So How Do You Recognize those High Level NPCs anyway?

[Janx]

Rome was awesome. Just finished it.
Now about your father....


D&D is a land where might makes right. It does so, because if the "right" did not have might, they would be taken out by the strong who are wrong.

Seriously, if good king wimpy can't defend his people, the first orc with a few class levels is going to depose him and rule the land with an iron fist. Or a PC will do it.

Thus, the economics of the game is an arms race. Leaders must be leveled, or leveled opposition will take them out. Consider the PCs to be a likely source of that opposition.

Thus leaders tend to be leveled in their relevant class. A general will have levels in fighter or some other military class. Because if he doesn't the PCs will take him out, or some monsters will.

Sure it's possible for a NPC to not be leveled, or trick people into thinking he's higher than he is. But those things don't stand to the test, and D&D will test them.

It's also a matter of the Peter Principle. Getting promoted to their level of incompetence. Meaning people tended get promoted to a position where they aren't competent anymore.


The usual clue about high level NPCs is that an in-game event occurs that demonstrates their gear or skills that makes it obvious they are high level. This demonstration of might is standard procedure for showing the players that the NPC is not a wimp, before they decided to take him out.

 

[TheYeti1775]

I've seen many Adventuring parties run away from the little orphan girl with a teddy bear before.

Gamed with a group of players that was deathly afraid of any orphan girl. Only did it once to them, but even many years later they would avoid any lone girl.
Apparently they were disturbed by my little cannibal assassin with the dagger in the teddy bear.

 

[Kzach]

Apparently they were disturbed by my little cannibal assassin with the dagger in the teddy bear.

And thin bartenders.

Never, ever, trust a thin bartender.

 

[Desdichado]

They don't.

 

[Rykion]

So what are the 'tale tell signs' of a high powered NPC?

Their stats in the setting book. I suspect this really is the number one answer for any campaign that takes place in a published world.

In my games, high level NPCs tend to be leaders and have cool titles and gear. That still isn't a definite sign though.

 

[Shemeska]

You can't always tell. The massively armored warrior who wields a golden sword may only be 6th level or so, and the small child who sits and chats with the PC paladin while he waits for an audience with a high level cleric of his deity may actually be an avatar of that deity itself (I did this one time).

I've had an archfiend who dressed in comparatively simple robes and had a number of ioun stones drifting around his head, looking almost like a low ranking arcanaloth scribe. In terms of power level, he didn't have formal stats because it would have been pointless.

And then there's the normal, looking arcanaloth (albeit crazy, naked, and covered in githyanki blood) who has the shifting, color-changing eyes of an ultroloth. Unique features on a fiend are never a good thing for PCs.

One of the more powerful beings in my last campaign, Tellura ibn Shartalan the Dire Shepherd (a baernaloth), had the outward appearance of a teenaged aasimar girl with a lame, crippled leg. Just don't look at the shadow she perpetually cast regardless of lighting, that moved on its own and very much was not the reflection of her physical form.

I have a habit of underplaying the appearance of very powerful beings. It might even be a hallmark trait of my campaigns, along with cute and sometimes annoying faerie dragons, mephits, and imps.

 

[Veril]

High level NPC who you want to be known to the PC's ARE known to the PC's. Simply tell the PC's that they have heard of this NPC and his famous deeds when they were children (make up 1-3 deeds, saved a village, destroyed invading army of 100 giants, sailed beyond the sunset and returned with wealth and magics beyond belief).

High Level NPC unknown to the PC's that you want them to know are High Level. Describe them as possessing multiple magical items, glowing with power. Rings, gloves, weapons, armour, belt etc. The NPC is surrounded by the glitter of several spells pre-cast. The retinue of the NPC includes obviously powerful wizards and clerics as well as mighty warriors.

Rules mechanics: Allows PC's to automatically guage the level of someone of their class within a broad range of levels:
6 or more levels above.
3 or more levels above.
Within 3 levels.
3 or more levels below.
6 or more levels below.

If deception is used by one side simply use a skill vs skill mechanic to determine success. Sense Motive vs Bluff/Diplomacy/Disguise with ever 5 points being a category shift.

 

[haakon1]

1) High level characters will have stories of heroic deeds attached. Augean stables cleaned, misanthropic lake monsters slain, etc.

Indeed, their reputation precedes them. That, and better than average gear.

 

[haakon1]

Seriously, if good king wimpy can't defend his people, the first orc with a few class levels is going to depose him and rule the land with an iron fist. Or a PC will do it.

Thus, the economics of the game is an arms race. Leaders must be leveled, or leveled opposition will take them out. Consider the PCs to be a likely source of that opposition.

That's clearly one way to run a campaign world, but it's not the only way. It's not at all what I do.

In our world, leaders have followers who are loyal to them for reasons other than physical prowess/personal butt-kicking ability. Obama, the Queen of England, Warren Buffett, the Dali Lama, etc. didn't get where they are by having the best Base Attack Bonus. In my D&D campaign, it works the same way.