Author Topic: How to quickly create a spell casting NPC in ERA?  (Read 820 times)

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Offline alloowishus

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How to quickly create a spell casting NPC in ERA?
« on: March 05, 2021, 09:08:10 AM »
How do I quickly create an NPC in ERA with spells, weapons etc? Do I have to go through the whole character creation process? When I create an NPC in the combat module, there doesn't seem to be anywhere to add spell lists etc.

Offline Ginger McMurray

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Re: How to quickly create a spell casting NPC in ERA?
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2021, 09:25:15 AM »
I use the character creation module but manually add everything rather than going through the level up process.
No pre-written adventure survives contact with the GM.

Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: How to quickly create a spell casting NPC in ERA?
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2021, 09:25:12 PM »
The Thug and Phoenix creatures provided in the base free product have the information you are looking for.
When opening the character dialog during an adventure, there is a section for adding attacks, and another for skills and spell lists.

If you want to add them by creating custom configuration files before the adventure, check the format provided in the
ERA/RMC|RMFRP/Configuration/Creatures/Thug.creature.XML and Phoenix.creature.XML

Basically attacks go something like:
<Attacks> <Attack Bonus="35" TableName="Broadsword"></Attack> </Attacks> inside <CombatStatistics>

Skills are:
<ManeuverSkills> <Skill name="Perception" tableName="Awareness" ranks="4" bonus="20"/> </ManeuverSkills>

and spells require:
<SpellLists> <Skill name="Fire Law" tableName="Own Realm Own Base Lists" ranks="20" bonus="20"/> </SpellLists>

The Thug is specially relevant since it provides an example on the minimum information required to quickly create an NPC to use during the adventure.

Offline markc

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Re: How to quickly create a spell casting NPC in ERA?
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2021, 10:01:28 PM »
From days before easy software I did,
For each setting, area, sometimes city and sometimes for each race
1) Create a template for common professions at every level and often specialized per job performed (ie a soldier who was now a inn keeper was different then soldier who was now a weapon smith both with the fighter profession or both with the everyman/layman profession)
Note: leave some free DP to customize PC/NPC even more then region, race, area, etc
2) Often had custom talent and flaw costs by race/region as well, at times this was on the fly and not writen but based on setting info, ie if you are trying to get a bonus to ocean sailing and you are from the deep desert you will probably pay a higher TP cost then someone from the coastal regions.

But even then it can take a while to get a good hand on what to do and not to do and some GM's never have an easy time of it. Just as GM's have trouble in other areas and other GM's do that partv of the game with no effort.
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