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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
GM Core / Chapter 2: Building Games / Building Creatures / Building NPCs

PC-style Build

Source GM Core pg. 128 2.0
If you do choose to build an NPC fully using the PC rules, your NPC should generally end up being an appropriate challenge as a creature of their level. They will likely have lower statistics in some areas than if you had built them using the creature rules but more options due to their full complement of feats and class features. This is best saved for important, recurring NPCs, especially if they're meant to engage in social or exploration endeavors rather than just battles.

There are still some considerations and shortcuts that can expedite the process while ensuring the NPC works as intended.
  • The creature's treasure should follow the Treasure for New Characters rules. You'll need to account for this in your campaign's overall treasure. You might even want to give the NPC a higher-level item appropriate as a treasure allotment for the level.
  • You can expedite attribute modifier generation by making the starting attribute modifiers add up to +9, with no more than one modifier at +4 (and typically no more than one negative modifier). You can skip adding a background if you do this, but you might want to give the creature two skills, which includes one Lore skill, to represent the skills granted by a background.
  • It's not necessary to assign every skill feat, particularly for a higher-level NPC. You can just pick the most emblematic ones and gloss over the rest.
  • For general feats, Incredible Initiative and Toughness make good choices.
  • Most of the guidelines about choosing spells still apply, though you might want a few more utility spells that deal with non-combat challenges, particularly in low-rank slots.

Class Road Maps

You can use these suggestions when creating your road map to emulate a PC class, customizing as you see fit. You'll still need to look through the class to pick feats, weapons, and the like. Any statistic that isn't specifically listed can use moderate numbers.

You don't need to give an NPC all the abilities from its class—especially those that just alter numbers. Each class's entry lists several abilities that are good quick choices and make for more interesting encounters. This section includes the Player Core classes and those from Player Core 2 (alchemist, barbarian, champion, investigator, monk, oracle, sorcerer, and swashbuckler).

Alchemist Low Perception; high Crafting; high Int, moderate or better Dex or Str; low to moderate HP; moderate attack with bombs. Abilities Infused alchemical items, Quick Bomber if a bomber alchemist, a few other alchemist abilities; it's usually easier to give the alchemist their bomb items rather than use Quick Alchemy on the spot.

Barbarian High Athletics; high Str, high to moderate Con; high AC; high Fortitude; high HP; moderate attack and extreme damage (when raging). Abilities Rage, instinct ability and related feats, raging resistance

Bard Moderate Occultism, high Performance, high Charisma-based skills; high Cha; low Fortitude, moderate to high Will; low to moderate HP; low accuracy; high to extreme spell DC. Abilities spontaneous occult spellcasting as a bard of their level, composition spells, muse feats

Champion Low Perception; moderate Religion; high Str or Dex, moderate Cha; extreme AC; low Reflex; moderate attack and high damage. Abilities champion's reaction, devotion spells, divine ally and related feats, divine smite, exalt, feats based on cause, Shield Block

Cleric (Cloistered Cleric) High Perception; high Religion, moderate or high skill themed to deity; low AC; high Wis; low Fortitude, high Will; low to moderate HP; low accuracy; high to extreme spell DC. Abilities Prepared divine spellcasting as a cleric of their level; divine font; domain spells

Cleric (Warpriest) Moderate Perception; moderate Religion, moderate or high skill themed to deity; high Str, moderate Wis; high AC; low Reflex, high Will; high spell DC. Abilities prepared divine spellcasting as a cleric of their level; divine font, Shield Block

Druid High Perception; high Nature, moderate or high skill from order; high Wis; high Will; low to moderate HP; low accuracy; high to extreme spell DC. Abilities Prepared primal spellcasting as a druid of their level; order ability, order feats, and order spell for their order; Shield Block; add an animal to the encounter for animal order

Fighter High Acrobatics or Athletics; high Str or Dex; high AC; low Will; high attack and high damage. Abilities Bravery, Reactive Strike, Shield Block, a few fighter abilities and feats associated with a combat style

Investigator High Perception; high Society, high methodology skill, plus more skills than usual; high Int; low Fortitude, high Will; low to moderate HP; moderate attack and low to moderate damage before strategic strike plus high damage with strategic strike. Abilities Pursue a Lead, Devise a Stratagem, methodology action

Monk High Acrobatics, Athletics, or both; high Str or Dex, moderate Wis; high or extreme AC; moderate attack and high damage. Abilities Flurry of Blows, metal strikes, mystic strikes, perfected form, stance and related feats, ki abilities

Oracle High Religion, high mystery skill, moderate or high skill themed to deity; high Cha; low AC; low Fortitude, high Will; low to moderate HP; low accuracy; high to extreme spell DC. Abilities Spontaneous divine spellcasting as an oracle of their level; oracle mystery and related benefit, cantrip, and revelation spells, constant minor curse, activate moderate curse after casting a revelation spell

Ranger High Perception; moderate Nature and moderate to high Survival; high Str or Dex; high AC; moderate attack and high damage (or for a simpler ranger, remove Hunt Prey, and just use high attack and high damage). Abilities Hunt Prey, hunter's edge, nature's edge, masterful hunter, swift prey, companion or combat style and related feats

Rogue High Perception; high Stealth and Thievery, plus more skills than usual; high Dex (or key attribute for a specific rogue's racket); high AC; low Fortitude, high Reflex; low to moderate HP; moderate attack and low to moderate damage before sneak attack plus high or extreme damage with sneak attack. Abilities Sneak attack, surprise attack, deny advantage, debilitating strike, master strike, rogue's racket and related feats

Sorcerer Low Perception; moderate bloodline skills and high Charisma-based bloodline skills; high Cha; low AC; low Fortitude; low HP; low accuracy; high to extreme spell DC. Abilities Spontaneous spellcasting of a tradition based on bloodline as a sorcerer of their level, bloodline and related feats and spells

Swashbuckler High Perception; high Acrobatics, plus high style skill; high Dex; high AC; low Fortitude, high Reflex; moderate HP; moderate attack and low to moderate damage before precise strike plus high or extreme damage with precise strike. Abilities Panache, precise strike, Confident Finisher, swashbuckler's style (plus exemplary finisher at 9th level)

Witch Low Perception; high patron skill; high Int; low AC; low Fortitude; low HP; low accuracy; high to extreme spell DC. Abilities prepared spellcasting of a tradition based on patron as a witch of their level, familiar, witch's patron and related cantrip, hex, and spells

Wizard Low Perception; high Arcana; high Int; low AC; low Fortitude; low HP; low accuracy; high to extreme spell DC. Abilities prepared arcane spellcasting as a wizard of their level, Drain Bonded Item, school spell, and curriculum spells