I desperately want a blank class for NPCs that do not have a class.

There are many NPS in every campaign who don’t have a class, but who nevertheless have individual strengths, proficiencies and abilities, specific weapons, can/will participate in combat, and/or may have their own backgrounds and feats to note.

Some NPCs are beasts and monsters. (Think Bill the pony in LotR.) They are recurring, have their own specific traits, and might have to make ability checks, saving throws, and attacks in or out of combat.

As it stands, you cannot create/view a character sheet that doesn’t assign the character a class.  

The workarounds for this are really not cutting it, in my experience. There is no class to use as a workaround that is quite as effective as a blank/no class option would be.

I don’t think removing the class assignment requirement would be as useful as creating a blank class. This is because creating a blank class allows users to create their own subclasses for it like “Blacksmith” or “Bartender” or “Cultist,” or “Beast,” or have the option of no subclass at all.

To those who might reply to this by saying that you can just create a “monster” for this, or use an existing “monster” stat like “Apprentice Wizard”: the stats are great guidelines, and they’re very useful to a point. But they can also be rigid, they don't allow the tracking of used abilities and features that one would utilize in a character sheet, and they're not a substitute for the times when you want a character sheet for an NPC.

It’s not like everyone has to create a character sheet for every NPCs, and there will definitely be people who will not be interested in this kind of thing at all. But for people who want it, having a blank class would make a huge difference in the usefulness of the character sheets.

 Maybe not what you're looking for at all, but I found the Sidekicks in Dragon of Icespire Peak to be very useful as a kind of near-blank slate NPC that can accompany adventurers or even serve as a 'my first DnD character'.

You can have an Expert (thing Rogue), Spellcaster (Healer or Mage build) or Warrior (hits things...). They have their own abilities and can grow in level, however they are 'power checked' so as not to outshine actual Player Characters.

You would still have to track abilities used yourself (not possible on DndBeyond as of yet) but they don't have a multitude of abilities like a regular PC.

Hope this helps :)

This would be useful, and I'm incidentally a big fan of the whole Sidekicks as a template for recurring NPCs. Sidekicks are a good example of the kind of characters that would be a great pre-built subclass to be available for a blank class. My deal is want to be able to track their abilities and whatnot specifically on a character sheet that I can have open and reference without forcing them into a class with extra features that I have to ignore.

NPCs are made with a monster stat block and so should be made using the Monster homebrew tool.

The character builder is designed for PCs who always have a class.

I use the PC generator to make my important NPCs too, but for anyone who doesn’t have a “class” I make them using the monster homebrewer. It doesn’t track all that stuff now, but it is supposed to eventually to work in the Combat Tracker with dice and resource tracking like PCs. Just not yet. If you really want them to use the PC sheet, I recommend making a custom Fighter subclass with no subclass features and then using that. As long as you don’t choose anything for them all they’ll get is extra attacks and the other base Class features at higher levels. (For fighters there really aren’t many class features to worry about.)

Quote from IamSposta >>

I use the PC generator to make my important NPCs too, but for anyone who doesn’t have a “class” I make them using the monster homebrewer. It doesn’t track all that stuff now, but it is supposed to eventually to work in the Combat Tracker with dice and resource tracking like PCs. Just not yet. If you really want them to use the PC sheet, I recommend making a custom Fighter subclass with no subclass features and then using that. As long as you don’t choose anything for them all they’ll get is extra attacks and the other base Class features at higher levels. (For fighters there really aren’t many class features to worry about.)

Quote from MagicWyrd >>

Quote from IamSposta >>

I use the PC generator to make my important NPCs too, but for anyone who doesn’t have a “class” I make them using the monster homebrewer. It doesn’t track all that stuff now, but it is supposed to eventually to work in the Combat Tracker with dice and resource tracking like PCs. Just not yet. If you really want them to use the PC sheet, I recommend making a custom Fighter subclass with no subclass features and then using that. As long as you don’t choose anything for them all they’ll get is extra attacks and the other base Class features at higher levels. (For fighters there really aren’t many class features to worry about.)

 

Oh wow that's a way better workaround than what I've been using!! Thank you!

The only problem is that they have super high constitution saving throws, which most people would totally not have, even my bartender. But since I have a Fighter Wizard, I think that'll be easier to remember to not use.

As a note for anyone else reading, another workaround I've been trying is to use is specifically created Flaw feats, to depower NPCs that might actually end up in a fight.

I've been using the "beast buddy" homebrew subclass of Rangers for beast characters, but Fighter would actually work better! And also, many animals would have a higher constitution saving throws for their adjusted stats and sizes anyway.

 Happy to help.

To adjust the saving throws for Con and Str, you can use the following as a subclass feature:

• Modifier—>Bonus
• Modifier Subtype—>[Name of Ability] Saving Throw
• Fixed Value—> “-N”

That modifier will reduce the save you select by the number you use as “-N” and you can even set it up to automatically increase that number as you level up the character: 

This progression will almost cancel out the proficiency bonus they will get from being Fighters.

Create a 3rd level subclass feature and at the bottom of the feature you see a big field called “multiclass description.” Right underneath that you should see: 

• Required Class Level —>3rd
• Display Order —> 1
• Has Options —>✅
• Class Levels Where Options Know —> “3,7,10,15,18”
• Hide in Builder
• Hide in Sheet
• [Create/SAVE]

Required Class Level should be 3rd
Has Options is a checkbox (that should be checked)
Class Levels Where Options Know. This should list the levels for the subclasses.

***

Create 5 options. I will describe the first one here:

At the bottom of each option you see a big field called “multiclass description.” Right underneath that you should see: 

• Is Granted —> ✅
• Required Class Level —> 3rd
• Prerequisite Class Feature
• Prerequisite Text
• [Create Option/SAVE]

Is Granted is a checkbox (that should be checked)
Required Class Level should be 3rd

Add Modifier

• Modifier—>Bonus
• Modifier Subtype—>[Name of Ability] Saving Throw
• Fixed Value—> “-2”

After that make the second option, Required Class Level should be 7th.

• Modifier—>Bonus
• Modifier Subtype—>[Name of Ability] Saving Throw
• Fixed Value—> “-3”

After that just rinse and repeat. When they’re all done, re-save the whole class!

Any time you add/change anything, re-save the whole class!