Creating Classed NPCs

Creating NPCs is an art, not a science. If there’s one rule to creating NPCs, it’s that you should not use the same guidelines used for creating player characters. Ultimately, you can equip NPCs with whatever capabilities they need to do their job in the campaign, but if you like structure, follow these guidelines to create classed NPCs:

1. Race: Pick a race to determine the NPC’s initial stats, Perks and Adaptations.
2. Class and Level: Pick a class to determines initial Abilities, WL adjustment, and Sperk availability. You can assign any experience level desired (though 12th-level is the typical maximum for Chimera characters). Do not worry about the NPC’s Advancement Cost—if the character is destined to become a long-term NPC, you can improve him whenever (and however) you see fit.
3. Abilities: NPCs start with their class Abilities and receive 1d4 Improvement Points per level. All Abilities start at AR +1.
4. Perks: Apply whatever Perks suit the NPC’s role; a good guideline is 1 Perk per level, but you can assign more if the NPC’s job depends on it.
5. Powers: While any NPC can acquire the Wield Ability, only NPCs with a Sperk to access power schools can actually use powers (i.e., only classed NPCs can Wield powers); as a guideline, the number of powers known should not exceed twice the NPC’s level.
6. Equipment: Supply the NPC with whatever armour, weapons, and gear he needs. However, keep in mind that any equipment, money, or valuables possessed by an NPC can eventually end up in a PC’s hands.
7. Stats: Determine stats as for player characters:
   1. Movement Rate (MR) = race’s MR – Encumbrance (armour, weapons, gear)
   2. Wound Limit (WL) = race’s WL + class WL adjustment
   3. Defence (DF) = base DF + armour bonus
   4. Resistance (RS) = AR bonus equal to experience level
   5. Initiative Modifier (IM) = race’s IM
8. Level Bonus: Apply 1 point per level across Movement Rate, Wound Limit, Defence, or Initiative Modifier per the Level Up guidelines (e.g., a 3rd-level Veteran could add 1 point to his WL and 2 points to his MR).