As you run your campaign, you need to portray all sorts of characters. Use the information here for creating and controlling the NPCs that populate your campaign world.
It’s your job to portray everyone in the world who isn’t a player character. NPCs run the gamut from the old woman who operates the livery to the foul necromancer out to destroy the kingdom to the dragon in its lair, counting gold. The vast majority of folk don’t care about the PCs unless the PCs have reached the point where they are saving the world. Even then, most people probably don’t know about them.
Most people and creatures go about their own lives, oblivious to the actions of the PCs and the events in the PCs’ adventures. Common people whom they meet in a town won’t see them as different from anyone else unless the PCs do something to draw attention to themselves. In short, the rest of the world doesn’t know that the PCs are, in fact, player characters. It treats them no differently from anyone else, gives them no special breaks (or special penalties), and gives them no special attention. The PCs have to rely on their own actions. If they are foolish or unruly, they make enemies and earn the distrust of all. If they are wise and kind, they make friends and garner respect—and probably also run afoul of enemies that don’t share the PCs’ virtues.
Running the foes of the PCs is one of your main tasks, and one of the most fun. When creating enemies for the PCs, keep the following points in mind.
Fully Rounded Characters: Flesh out enemies. Give thought to why NPCs are doing what they do, why they are where they are, and how they interact with all that’s around them. If you don’t think of them as just bad guys for the PCs to kill, the players won’t either.
Intelligence: Play enemies as smart as they are—no more, no less. Ogres might not be the best strategists, but mind flayers are incredibly intelligent and always have schemes and contingency plans.
Don’t Be Afraid to Make Them Evil: Evil is evil. Don’t hesitate to make the villains truly vile. Betrayal, devious lies, and hideous acts all make enemies more rewarding to defeat.
Evil Is Not Everywhere: An NPC opponent doesn’t have to be evil. Sometimes neutral and even good characters might oppose what the PCs are doing, since not all good people agree on everything. Sometimes it’s interesting to face an opponent whom you don’t want to kill outright.
Evil Doesn’t Always Cooperate: Even if all the PCs’ foes are evil, that doesn’t mean they all work together. In fact, evil rarely gets along with evil (particularly in the case of chaotic evil creatures), because the goals of one selfish, destructive creature by definition conflict with the goals of other selfish, destructive creatures.
The Prisoner Dilemma: What should the PCs do with enemy prisoners? If an NPC foe surrenders, the characters face a quandary. Do they spare the lives of their evil foes, or put them to the sword? What’s the greater wrong, killing something evil or letting it live to commit more evil acts? In some campaigns or some locales in a campaign world, bounties are paid for living prisoners. The prisoners’ friends can also offer ransoms to get them back alive. These two facts can help PCs decide what to do with prisoners, as can some indication from you through other allied NPCs as to what the accepted course of action is for the land the characters are adventuring in. Although you should play the NPCs as appropriately as you can, don’t make the PCs face a prisoner dilemma unless you are sure you want to.
A diabolical sorcerer, an evil high priest, a master assassin, a lich, an ancient red dragon—the possibilities for intelligent villains are endless, and they make for some of the PCs’ most memorable and most hated foes. A well-played villain can become a recurring character who is a constant thorn in the side of the PCs.
Here are some pointers for well-played villains.
Use Lackeys: Don’t have a major villain confront the PCs herself unless necessary. Eventually, the PCs will want to take the fight to her, but she should use underlings, cohorts, and summoned creatures to challenge the characters whenever possible. Nevertheless, don’t deny the PCs the satisfaction of ultimately having the opportunity to defeat her.
Be Sneaky and Resourceful: Use all available options to foil the PCs. A sneaky villain might use undetectable alignment or nondetection to foil attempts to find him. A detect scrying spell or—even better—a screen spell can keep scrying from revealing his actions. Mind blank foils detect thoughts, and spell resistance potentially foils most everything. The basic idea to keep in mind is that for every ability the PCs might have, an NPC villain might be able to counter it with the right spell, item, or ability.
Have an Escape Plan: Once the PCs have confronted the villain and foiled his plans, it can be hard for him to get away without preparing beforehand. PCs are notorious for dogging the heels of a villain who tries to escape. Use secret passages, invisibility, dimension door, teleport, contingency, and swarms of underlings to aid the villain’s escape.
Take Hostages: Put the PCs in a moral dilemma. Are they willing to attack the villain if her servants are prepared to slay on her command a number of townsfolk she captured?
Use Magic: A high-level villain (even a fighter or a rogue) should have a great deal of magic to fall back on, perhaps through the use of spellcasting servants or magic items. The PCs have plenty of magic to bring to bear against the villain, so she should have a fair number of tricks and surprises for them as well.
Fight on the Villain’s Terms: A smart villain fights the PCs only when he has to, and only when he’s prepared. Preferably, he engages them after they have been weakened by fighting their way through his guardian- and trap-filled lair.
Animals, vermin, magical beasts, and other low-intelligence monsters form a special category of NPC. They don’t act the way more intelligent creatures do. Instead, they are driven by instinct and need. Hunger and fear, for example, motivate animals. They are occasionally curious, but usually they are looking for food. When setting up encounters with animals other and low-intelligence creatures, remember to develop some sort of ecology. A hundred orcs might all organize themselves together in one area, but a hundred displacer beasts never would unless an intelligent, outside force were compelling them to do so. In a dungeon, for example, predators need something to eat and probably would not lair too close to each other to avoid competition for food. The logical demands of an ecosystem can sometimes make a dungeon difficult to rationalize or to design so that it is at least somewhat believable. An intelligent, organizing force often helps to explain the presence of creatures in numbers or locations contrary to their natural inclination.
Animals and other low-intelligence monsters want to eat, want to be safe, and want to protect their young. They are not thrilled about competition for food, but only the most aggressive attack for no other reason than that. They don’t collect treasure, but the possessions of the characters they have slain can be found in their lairs, untouched by the creatures.
These sorts of creatures make great foes for PCs, since few moral issues are raised by slaying a dire wolf or even an umber hulk or a wyvern. Thus, even though humans are a poor choice of prey for most animals in the real world, assume that most predators in the campaign don’t mind or even prefer hunting and eating intelligent creatures.
Not everyone hates the PCs. If the characters are smart, as the campaign progresses they will make as many friends as enemies. Characters who don’t oppose the PCs are divided into four types: allies, cohorts, followers, and hirelings. The Leadership feat enables a character to attract cohorts and followers. Allies and hirelings have different relationships with PCs than cohorts and hirelings do.
Markiov Thenuril is a rugged ranger who patrols the wilderness to the west. Ever since the PCs helped him fight off the gnoll incursion two years ago, he has been willing to provide them with information about his territory whenever they need it. He has introduced them to Viran Rainsong, an elf wizard/bard who gives them great deals on potions and scrolls that she manufactures. Viran’s half-brother Ethin traveled with the PCs when they went to the Forgotten Mountain and the Lichlair.
Allies come in two types: those who help the PCs with information, equipment, or a place to stay the night, and those who actually travel with them on adventures. The former make useful contacts and resources. The latter function as party members and earn a full share of experience points and treasure just as any other character does. Essentially, these latter allies are adventurers who just happen not to be controlled by players. They differ from cohorts and hirelings, who work directly for the PCs.
Cohorts are loyal servants who follow a particular character or sometimes a group of characters. (NPC adventurers can have cohorts, too.) They are hired by or seek out a PC or PCs, and they work out a deal agreeable to both parties so that the NPC works for the characters. A cohort serves as a general helper, a bodyguard, a sidekick, or just someone to watch a character’s back. Although technically subservient, cohorts are usually too valuable to waste on performing menial tasks.
There are no limitations on the class, race, or gender of a character’s cohorts, nor limits to the number of cohorts who can be employed by a character. Mistreated cohorts become disloyal and eventually leave or even seek revenge against their employers. Loyal cohorts become trusted friends and long-time helpers.
So, what’s really the difference between allies who come along and use their abilities to face dangers alongside the PCs, and cohorts who do the same thing?
Cohorts are people who take on a subservient role. Cohorts are not leaders. They might voice an opinion now and again, but for the most part, they do as they’re told.
Experience Points: Cohorts earn experience points, but not at the same rate as player characters. To determine a cohort’s XP award, follow this procedure:
For example, a 4th-level cohort associated with a 6th-level PC gains ⅔ as much XP as the character gains.
If a cohort gains enough XP to bring it to a level one lower than the associated PC’s character level, the cohort does not gain the new level—its new XP total is 1 less than the amount needed to attain the next level. This rule is especially significant when the PC loses one or more levels; a cohort’s level advancement could be stalled for quite some time until the PC regains his or her lost levels and gains enough additional XP to be eligible for a higher-level cohort (see the Leadership feat on the following page).
Treasure: Although the PCs can work out other deals, their cohorts usually get only a half share of any treasure the party gains. Sometimes a cohort seeks no pay, only the opportunity to serve alongside the PCs. Such cohorts require only living costs. However, they are not common.
The easiest way to calculate a half share is to treat the cohort as getting a full share, but award him or her only half, and then divide out the remainder to the group. For instance, if a party of four PCs and one cohort earns 1,000 gp, divide the gold pieces by 5 (which is 200 apiece), but award the cohort only 100, and divide the leftover 100 among the four PCs (25 each).
Followers are similar to cohorts, except they’re generally low-level NPCs. Because they’re generally five or more levels behind the character they follow, they’re rarely effective in combat. But a clever player can use them as scouts, spies, messengers, errandrunners, or guards.
Followers don’t earn experience and thus don’t gain levels. However, when a character with the Leadership feat attains a new level, the player consults the table in the feat description to determine if she has acquired more followers, some of which may be higher level than the existing followers. (You don’t consult the table to see if your cohort gains levels, however, because cohorts earn experience on their own.)
Followers don’t demand a share of treasure, although they depend on the PC they follow to equip them and keep them fed.
If a leader loses a cohort or followers, he can generally replace them, according to his current Leadership score. It takes time (1d4 months) to recruit replacements. If the leader is to blame for the deaths of the cohort or followers, it takes extra time to replace them, up to a full year. Note that the leader also picks up a reputation of failure, which decreases his Leadership score.
When the PCs need to hire someone to perform a task—make items, speak with sages, care for their horses, or help build a castle, hirelings are the NPCs they employ. Characters can use hirelings to carry torches, tote their treasure, and fight for them. Hirelings differ from cohorts in that they have no investment in what’s going on. They just do their jobs.
Unlike cohorts, hirelings do not make decisions. They do as they’re told (at least in theory). Thus, even if they go on an adventure with the PCs, they gain no experience and do not affect any calculations involving the party level. Like cohorts, hirelings must be treated fairly well, or they will leave and might even turn against their former employers. Some hirelings might require hazard pay (perhaps as high as double normal pay) if placed in particularly dangerous situations. In addition to demanding hazard pay, hirelings placed in great danger might be unfriendly (see Influencing NPC Attitudes), but characters potentially can influence them to a better attitude and perhaps even talk them out of hazard pay.
Hirelings are helpful to have around, particularly for specific tasks. If the PCs wipe out a nest of wererats but have to leave treasure behind, they can hire porters to come back down with them into the lair to help carry out the goods. An animal tender or two to watch the PCs’ horses while they’re down in a dungeon can be useful. Mercenary warriors can provide vital additional strength to the party’s ability to combat foes.
Middle and high-level PCs should be aware that taking a 1st-level commoner with them on an adventure so that she can carry equipment or fight as a mercenary probably places her at great risk. Hirelings who are expected to fight are best used to deal with foes of their level—goblin warriors, for instance, or an evil cleric’s skeleton army.
The Prices for Hireling Services table gives an idea of the daily wage that hirelings of various types will expect or demand. The prices on the table are for long-term retention of services; hiring someone for just a day or two might cost two or three times the indicated price.
Also, the prices do not include materials, tools, or weapons the hireling may need to do his or her job.
| Hireling | Per Day | Hireling | Per Day | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alchemist* | 1 gp | Mason/craftsperson* | 3 sp | |
| Animal tender/groom | 15 cp | Mercenary | 2 sp | |
| Architect/engineer | 5 sp | Mercenary cavalry | 4 sp | |
| Barrister | 1 gp | Mercenary leader | 6 sp | |
| Clerk | 4 sp | Porter | 1 sp | |
| Cook | 1 sp | Sage | 2 or more gp | |
| Entertainer/performer | 4 sp | Scribe | 3 sp | |
| Laborer | 1 sp | Smith* | 4 sp | |
| Limner | 6 sp | Teamster | 3 sp | |
| Maid | 1 sp | Valet/lackey | 2 sp | |
| ||||
The types of hirelings characters might employ (from the table above) are described below.
Alchemist: One who works with chemicals. Also includes apothecaries (those who deal with drugs and medicines).
Animal Tender/Groom: Someone to care for animals. Also includes shepherds, shearers, and swineherds.
Architect/Engineer: A skilled, educated planner, essential for large building projects. Also includes shipwrights.
Barrister: A lawyer.
Clerk: A scribe specializing in accounting. Also includes translators and interpreters.
Cook: Someone who can prepare meals, often for large groups.
Entertainer/Performer: A minstrel, actor, singer, dancer, or poet.
Laborer: Anyone performing unskilled or relatively unskilled labor. Includes ditchdiggers, gravediggers, bloomers (forge workers), plowers, quarriers, and many other kinds.
Limner: A painter. Includes all types of artisans.
Maid: A household servant who cleans.
Mason/Craftsperson: A mason is a stoneworker, but this category also covers carpenters, tanners (leatherworkers), haberdashers, brewers, coopers, cordwainers (shoemakers), bookbinders, fletchers, fullers (feltmakers), bowyers, cobblers, drapers, joiners, parchmentmakers, plasterers, chandlers (candlemakers), dyers, skinners, soapmakers, jewelers, tinkers, vintners, weavers, gemcutters, wheelwrights, cartwrights, horners, mercers, hosiers, and other individuals who perform a craft.
Mercenary: A 1st-level warrior.
Mercenary Cavalry: A 1st-level warrior who can ride and fight on horseback.
Mercenary Leader: A 2nd-level warrior. For a mercenary leader of higher level than 2nd, add 3 sp per day per level more than is shown on the table above.
Porter: Someone who carries heavy loads.
Sage: A researcher, a scholar, or a wise, educated person who provides information. You should assign a time period required to research the answer to a question, which may be as short as an hour or as long as a month or more (depending both on the difficulty of the question and the likelihood that the sage knows the answer or can find it quickly). More renowned sages demand higher fees, particularly for difficult areas of research.
Scribe: Someone who can write. Also includes scriveners (manuscript copiers).
Smith: A metalworker. Includes blacksmiths, goldsmiths, silversmiths, coppersmiths, pewterers, minters (coinmakers), latoners (bronzeworkers), braziers (brassworkers), locksmiths, weaponsmiths, and armorers.
Teamster: Cart or wagon driver.
Valet/Lackey: A general servant required to perform many and varied duties.
When PCs gain levels, they also garner reputations. Those who show promise, great power, a path toward success, or perhaps just a friendly demeanor may find that NPCs want to follow them. These NPCs may wish for apprenticeships, employment, or a leader they can look up to.
A character of 6th level or higher can start attracting cohorts and followers by taking the Leadership feat. Unlike other feats, this one depends heavily on the social setting of the campaign, the actual location of the PC, and the group dynamics. You’re free to disallow this feat if it would disrupt the campaign. Be sure to consider the effect of a PC having a cohort. A cohort is effectively another PC in the party under that player’s control, one whose share of XP, treasure, and spotlight time is bound to take something away from the other players’ characters. If your group is small, cohorts may be a great idea. If it’s big enough that a cohort would be a problem, don’t let the PCs have cohorts.
A character can try to attract a cohort of a particular race, class, and alignment. The cohort’s alignment may not be opposed to the leader’s alignment on either the law-vs.-chaos or good-vs.-evil axis, and the leader takes a Leadership penalty if he recruits a cohort of an alignment different from his own. The DM determines the details of the cohort. The cohort has gear as an NPC (see Table: PC and NPC Wealth by Level).
Characters need healing. They need curses removed. They need to be teleported. They need to be raised from the dead. At various points during the campaign, the PCs will need to find NPCs to cast spells for them, either because they don’t want to do it themselves or, more often, because a particular spell is beyond them. Refer to page 139 for information on the highest-level spellcaster available in a given community.
Assuming that the PCs can find a caster of the needed level and that she’s amenable to helping them out, the NPC charges them 10 gp per spell level × her caster level (or 5 gp × her caster level for a 0-level spell). If she’s a cleric, she might require the amount as a donation to her faith. If she’s a wizard, she might call the price a “magical research fee”. Whatever the case, the higher her caster level, the more she can charge for spells.
If a spell has an expensive material component, the NPC makes her client pay for those expenses in addition to the base cost.
If the spell requires a focus component (other than a divine focus), the NPC makes her client pay 10% of the cost of the focus (even if caster already possesses the item).
Finally, if the spell has an XP component, the NPC charges an additional 5 gp for each experience point she must expend.