Quick NPCs

[Herolover]

Okay. So I am gming FH in a campaign where the PCs are 75+75. I need two quick NPCs that are equivalent in power to the PCs.

 

So, I don't want to take time out in the middle of the game to create two 150 point characters. How do you handle this situation.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Quick NPCs

 

If you're in the middle of the game, just throw together some combat related Characteristics, Skills and (if applicable) Powers that are roughly equivalent to the PC's, plus any other Skills that you think you might want them to use during the game. Don't try to stat them out fully or tally up the points, just jot down what's actually going to be needed in play. If they're just going to appear during that session there's no need to write up anything more, while if it turns out you want to use them again you can flesh them out later at your leisure.

 

If you're stuck for ideas or prefer more detailed writeups, try tweaking the PC's own character sheets, or use some of the Package Deals from Fantasy HERO, the setting books or other published supplements, or one of the many online sources.

[Guest WhammeWhamme]

Re: Quick NPCs

 

handy dandy trick:

 

borrow the CS of a player 'just to check something'...

 

Make sure you pick someone fairly average. Copy their damage, their CV, their CON/BODY/STUN. Alter the damage and CV by +1/-1 (or -1/+1), and alter the CON/BODY/STUN a little. Write down those numbers.

 

Pick a general skill set. Assume all their skills are 12-; let them roll it as need be. Note down what they rolled.

 

Oh... and pick appropriate weapons (if doing more damage, bigger weapon. less, smaller.) and some flavour (I have no advice on how to generate interesting stuff, just on how to handle the mechanics)

 

 

On a plus side, the player might get quite paranoid about you looking at their CS.

[Chris Goodwin]

Re: Quick NPCs

 

Another easy way to do it.

 

Write up sheets for Normal, Skilled Normal, Competent Normal, etc. Better: do them up in Hero Designer so that you can print them off when you need them.

 

Copy down the various package deals you wish to use onto 3x5 index cards.

 

When you need an NPC, pull out the sheet for the approximate power level character you want. Paperclip the index card with the appropriate package to it. After the session ends, you can, if you need to, copy the skills, etc. from the package, pin down things like KS: Hobby, the Phys or Psych Limit, etc.

 

Edit: You can come up with additional index cards for extras (things like Combat Trained: +3 DEX, +1 SPD, or Very Experienced: +3 DEX, +1 Overall Level). You could even make cards or slips with checkboxes on them, to say "This guy has this ability but not that one."

[AnotherSkip]

Re: Quick NPCs

 

*Scratches Head*

 

wasn't there an online 4th Ed random character generator?

 

 

Veddy veddy fast and acclimatable to the needs (ie select fighter, mage, thief, ect... or even random all.)

 

had a random supers generator too IIRC.

as well as a d6's blast radii scaled by facing (ie all sixes together then fives then so on...) or pure random too if so desired....

[tkdguy]

Re: Quick NPCs

 

Like Lord Liaden said, don't worry about the points if they're just minor characters or stock characters. You can also use some of the templates (Competent Normal, Average Person, etc.) in the HERO Rulebook, playing with the points as needed.

[Korvar]

Re: Quick NPCs

 

I have "one hit", "two hit", "three hit" and so forth Bad Guys. Generall idea of their weapons and armour, and a vague notion of their CVs, but that's generally in a "need to hit by 1, need to hit by 2" kind of way.