword of 186). All these now-NPCs have backgrounds tied to the realm currently led by the Paladin's father.
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Offline rdanhenry

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2017, 09:30:37 PM »
One of my older characters is a 23rd level Bashkar, and his hits peak at 195 and OB with a +20 magic halberd is 181 or so (both when he's not in Frenzy obviously). Given that in RM2 hits cap at certain racial levels I don't see how you can clear 200 or so and stay within RAW. This guy later became an NPC as did his wife and her father (the latter two are a Paladin and Cavalier respectively - she has 195 hits and an OB with a settling-specific two handed sword of 186). All these now-NPCs have backgrounds tied to the realm currently led by the Paladin's father.

IIRC, the hits cap is applied before modification for stats, so a game with very high stats will go significantly over the base maximum.
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Offline Ecthelion

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #6 on: November 27, 2017, 02:16:31 AM »
IIRC, the hits cap is applied before modification for stats, so a game with very high stats will go significantly over the base maximum.
That's correct. Still, with the max. base hits being IIRC 150 for normal-sized humanoids (trolls or giants may, of course, have a higher maximum) and a Co bonus greater than +50 being more than unusual, I think a hit point total of 220-250 would be the maximum when staying within RAW. Of course we'll find some Companion book allowing super-high stats and of course we'll find some super awesome artifact that adds to the max. hits, but I think not many of us would call that RAW.

Offline OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #7 on: November 27, 2017, 06:12:55 AM »
...................................................................* ^^;;;;;;;
I don't know what to say.
Wait, rather, I do. Errrr, I think the purpose of Peter R's thought experiment and Spectre771's PC thread was to compare character's builds so, well, I'm waiting for posts of other GMs in order to compare.  :P

I've got the same impression. In the old Lords of Middle-Earth books there were lots of fighter characters in the range of level 50-99 with much lower stats. To be honest, I couldn't come up with an idea how to create a character with such stats within the rules, unless handing out a couple of artifact-level items - probably multiple items stacking their bonus at least for the OB - too boost the stats to such insane heights.

On the more positive side, I like the story and that an NPC has such a detailed background story.
Isn't that why a character from a book such as LoME, where they are not much more than merely stat blocks, and one with a full character sheet and with all levels being indeed done way different? Especially with background options.
I wouldn't say that Urania is an average combat-oriented character of her level but she isn't way above others either —rather, she's in the top tier— and combat-oriented characters above her level tend to be better than her at combat.

IIRC, the hits cap is applied before modification for stats, so a game with very high stats will go significantly over the base maximum.
None of my characters below level 20 has any stat over 101. Characters level 21-30 may have a couple stats over 101, but it's usually 102-103 and never over 105.

That's correct. Still, with the max. base hits being IIRC 150 for normal-sized humanoids (trolls or giants may, of course, have a higher maximum) and a Co bonus greater than +50 being more than unusual, I think a hit point total of 220-250 would be the maximum when staying within RAW. Of course we'll find some Companion book allowing super-high stats and of course we'll find some super awesome artifact that adds to the max. hits, but I think not many of us would call that RAW.
Draconians, for instance, are 6'-8' tall humanoids with max. base hits capping at 200. Red gratars are 5'6"-7' with 200 max hits.  Background option #21 from RoCo allows +50% maximum base hits…
I think it was clear from her background but Urania isn't human. If we go into details, maximum racial hits for "Uhgae" is 250, with +15 CO racial bonus. So that gives: 250 (base hits) +34 (professional bonus) +20 (magical item) +10.1 (101 CO stat) = 314.1 x 1.45 (+30 due to CO stat, +15 due to racial bonus) = 455.

Remember this is a NPC thread, so it's hardly restricted to races players would be allowed to play… ;)

…some super awesome artifact…
I don't usually go overboard with magical items for NPCs because they may fall in the hands of the PCs after they're defeated.  ;)

Given that in RM2 hits cap at certain racial levels I don't see how you can clear 200 or so and stay within RAW.
Half-elves, northmen, SW's Myri, Talath, Zori and Laan all cap at 150 whereas Yasheens cap at 160. Add the aforementioned background option and you get 225 and 240 base hits. A 101 CO stat gives +30 bonus. One background option allows up to +25 bonus. Northmen, SW's Myri, Talath, Zori and Laan have +5 racial CO bonus. That's a possible total of +60. Fighter classes grant +3/level professional bonus.
Let's go for a northman at level 20:
   225 (max base)
  +60 (professional bonus)
  +10.1 (10% CO stat)
=295.1
x1.6 (CO bonus of +60)
=472 hit points, all with RAW and a race open to players…
The world was then consumed by darkness, and mankind was devoured alive and cast into hell, led by a jubilant 紗羽. She rejoiced in being able to continue serving the gods, thus perpetuating her travels across worlds to destroy them. She looked at her doll and, remembering their promises, told her: "You see, my dear, we succeeded! We've become legends! We've become villains! We've become witches!" She then laughed with a joyful, childlike laughter, just as she kept doing for all of eternity.

Offline Spectre771

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #8 on: November 27, 2017, 06:29:25 AM »
For RM2, the Max HP is Racial Max + CO bonus, but there are background options that beef up CO bonus, HP totals, etc. I can see reaching the 200 threshold for HP without the use of adrenals.
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Offline OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #9 on: November 27, 2017, 06:47:32 AM »
Northmen, SW's Myri, Talath, Zori and Laan have +5 racial CO bonus.
I read the wrong column: Northmen, Myri, Talath have a +10 (thus a total in our case of +65) whilst Laan and Zori have a +5. Also, there's a background option in the "Arms Companion" (though reserved for non-magic users) that allow a character to use his SD as a hit points multiplier. So, let's assume our hypothetical northman has a SD of 101, with a +25 additional bonus due to another background option (northmen have 4 BGO, so 1 for +25 in CO, 1 for +25 in SD, 1 for +1 stat to CO and SD allowing them to be at 101, and 1 for the SD hit points multiplier) and +5 racial bonus for a total of +60.

  225 (max base)
  +60 (professional bonus)
  +10.1 (10% CO stat)
=295.1
x1.65 (CO bonus of +65)
x1.6 (SD bonus of +60)
=779 hit points, all with RAW, 101 stats and a race open to players…

…and I didn't mention how the SD hit point multiplier option may be a free one, so that the warrior-type character may use his remaining BGO to buy the "Arms Companion"  that allows him to double his SD bonus. In such a case, his hit points would be 1071…
The world was then consumed by darkness, and mankind was devoured alive and cast into hell, led by a jubilant 紗羽. She rejoiced in being able to continue serving the gods, thus perpetuating her travels across worlds to destroy them. She looked at her doll and, remembering their promises, told her: "You see, my dear, we succeeded! We've become legends! We've become villains! We've become witches!" She then laughed with a joyful, childlike laughter, just as she kept doing for all of eternity.

Offline Ecthelion

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #10 on: November 27, 2017, 08:58:41 AM »
I wouldn't say that Urania is an average combat-oriented character of her level but she isn't way above others either —rather, she's in the top tier— and combat-oriented characters above her level tend to be better than her at combat.
285 OB at level 17 "not way above others"? For me it definitely is WAY above. 185 OB at that level in my old RM2 group would have been regarded as a good character build. But 100 more? Only with stats far beyond 100 plus things like +75 item.

Quote
I think it was clear from her background but Urania isn't human. If we go into details, maximum racial hits for "Uhgae" is 250, with +15 CO racial bonus. So that gives: 250 (base hits) +34 (professional bonus) +20 (magical item) +10.1 (101 CO stat) = 314.1 x 1.45 (+30 due to CO stat, +15 due to racial bonus) = 455.
Thanks for the information. In fact I wasn't aware that Urania was not of the normal humanoid races but from a special race with a max. base hits of 250. Still I'd come to a slightly different hits total because AFAIK the professional bonus counts against the base hits total and items count only after applying the Co mod. So for me it would be 250 x 1.45 (total Co stat) = 363 + 20 (magical item) = 384. Still strong for her race and - due to her race - far beyond what you normally see for human, elven or dwarven characters.

Quote
Half-elves, northmen, SW's Myri, Talath, Zori and Laan all cap at 150 whereas Yasheens cap at 160. Add the aforementioned background option and you get 225 and 240 base hits. A 101 CO stat gives +30 bonus. One background option allows up to +25 bonus. Northmen, SW's Myri, Talath, Zori and Laan have +5 racial CO bonus. That's a possible total of +60. Fighter classes grant +3/level professional bonus.
Let's go for a northman at level 20:
   225 (max base)
  +60 (professional bonus)
  +10.1 (10% CO stat)
=295.1
x1.6 (CO bonus of +60)
=472 hit points, all with RAW and a race open to players…
As mentioned above the profession bonus is not added to the base max but lets the character reach that maximum earlier. So it would be 225 with this special background option (which probably only those few groups will use that have this Companion book and use the BOs from that book) x 1.6 (which will only apply in full when using this other BO for the added +25 bonus, which probably not all groups will use) = 360 hits. Still a lot.


Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you presented your character. And I especially like the background story. The conclusion from this discussion for me is that we should point out which options we were using for the characters that get presented. Because many of us have their own custom version of Rolemaster.

Offline B Hanson

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #11 on: November 27, 2017, 09:46:18 AM »
Yes, thanks for the background on your char build! I just put up some 40-50th lvl PC's on the SW thread based on RM2 RAW and those stats were much lower. I'm also working on a blog post deconstructing the various bonus ranges for MM, hits, skills etc so your stats are useful.
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Offline OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #12 on: November 27, 2017, 10:39:23 AM »
285 OB at level 17 "not way above others"? For me it definitely is WAY above. 185 OB at that level in my old RM2 group would have been regarded as a good character build. But 100 more? Only with stats far beyond 100 plus things like +75 item.
Hardly.
* Level 17 + adolescence: 36 ranks -> +83,
* 101 ST stat +15 racial bonus -> +45,
* bonus level: +51,
* Mindlinked weapon: +17,
* Magical weapon: +25,
* Weapon school: major style -> +30,
* Martial prowess (OC, p18, #96-97) -> +34
   Total: +83 +45 +51 +17 +25 +30 +34 = +285.
   
Comparatively, I have other 17th level NPCs of mine with OB of +304, +276 and +274. If we put "not way above" at a 50 point difference, I can add six other NPCs. (That being said, it'd be better to compare OB+DB scores rather than just OB scores; if this case, including a "one round preparation", with a total of 469, Urania ranks 4th in the 17th level NPCs currently active in my game, out of 13 combat-oriented ones).

Quote
The conclusion from this discussion for me is that we should point out which options we were using for the characters that get presented. Because many of us have their own custom version of Rolemaster.
I think it's a part of these build character threads. Whilst Peter R's may be interesting in that all character builds start from the same point, it may OTOH not give a clear of most option differences GM may use. We all know that RM (especially RM2, which I use) has always been a patchwork of optional rules (heck, the companions even offered checklists for them!), so it's no wonder probably any given GM uses different options from another.

Therefore, I think that posting builds then deconstructing them is an interesting discussion, if only to let GMs know how they fare compared to others.
The world was then consumed by darkness, and mankind was devoured alive and cast into hell, led by a jubilant 紗羽. She rejoiced in being able to continue serving the gods, thus perpetuating her travels across worlds to destroy them. She looked at her doll and, remembering their promises, told her: "You see, my dear, we succeeded! We've become legends! We've become villains! We've become witches!" She then laughed with a joyful, childlike laughter, just as she kept doing for all of eternity.

Offline OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #13 on: November 27, 2017, 10:55:25 AM »
Yes, thanks for the background on your char build! I just put up some 40-50th lvl PC's on the SW thread based on RM2 RAW and those stats were much lower. I'm also working on a blog post deconstructing the various bonus ranges for MM, hits, skills etc so your stats are useful.
I've just read the first few and my comments are what I wrote about the LoME. Did you actually create them with a full character sheet, spending DPs? Because, for instance, Jerrel "only" has +110 in Runes. Considering a cleric has a +2/level to magical skills, capped at +40 at level 20, with 2 ranks a level, even stopping at level 15, it'd be 30 ranks and +80. So a total of +120 at level 20.
So… well, sorry to say, but you've confirmed why I distrust such character build listings but would prefer a fully detailed character, with a complete sheet and a complete background. Besides, as mentioned, with probably each GM using options different from any other GM, having a full character sheet that details each option choice and details each bonus, it requires less work to truly adapt a NPC to one's game.
Before you ask, yes, I have a full character sheet for Urania (complete with a picture, even) and I may post it if people want it. Note though that the character sheet is in French and that I probbaly won't translate it. Doing it for the background story was enough work that I don't want to translate a whole character sheet, including the whole equipment. ;)
For my part, I have "generic" NPCs whom I spend thirty minutes creating and with stat blocks similar to the ones you listed, B Hanson, but named, important NPCs all have full character sheets and I usually spend a couple weeks or months polishing one, adapting his story, personality, skills, and items, until I consider I truly understand and "feel" him, and consider him complete. As it is said, "when you write about a major character, don't consider him complete until he has a life of his own, independant of your will."
The world was then consumed by darkness, and mankind was devoured alive and cast into hell, led by a jubilant 紗羽. She rejoiced in being able to continue serving the gods, thus perpetuating her travels across worlds to destroy them. She looked at her doll and, remembering their promises, told her: "You see, my dear, we succeeded! We've become legends! We've become villains! We've become witches!" She then laughed with a joyful, childlike laughter, just as she kept doing for all of eternity.

Offline OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #14 on: November 27, 2017, 11:10:39 AM »
BTW…

So it would be 225 with this special background option (which probably only those few groups will use that have this Companion book and use the BOs from that book)
It's option #21 from RoCo I. And I'm pretty sure a lot of groups use BOs from the RoCo I. :p
The world was then consumed by darkness, and mankind was devoured alive and cast into hell, led by a jubilant 紗羽. She rejoiced in being able to continue serving the gods, thus perpetuating her travels across worlds to destroy them. She looked at her doll and, remembering their promises, told her: "You see, my dear, we succeeded! We've become legends! We've become villains! We've become witches!" She then laughed with a joyful, childlike laughter, just as she kept doing for all of eternity.

Offline B Hanson

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #15 on: November 27, 2017, 12:22:13 PM »
Yes, thanks for the background on your char build! I just put up some 40-50th lvl PC's on the SW thread based on RM2 RAW and those stats were much lower. I'm also working on a blog post deconstructing the various bonus ranges for MM, hits, skills etc so your stats are useful.
I've just read the first few and my comments are what I wrote about the LoME. Did you actually create them with a full character sheet, spending DPs? Because, for instance, Jerrel "only" has +110 in Runes. Considering a cleric has a +2/level to magical skills, capped at +40 at level 20, with 2 ranks a level, even stopping at level 15, it'd be 30 ranks and +80. So a total of +120 at level 20.
So… well, sorry to say, but you've confirmed why I distrust such character build listings but would prefer a fully detailed character, with a complete sheet and a complete background. Besides, as mentioned, with probably each GM using options different from any other GM, having a full character sheet that details each option choice and details each bonus, it requires less work to truly adapt a NPC to one's game.
Before you ask, yes, I have a full character sheet for Urania (complete with a picture, even) and I may post it if people want it. Note though that the character sheet is in French and that I probbaly won't translate it. Doing it for the background story was enough work that I don't want to translate a whole character sheet, including the whole equipment. ;)
For my part, I have "generic" NPCs whom I spend thirty minutes creating and with stat blocks similar to the ones you listed, B Hanson, but named, important NPCs all have full character sheets and I usually spend a couple weeks or months polishing one, adapting his story, personality, skills, and items, until I consider I truly understand and "feel" him, and consider him complete. As it is said, "when you write about a major character, don't consider him complete until he has a life of his own, independant of your will."

Correct, these aren't a full build since they weren't meant for a campaign but a tightly scripted tourney module environment. I didn't spend a lot of time non-essential skills and rounded off skill bonuses to make calculations easier on a quick tourney event. However, I don't use any background options, optional rules, talents or similar so I don't see as much skill bonus inflation that can occur using the optional rules.
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Offline intothatdarkness

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #16 on: November 27, 2017, 12:27:48 PM »
BTW…

So it would be 225 with this special background option (which probably only those few groups will use that have this Companion book and use the BOs from that book)
It's option #21 from RoCo I. And I'm pretty sure a lot of groups use BOs from the RoCo I. :p

Yep. I use RoCo I quite a bit, especially the background options. And the stats I posted are for NPCs, since that's what those characters became. Quite a few of my NPCs start as characters (either mine or those from players in my games who have left). In fact, I'll generally start one or two major NPCs at the same time a player group starts adventuring (maybe one or two levels higher than the PCs) and develop them at the same pace the players advance. I also use character sheets for them, and almost always have a detailed background and stuff. I've found it helps greatly if the players learn the major NPCs are as 'real' as they are.

Note I'm not nitpicking your build. It clearly works for your game, and that's what's important.
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Offline Ecthelion

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #17 on: November 27, 2017, 02:01:24 PM »
* Level 17 + adolescence: 36 ranks -> +83,
* 101 ST stat +15 racial bonus -> +45,
* bonus level: +51,
* Mindlinked weapon: +17,
* Magical weapon: +25,
* Weapon school: major style -> +30,
* Martial prowess (OC, p18, #96-97) -> +34
   Total: +83 +45 +51 +17 +25 +30 +34 = +285.
The bonuses I marked in orange above we never used in my group. In fact I have no clue how to get a "mindlinked" weapon. Is it an option from a Companion? The weapon schools I assume were listed in the Arms Companion. And OC is the Oriental Companion?

Quote
It's option #21 from RoCo I. And I'm pretty sure a lot of groups use BOs from the RoCo I. :p
...and many don't. E.g. we never used these options in my group as we thought many were overpowered.

For me RAW would be defined as the RM2 core books, i.e. Ch&CL, Arms Law and Spell Law. You seem to be using many options from later Companion books, which is just fine, but it clearly makes a difference in terms of power level which books get used.

Offline OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #18 on: November 28, 2017, 04:53:46 AM »
You seem to be using many options from later Companion books, which is just fine, but it clearly makes a difference in terms of power level which books get used.
Well, yes, indeed. It's why I'd like other GMs to post their NPC builds as well, within the constraints I stated.
The world was then consumed by darkness, and mankind was devoured alive and cast into hell, led by a jubilant 紗羽. She rejoiced in being able to continue serving the gods, thus perpetuating her travels across worlds to destroy them. She looked at her doll and, remembering their promises, told her: "You see, my dear, we succeeded! We've become legends! We've become villains! We've become witches!" She then laughed with a joyful, childlike laughter, just as she kept doing for all of eternity.

Offline OLF, i.e. Olf Le Fol

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Re: Favorite/best NPCs (with constraints)
« Reply #19 on: December 22, 2017, 01:23:06 PM »
Since GMs don't seem to be much motivated to post theirs NPCs so as to compare builds, I'm posting another, in hope that will motivate you! I got a hard time choosing because of the balance between the NPCs I want to post, and how much I have to translate. ;)

Anyway, enjoy.

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Lysbeth, born Lysbeth Mercie Burggravinne of Waldstein, was the third daughter of the Baron of Waldstein, a kind, well-behaved, polite and obedient child, prepared to a life of her rank and position, meaning to be married to some husband for some political reason, defined by most as the ideal daughter-in-law, as without much personality but with the essential qualities of a girl to be married: the sense of obedience and the acknowledgement of her position. In truth, if Lysbeth did dream about passionate loves, they were but dream, and if she was well-behaved and obedient, it was only due to resignation about her already fully written path in life.
Then… During a walk in the forest where she moved a bit away from her chaperone, Lysbeth met a young man who, for a reason escaping her, though it may have been because of how much he didn't feel in agreement with the surroundings, caught her attention in an almost enthralling way. She crossed paths with the young man some other times, at the bend in the road, by the riverside, in the close forest… and even in her own dreams. In fact, it seemed to her that she was thinking more and more about this young man, with whom she had started to talk about many things and more, and who told her of stories more fantasist the ones than the others, adventures he would have lived, fantastic adventures, filled with knights, chimerical monsters and treasures, filled with passions, tragedies and fierce emotions, adventures from another world, a world Lysbeth had a hard time imagining it was the same in which she was living.
Little by little, Lysbeth caught herself daydreaming during her dancing, her good manners or her literature lessons whilst thinking about her young man, yearning for their next encounter, pining away from his absence by her side. Little by little, she felt in love with the young man. A little year passed; Lysbeth got fourteen. In spite of her character, or mayhap because of it, she decided to confess to the young man her feelings, preparing herself to be rejected but wishing with all her heart and soul to be accepted. Rejected, she was, but not for the reasons she had prepared herself, not for her position nor personality. Rejected, she was, but because the young man didn't think their love would ever become fruitful: because he told her that he wasn't a human being, but a draconic lizard under a human form, looking along with his companions for one of their ancient and lost treasures, that a relationship between a draconic lizard and a human being could never work and that, anyway, even though he would admit caring for her, he wasn't even certain a member of his race could hold romantic love feelings toward anyone, less toward a human girl.
Comforted (?), Lysbeth insured the young man that she didn't care about such details and that she knew their love would prevail. Although sceptical, the young man agreed to start with her a love relationship, albeit platonic. After close to nine months, Lysbeth wanted to make official her relationship with the young man, wishing to show to her close family the subject of her love and present happiness. Although said person was little enclined to this idea, fearing the highly negative reaction of her parents, Lysbeth ensured him of the goodness of their heart and the broadness of their mind, day after day. After a few more months, persuaded by the young girl and certainly eager to believe in her and please her, the young man agreed to meet her parents. Delighted, Lysbeth promised him she would take care of everything. At the young man's utter surprise, but not Lysbeth's, the Baron of Waldstein and his wife accepted to meet him with little reluctance, "having noticed for months that Lysbeth had been surprisingly more cheerful and prettier, though absent-minded, and had indeed suspected such a sequence of events, though not the nature of her beloved."
When the day came, the young man and Lysbeth presented themselves at the Waldstein castle, where the former got received with great pomp. As the young man knelt before her beloved's parents, Lysbeth's fate took a turn that changed her whole life. At her surprise and horror, many magical circles appeared at the young man's feet, men-at-arms at his sides, and mages and archers on the walls and ramparts, whilst several of her servants took hold of her and started to drag her away. As she shouted the name of her beloved, as she protested with her whole strength, as small it was, as she besought explanations from her parents, Lysbeth heard from their distant words that she had been bewitched by the demon the young man was, and that she would be married at once to their neighbour the Count of Wartenburg, after confession and purification by the church of the only and true god. As she was taken into a carriage parked in the distance in front of the castle, in spite of the Count's servants holding her, in spite of her tears almost blinding her, Lysbeth was able to look back for an instant and to see an ultimate and last time the one she loved: with horror, she saw the sparkles of a gigantic magic, perceived at times what was certainly a huge scaly body fighting and struggling against its opponents, and caught sight of the volleys of arrows. As the carriage took her far away, her head was filled with the screams of rage, sorrow and agony of the draconic lizard, and the sounds of the battle bringing it down. Similar to the tears obscuring her sight, a veil of darkness covered Lysbeth's who in these intants cursed her weakness and swore revenge against her parents, against her servants, against the Count of Wartenburg, and against all of mankind.

Weaving her vengeance, Lysbeth affected to repent and become again the young girl kind, well-behaved, polite and obedient she used to be. Fomenting her revenge, Lysbeth pretended to be fully in love and dedicated to her husband, making herself as desirable and seductive as possible to please him. but in truth, her heart was filled with hatred toward the whole human race, said hatred growing more each passing day, as she remembered the sweet times she spent with her late beloved. In a way, she filled the emptiness caused by the unfulfillment of her love with a deep hatred. From innocent, she became manipulative. From well-behaved, she became shrewd. From obedient, she became sneaky. By pretending to be attached to her husband, she made sure he was attached to her, to the point he could not refuse her anything. By pretending to take interest in his activities to spread them, she informed herself about his enemies and looked for the companions of the one she had loved. By pretending to act and socialize for his interests, she plotted against him. One year and a half passed. Lysbeth got in contact with the comrades of the late young man, clay draconic lizards and dragons, told them her story and explained her will. Doubting her, them asked her a proof of her faith in them and of her hatred toward mankind, as they wanted to build a new world, dominated not by human beings but by dragons, in which draconic spirits wouldn't be hunted but could live in peace. Imagining what her life would have been in such a world, and how her love would have been fulfilled, Lysbeth devoted herself to this dream. And brought her proof: the head of her husband, so that a clay dragon may replace him and benefit from his temporal and social powers to pursue their schemes. In this day when she strangled her husband after she had worn him out in love games, when she beheaded him without batting an eyelid, when she packaged his freshly cut head to bring it to the clay dragons, Lysbeth's fate took its definitive form as she left behind her the path of mankind to walk on the road reserved to the Draconic Spirits.
During the following years, as she recalled her passed weakness, Lysbeth followed the teachings of the Great Worms, as magical than physical, with the will to always exceed her limits and the desire from now on to be able to protect those dear to her and to follow the path dictated by her own heart. During the following years, Lysbeth followed on her "husband"'s heels, helping him to inspire, leand then win a revolt against the king and the major party of the nobility of back then. By irony, during this period, her parents approved and supported her, thinking that the interests of the Count of Wartenburg could but serve theirs as well, and exulted when the Count's party overthrew then replaced the legitimate king. With pleasure, pride and arrogance, they went to the summons to the royal palace her prodigy daughter sent them. With pleasure, pride and arrogance, in front of the whole court gathered in the royal palace courtyard, they knelt before the new king, the former Count of Wartenburg and henceforth Seneschal, and the new Lord of Wartenburg, her daughter Lysbeth. With pleasure, pride and arrogance, they saw her slightly raise her lucerne hammer, her weapon of predilection during the revolution, apparently in order to knight them, whilst announcing to all around how much she owed them, how much they made her what she was now and her childhood memories at their sides. Then her tone changed. At their surprise and horror , they saw the lucerne hammer being raised suddenly before falling on them, as Lysbeth annonced the name of her weapon, "Forget-me-not", and how she never forgot nor forgave how they deprived her long ago pf the young man she had loved. Then, in front of their corpses, she brandished her weapon to the heavens and proclaimed the birth of the new kingdom, The Kingdom of the Wyrms, as around her, the royal assembly transformed, all taking an appearance half-draconic, whilst exulting.

Lysbeth, now Knight of Waldstein-Wartenburg, renounced to her middle name that she thought was now inappropriate, and spent the rest of her life to spread and defend the Kingdom of the Wyrms, earning a reputation of fanatism and heartlessness toward any human being who wouldn't join the dragons' banner, but of compassion and devotion toward those coming in friendship and affection to them.


   Noble-Warrior, 17th: +264 OB, +95 DB, +50 DB due to shield, 269 hit points, AT20[1]. Some item examples:
   * main weapon: +33 OB. Armor-piercing (all non-magical armors are considered AT1; magical armors got RR vs. lvl 20 draconic magic). Adds +15 to all magical RRs but Arcane. May be enchanted by "Noble Weapon" spells.
   * armor: AT20,+33 DB. Duration of all "Mystic Armor" spells cast on it tripled. Animates a shield created by "Combat Enhancement",
   * adds one level to all physical critical inflicted, a critical roll of 13 or 33 is considered a natural 66,
   * -3 to fumble chances, +13 to critical rolls and may choose freely which dice is the decimal and which dice is the unit.

   Spell lists (all to level 20):
   
  • Body Reins,
  • Combat Enhancement,
  • Arm's Way,
  • Mystic Armor,
  • Noble Weapons,
  • Elemental Commune,
  • Concussion's Ways,
  • Self Healing.
The world was then consumed by darkness, and mankind was devoured alive and cast into hell, led by a jubilant 紗羽. She rejoiced in being able to continue serving the gods, thus perpetuating her travels across worlds to destroy them. She looked at her doll and, remembering their promises, told her: "You see, my dear, we succeeded! We've become legends! We've become villains! We've become witches!" She then laughed with a joyful, childlike laughter, just as she kept doing for all of eternity.