I'm a new dungeon master, and I am creating my own campaign from total scratch. I have a few cities and towns and their general shops and taverns locations mapped out. I've also created a set of NPCs with proper backstories to pull into the story so my players can interact with them. I've run into a problem with creating the NPC stats. For example, I have a Cleric healer named Dalfa who runs a potion shop and sells healing items. He has his cheap items on shelves around the shop on open shelves but keeps his better potions in a locked glass case behind him at the shopkeeps desk. I want him to have high intelligence and wisdom, but strength. I also need him to scale with the players so he isn't a total pushover by level 3. How do I create important NPCs that provide an interesting challenge to players on the fly while keeping to the rules regarding stats and abilities at certain levels?
Do you think your players will have their characters try to steal from the shop, or attack the shop keeper?
My suggestion is to make it believable, rather than worrying about scaling the shopkeeper.
Maybe make him around 7th level or something? That's plenty powerful enough to be able to make some good potions, without being overpowering.
By the time your players have levelled their characters some, you and they will have fleshed out the world more and should the characters rob or murder the shop keeper, there will be consequences - local law, maybe family. They also lose access to being able to purchase potions.
In many ways, I feel the art of being a good storyteller isn't about making the story go a certain way, but making the world around your characters react in a believable manner to make an interesting story.
I actually don't have a reply, but another question 😂 I made an NPC that is one of the most contrasting characters I might have ever made. It's a tiefling druid, and I made her a Circle of the Land (Mountain), because she was born and made a Druid on one of the highest mountains in the Nine Hells. So, one of the biggest complaints that I've heard about making a druid is that they are somewhat "doomed" to a lower AC, which I have definitely gotten complaints about from players, but I can't do anything about it, because they use standard armors, so... But anyways, since this NPC is a tiefling, and works in Hell, would it work if she wore metal? I know studded leather is allowed, and if the whole metal doesn't work, then I'll be working on a Homebrew armor for her and the squadron she works with. Any ideas about the metal armor situation?
When creating NPCs I usually just make them a class and level appropriate for the NPC's role and place in the setting. The captain of the place guard is likely to be a fairly high level fighter. The groom mucking out the stables is probably first level, if that.
I do most of my world design in the same way. Things are what it makes sense for them to be in the world. This does mean it is possible for first level characters to encounter a dragon if they decide to go marching into the dragon's lair.I try to have some clues around as to what is where and who is who. I'm not just going to have the dragon swoop down and attack a bunch of low level characters out of the blue. They might see it flying overhead though.
Bandits and goblins will attack low level characters, but shy away and hide from high level ones. Mean while more powerful foes may seek out higher level characters who they have heard of and see as potential rivals.
Not every NPC should be viewed as a combat encounter waiting to happen. Make realistic NPCs and let the players interact with them.
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I'm a new dungeon master, and I am creating my own campaign from total scratch. I have a few cities and towns and their general shops and taverns locations mapped out. I've also created a set of NPCs with proper backstories to pull into the story so my players can interact with them. I've run into a problem with creating the NPC stats. For example, I have a Cleric healer named Dalfa who runs a potion shop and sells healing items. He has his cheap items on shelves around the shop on open shelves but keeps his better potions in a locked glass case behind him at the shopkeeps desk. I want him to have high intelligence and wisdom, but strength. I also need him to scale with the players so he isn't a total pushover by level 3. How do I create important NPCs that provide an interesting challenge to players on the fly while keeping to the rules regarding stats and abilities at certain levels?
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D&D Beyond FoundersDo you think your players will have their characters try to steal from the shop, or attack the shop keeper?
My suggestion is to make it believable, rather than worrying about scaling the shopkeeper.
Maybe make him around 7th level or something? That's plenty powerful enough to be able to make some good potions, without being overpowering.
By the time your players have levelled their characters some, you and they will have fleshed out the world more and should the characters rob or murder the shop keeper, there will be consequences - local law, maybe family. They also lose access to being able to purchase potions.
In many ways, I feel the art of being a good storyteller isn't about making the story go a certain way, but making the world around your characters react in a believable manner to make an interesting story.
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I actually don't have a reply, but another question 😂 I made an NPC that is one of the most contrasting characters I might have ever made. It's a tiefling druid, and I made her a Circle of the Land (Mountain), because she was born and made a Druid on one of the highest mountains in the Nine Hells. So, one of the biggest complaints that I've heard about making a druid is that they are somewhat "doomed" to a lower AC, which I have definitely gotten complaints about from players, but I can't do anything about it, because they use standard armors, so... But anyways, since this NPC is a tiefling, and works in Hell, would it work if she wore metal? I know studded leather is allowed, and if the whole metal doesn't work, then I'll be working on a Homebrew armor for her and the squadron she works with. Any ideas about the metal armor situation?
When creating NPCs I usually just make them a class and level appropriate for the NPC's role and place in the setting. The captain of the place guard is likely to be a fairly high level fighter. The groom mucking out the stables is probably first level, if that.
I do most of my world design in the same way. Things are what it makes sense for them to be in the world. This does mean it is possible for first level characters to encounter a dragon if they decide to go marching into the dragon's lair.I try to have some clues around as to what is where and who is who. I'm not just going to have the dragon swoop down and attack a bunch of low level characters out of the blue. They might see it flying overhead though.
Bandits and goblins will attack low level characters, but shy away and hide from high level ones. Mean while more powerful foes may seek out higher level characters who they have heard of and see as potential rivals.
Not every NPC should be viewed as a combat encounter waiting to happen. Make realistic NPCs and let the players interact with them.