I have rolled up several characters that will be NPCs, just to have a better feel for what they are than writing it down on a piece of paper. Any reason you need to add them to the campaign?
The easiest way is to make it in a different campaign that you use as a "repository" for NPCs. Initially I made NPCs within my campaign as proofs of concept -- at level 20, what combinations of abilities could be interesting? Okay, now how does that look scaled back? I would then convert it into an NPC statblock on not-DDB to avoid players from looking up NPC names. I used throwaway names and races that didn't mean anything beyond mechanics to shore up the concept. Because it was "public", it caused a lot of curiosity and speculation I'd rather avoid, so I make all NPC concepts as a separate campaign labeled appropriately.
Until we get character folders, it's the best solution I've got for you.
For NPCs that will roll with the party I make them private and add them to the campaign. Basic info like race, class, and alignment is all the players will see. For NPCs that will not join the party I create a separate campaign for them with the same name followed by “(NPCs).”
Just popping in here to say you shouldn't be building a NPC as a PC in the character builder. NPCs/monsters do not follow the same rules as PC creation. The Monster Homebrew is currently...not user friendly, but if you use an existing monster/NPC as a template it becomes a lot easier and you can cut & paste from there. Just my .02 cents.
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Just popping in here to say you shouldn't be building a NPC as a PC in the character builder. NPCs/monsters do not follow the same rules as PC creation. The Monster Homebrew is currently...not user friendly, but if you use an existing monster/NPC as a template it becomes a lot easier and you can cut & paste from there. Just my .02 cents.
I use character creation for NPCs that are major players in the campaign, BBEGs, etc. I found it let's me make them less generic. As an example, I have two archdruids in the campaign. 1 is an NPC friendly to the party/storyline, the other is a BBEG. One is corrupted. Why use the exact same stats for both? Because of their alignments, goals, etc they have different spells, different weapons, different stats and abilities (one is a halfling and one is a satyr). To me it makes them more alive as NPCs.
Just popping in here to say you shouldn't be building a NPC as a PC in the character builder. NPCs/monsters do not follow the same rules as PC creation. The Monster Homebrew is currently...not user friendly, but if you use an existing monster/NPC as a template it becomes a lot easier and you can cut & paste from there. Just my .02 cents.
I use character creation for NPCs that are major players in the campaign, BBEGs, etc. I found it let's me make them less generic. As an example, I have two archdruids in the campaign. 1 is an NPC friendly to the party/storyline, the other is a BBEG. One is corrupted. Why use the exact same stats for both? Because of their alignments, goals, etc they have different spells, different weapons, different stats and abilities (one is a halfling and one is a satyr). To me it makes them more alive as NPCs.
What is your concern about this?
I think the main concern is that you cannot deviate from PC character creation rules, and you have limits on what you can do. PC characters all feel more or less samey since your creative freedom is severely restricted. With monster homebrew, you can literally do almost anything, such as mix and match abilities across any class and subclass, have access to all the spells in the game, untether ability modifiers and proficiency bonus from saving throws and skill proficiencis (a commoner with 10 in all stats have +20 in all saving throws), etc.
It is also easier to run a statblock than a character sheet in my opinion.
I think the main concern is that you cannot deviate from PC character creation rules, and you have limits on what you can do. PC characters all feel more or less samey since your creative freedom is severely restricted. With monster homebrew, you can literally do almost anything, such as mix and match abilities across any class and subclass, have access to all the spells in the game, untether ability modifiers and proficiency bonus from saving throws and skill proficiencis (a commoner with 10 in all stats have +20 in all saving throws), etc.
It is also easier to run a statblock than a character sheet in my opinion.
Just popping in here to say you shouldn't be building a NPC as a PC in the character builder. NPCs/monsters do not follow the same rules as PC creation. The Monster Homebrew is currently...not user friendly, but if you use an existing monster/NPC as a template it becomes a lot easier and you can cut & paste from there. Just my .02 cents.
Just popping in here to say you shouldn't be building a NPC as a PC in the character builder. NPCs/monsters do not follow the same rules as PC creation. The Monster Homebrew is currently...not user friendly, but if you use an existing monster/NPC as a template it becomes a lot easier and you can cut & paste from there. Just my .02 cents.
Well said.
Adding in, an NPC should also have less options in the game than a PC does. The story isn't about the NPC; it's about the PC's. So you want to design your NPC's with specific skillsets and purposes for the story arcs. And when the game is running you don't want to slow things down to go through the list of options the NPC has. The more you beef up the character, the more things you have to pick for them to do in a scene and the more time you take away from the PC's. You want their turn in combat, for example, to be brisk, a few quick dice rolls, and then back to what the PC's want to do.
NPCs should be statblocks but there are two problems with that on D&D Beyond. First, it's easier to create an NPC using character creation than editing homebrew. Second, the problems with how homebrew creations are shared between campaigns. That's a real mess.
A sidekick generation system that created statblocks would be great. Have sidekicks listed under My Characters so they can be added to My Campaigns and used as part of the party in My Encounters if you like.
Just popping in here to say you shouldn't be building a NPC as a PC in the character builder. NPCs/monsters do not follow the same rules as PC creation. The Monster Homebrew is currently...not user friendly, but if you use an existing monster/NPC as a template it becomes a lot easier and you can cut & paste from there. Just my .02 cents.
Well said.
Adding in, an NPC should also have less options in the game than a PC does. The story isn't about the NPC; it's about the PC's. So you want to design your NPC's with specific skillsets and purposes for the story arcs. And when the game is running you don't want to slow things down to go through the list of options the NPC has. The more you beef up the character, the more things you have to pick for them to do in a scene and the more time you take away from the PC's. You want their turn in combat, for example, to be brisk, a few quick dice rolls, and then back to what the PC's want to do.
I agree if it is a generic NPC. But if it is a major NPC that will interact with the PCs on an extended basis (a recurring villain, a person of authority, etc) I prefer the character creation, so I can play it more like a real character than just a stat block. I know you don't need to do that, but it helps me.
Just popping in here to say you shouldn't be building a NPC as a PC in the character builder. NPCs/monsters do not follow the same rules as PC creation. The Monster Homebrew is currently...not user friendly, but if you use an existing monster/NPC as a template it becomes a lot easier and you can cut & paste from there. Just my .02 cents.
Well said.
Adding in, an NPC should also have less options in the game than a PC does. The story isn't about the NPC; it's about the PC's. So you want to design your NPC's with specific skillsets and purposes for the story arcs. And when the game is running you don't want to slow things down to go through the list of options the NPC has. The more you beef up the character, the more things you have to pick for them to do in a scene and the more time you take away from the PC's. You want their turn in combat, for example, to be brisk, a few quick dice rolls, and then back to what the PC's want to do.
I agree if it is a generic NPC. But if it is a major NPC that will interact with the PCs on an extended basis (a recurring villain, a person of authority, etc) I prefer the character creation, so I can play it more like a real character than just a stat block. I know you don't need to do that, but it helps me.
This👆I just convert them to statblocks whenever I know they will be going into combat against the party.
Is there a way to add a character to a campaign in a way that my player's can't see them?
No if you are using a player character sheet to represent them.
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I have rolled up several characters that will be NPCs, just to have a better feel for what they are than writing it down on a piece of paper. Any reason you need to add them to the campaign?
You can make the sheet private, which hides everything but the very basic (race, class, level) info.
The easiest way is to make it in a different campaign that you use as a "repository" for NPCs. Initially I made NPCs within my campaign as proofs of concept -- at level 20, what combinations of abilities could be interesting? Okay, now how does that look scaled back? I would then convert it into an NPC statblock on not-DDB to avoid players from looking up NPC names. I used throwaway names and races that didn't mean anything beyond mechanics to shore up the concept. Because it was "public", it caused a lot of curiosity and speculation I'd rather avoid, so I make all NPC concepts as a separate campaign labeled appropriately.
Until we get character folders, it's the best solution I've got for you.
For NPCs that will roll with the party I make them private and add them to the campaign. Basic info like race, class, and alignment is all the players will see. For NPCs that will not join the party I create a separate campaign for them with the same name followed by “(NPCs).”
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Just popping in here to say you shouldn't be building a NPC as a PC in the character builder. NPCs/monsters do not follow the same rules as PC creation. The Monster Homebrew is currently...not user friendly, but if you use an existing monster/NPC as a template it becomes a lot easier and you can cut & paste from there. Just my .02 cents.
Lightning Strike - A rebranded Fire Bolt for Wizards & Sorcerers.
Spirit Bomb - A holy fireball for Clerics, Paladins, & Divine Soul Sorcerers!
Sword Dancer - A Cleric subclass specifically for the Drow goddess Eilistraee.
Quicksilver & The Scarlet Witch - A pair of magical firearms for your Gunslinger or Artificer.
I use character creation for NPCs that are major players in the campaign, BBEGs, etc. I found it let's me make them less generic. As an example, I have two archdruids in the campaign. 1 is an NPC friendly to the party/storyline, the other is a BBEG. One is corrupted. Why use the exact same stats for both? Because of their alignments, goals, etc they have different spells, different weapons, different stats and abilities (one is a halfling and one is a satyr). To me it makes them more alive as NPCs.
What is your concern about this?
I think the main concern is that you cannot deviate from PC character creation rules, and you have limits on what you can do. PC characters all feel more or less samey since your creative freedom is severely restricted. With monster homebrew, you can literally do almost anything, such as mix and match abilities across any class and subclass, have access to all the spells in the game, untether ability modifiers and proficiency bonus from saving throws and skill proficiencis (a commoner with 10 in all stats have +20 in all saving throws), etc.
It is also easier to run a statblock than a character sheet in my opinion.
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Some good points there. Thanks for the feedback!
Well said.
Adding in, an NPC should also have less options in the game than a PC does. The story isn't about the NPC; it's about the PC's. So you want to design your NPC's with specific skillsets and purposes for the story arcs. And when the game is running you don't want to slow things down to go through the list of options the NPC has. The more you beef up the character, the more things you have to pick for them to do in a scene and the more time you take away from the PC's. You want their turn in combat, for example, to be brisk, a few quick dice rolls, and then back to what the PC's want to do.
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NPCs should be statblocks but there are two problems with that on D&D Beyond. First, it's easier to create an NPC using character creation than editing homebrew. Second, the problems with how homebrew creations are shared between campaigns. That's a real mess.
A sidekick generation system that created statblocks would be great. Have sidekicks listed under My Characters so they can be added to My Campaigns and used as part of the party in My Encounters if you like.
I agree if it is a generic NPC. But if it is a major NPC that will interact with the PCs on an extended basis (a recurring villain, a person of authority, etc) I prefer the character creation, so I can play it more like a real character than just a stat block. I know you don't need to do that, but it helps me.
This👆I just convert them to statblocks whenever I know they will be going into combat against the party.
Creating Epic Boons on DDB
DDB Buyers' Guide
Hardcovers, DDB & You
Content Troubleshooting