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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

Rules Index | GM Screen | Player's Guide
NPC Core / Relationships and Advancement / NPC Advancemetn

Numerical Advancement

Source NPC Core pg. 228
You can upgrade an NPC's statistics and level using the Building Creatures rules. Usually you can find the creature's new level on the relevant stats tables and increase their stats by the difference between the current level and the next. However, you might want to add new abilities if the NPC started out at a low level and is now much higher, and you can update spells, items, and the like to suit the new level. You might also want to add more extreme increases at 11th level or higher.

If you expect the NPC will continue leveling up, you might save yourself some work by using the elite adjustments the first time they level up. Then you can level them up by 3 levels the next time and temporarily use the weak adjustments. Then repeat the process. For example, you'd use the following progression for an NPC as they advance from 1st level: 1st starting stat block, 2nd starting stat block with elite adjustments, 3rd creature increased to 4th level with the weak adjustments, 4th the 4th-level stat block.

Social Advancement

Source NPC Core pg. 228
You can follow the same process to increase an NPC's non-combat level to improve their social or skill-based abilities. Each time you advance such an NPC, decide whether the story better suits increasing their combat level, non-combat level, or both at the same time.