NPC Classes

NPC Stat Block Information

This is where you’ll find all of the information you need to run the NPC in an encounter. A stat block is organized as follows. Note that in cases where a line in a stat block has no value, that line is omitted.

Name and CR: The character’s name is presented first, along with his or her Challenge Rating (CR). Challenge Rating is a numerical indication of how dangerous a character is—the higher the number, the deadlier the character.

Race, Class, and Level: This lists the character’s race (dwarf, elf, and so on), class, and level.

XP: Listed here are the total experience points that PCs earn for defeating the character.

Size, Type, and Alignment: This lists the character’s size, type, and alignment. The alignments listed for each character in this book represent what is normal for those characters, but you can change them to serve the needs of your campaign. Of course, some classes may have restrictions on what alignments they can have, and some character concepts don’t make sense for certain alignments.

Init and Senses: The character’s initiative modifier is followed by any special senses and his or her Perception check modifier.

Aura: If the character has a magical or exceptional aura, it is listed here.

AC: This lists the character’s Armor Class, touch Armor Class, and flat-footed Armor Class. The modifiers that generate the character’s AC are listed in parentheses at the end of this entry.

hp: This lists the character’s hit points, followed by his or her Hit Dice (including modifiers from Constitution, favored class levels, the Toughness feat, magic such as a false life spell, and so on). Characters with PC class levels receive maximum hit points for their first Hit Die, but all other Hit Dice rolls are assumed to be average. Fast healing and regeneration values, if any, follow the character’s HD.

Saving Throws: The character’s Fortitude, Reflex, and Will saves appear here, followed by situational modifiers.

Defensive Abilities/DR/Immune/Resist/SR: This lists all of the character’s unusual defensive abilities. Damage Reduction, immunities, resistances, and spell resistance are called out separately as necessary.

Weaknesses: All of the character’s unusual weaknesses are listed here.

Speed: The character’s land speed appears here, plus additional speeds as necessary for the character.

Melee: The character’s melee attacks are listed here, with his or her attack roll modifier listed after the attack’s name followed by the damage in parentheses.

Ranged: As Melee above, but for ranged attacks.

Space/Reach: The character’s space and reach appear only if they aren’t the standard (one 5-foot square and a reach of 5 feet).

Special Attacks: The character’s special attacks listed here are explained fully in the description of the character’s class.

Spell-Like Abilities: This lists the spell-like ability caster level and concentration modifier. Constant spell-like abilities function at all times but can be dispelled. A character can reactivate a constant spell-like ability as a swift action.

Spells Known/Spells Prepared: This lists the caster level and concentration check bonus for a spellcaster, followed by the spells the character knows or typically has prepared.

Tactics: This section gives suggestions on how to best use the character in combat. Before Combat indicates which of the character’s duration-based abilities or magic items are active when combat starts. During Combat explains which abilities the character prefers to use during combat. Base Statistics lists the character’s statistics without any of the effects of the Before Combat line.

Ability Scores: The character’s ability scores are listed here. Ability scores might be modified by level, race, spells, or magic items.

Base Atk/CMB/CMD: These values represent the character’s base attack, Combat Maneuver Bonus, and Combat Maneuver Defense scores.

Feats: The character’s feats are listed here.

Skills: The character’s skills are listed here.

Languages: The character’s languages are listed here.

SQ: Any special qualities the character has are listed here, such as class abilities or racial traits.

Combat Gear: Any equipment the character would reasonably expect to use during combat is listed here—alchemical weapons, expendable combat magic items, special ammunition, helpful potions, and so on.

Other Gear: The rest of the character’s gear goes here, including armor and weapons, passive magic items (such as a cloak of resistance), items the character isn’t likely to use during combat (such as thieves’ tools), and coins or other valuables carried by the character.

DESCRIPTION

Following most stat blocks is a short description of the type of character represented by the statistics.

Creating NPC's

Aside from the players, everyone else in the game world is a non-player character (NPC). These characters are designed and controlled by the GM to fill every role from noble king to simple baker. While some of these characters use player classes, most rely upon simple NPC classes, allowing them to be easily generated. The following rules govern all of the NPC classes and include information on generating quick NPCs for an evening’s game.

Creating NPCs

Table: NPC Ability Scores
Ability Score	Melee NPC		Ranged NPC		Divine NPC		Arcane NPC		Skill NPC
Ability Score	Basic	Heroic	Basic	Heroic	Basic	Heroic	Basic	Heroic	Basic	Heroic
Strength	13	15	11	13	10	12	8	8	10	12
Dexterity	11	13	13	15	8	8	12	14	12	14
Constitution	12	14	12	14	12	14	10	12	11	13
Intelligence	9	10	10	12	9	10	13*	15*	13	15
Wisdom	10	12	9	10	13	15	9	10	8	8
Charisma	8	8	8	8	11	13	11*	13*	9	10

* If the arcane caster’s spellcasting relies on Charisma, exchange these scores with one another.

The world that the player characters inhabit should be full of rich and vibrant characters for them to interact with. While most need little more than a name and general description of their personality and abilities, some require complete statistics, such as town guards, local clerics, and wizened sages. The PCs might find themselves in combat with these characters, either against them or with them as allies. In either case, the process for creating these NPCs can be performed in seven simple steps.

Step 1: The Basics

The first step in making an NPC is to determine its basic role in your campaign. This includes its race, class, and basic concept.

Step 2: Determine Ability Scores

Once the character’s basic concept has been determined, its ability scores must be assigned. Apply the NPC’s racial modifiers after the scores have been assigned. For every four levels the NPC has attained, increase one of its scores by 1. If the NPC possesses levels in a PC class, it is considered a heroic NPC and receives better ability scores. These scores can be assigned in any order.

Basic NPCs: The ability scores for a basic NPC are: 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, and 8.

Heroic NPCs: The ability scores for a heroic NPC are: 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 8.

Preset Ability Scores: Instead of assigning the scores, you can use Table: NPC Ability Scores to determine the NPC’s ability scores, adjusting them as necessary to fit. Use the Melee NPC ability scores for characters whose primary role involves melee combat, such as barbarians, fighters, monks, paladins, rangers, and warriors. The Ranged NPC ability scores are for characters that fight with ranged weapons or use their Dexterity to hit, such as fighters, rangers, and rogues. Use the Divine NPC ability scores for characters with divine spellcasting capabilities, such as adepts, clerics, and druids. The Arcane NPC ability scores should be used by characters with arcane spellcasting capabilities, such as bards, sorcerers, and wizards. Finally, the Skill NPC ability scores should be used for characters that focus on skill use, such as aristocrats, bards, commoners, experts, and rogues. Some NPCs might not fit into one of these categories and should have custom ability scores.

Table: Racial Ability Adjustments
Ability Score	Dwarf	Elf	Gnome	Half-Elf	Half-orc	Halfling	Human
Strength	—	—	–2	—	—	–2	—
Dexterity	—	+2	—	—	—	+2	—
Constitution	+2	–2	+2	—	—	—	—
Intelligence	—	+2	—	—	—	—	—
Wisdom	+2	—	—	—	—	—	—
Charisma	–2	—	+2	—	—	+2	—

1 Half-elves, half-orcs, and humans receive a +2 bonus to one ability score of your choice.

Step 3: Skills

To assign skills precisely, total up the number of skill ranks possessed by the character and assign them normally. Remember that the number of ranks in an individual skill that a character can possess is limited by his total HD.

For simpler skill generation, refer to Table: NPC Skill Selections to determine the total number of skill selections the NPC possesses. After selecting that number of skills, mostly from the class skills lists of the NPC’s class, the NPC receives a number of ranks in each skill equal to his level.

If the NPC has two classes, start by selecting skills for the class with the fewest number of skill selections. The NPC receives a number of ranks in those skills equal to his total character level. Next, find the difference in the number of selections between the first class and the other class possessed by the NPC. Select that number of new skills and give the NPC a number of ranks in those skills equal to his level in the second class. For example, a human fighter 3/monk 4 with a +1 Intelligence modifier can select four skills for his fighter class (since it receives fewer selections). These four skills each have seven ranks (equal to his total level). Next, he selects a number of skills equal to the difference between the fighter and the monk classes, in this case two skills. These two skills each have four ranks (his monk level).

If the NPC has three or more classes, you must use the precise method for determining his skills.

Once all of the NPC’s ranks have been determined, assign class skill bonuses and apply the bonus or penalty from the NPC’s relevant ability score.

Table: NPC Skill Selections
PC Class	Skill Selections 1	NPC Class	Skill Selections 1
Barbarian	4 + Int Mod	Adept	2 + Int Mod
Bard	6 + Int Mod	Aristocrat	4 + Int Mod
Cleric	2 + Int Mod	Commoner	2 + Int Mod
Druid	4 + Int Mod	Expert	6 + Int Mod
Fighter	2 + Int Mod	Warrior	2 + Int Mod
Monk	4 + Int Mod
Paladin	2 + Int Mod
Ranger	6 + Int Mod
Rogue	8 + Int Mod
Sorcerer	2 + Int Mod
Wizard	2 + Int Mod

1 Humans receive one additional skill selection.

Step 4: Feats

After skills have been determined, the next step is to assign the NPC’s feats. Start by assigning all of the feats granted through class abilities. Next, assign the feats garnered from the NPC’s total character level (one feat for every two levels beyond 1st). Remember that humans receive an additional feat at 1st level. For simplified feat choices, select feats from the lists provided for the following character types.

Arcane Caster: Arcane Strike, Combat Casting, Eschew Materials, Greater Spell Focus, Greater Spell Penetration, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, item creation feats (all), Lightning Reflexes, metamagic feats (all), Spell Focus, Spell Mastery, Spell Penetration, and Toughness.

Divine Caster (With Channeling): Combat Casting, Extra Channel, Improved Initiative, Improved Channel, Iron Will, item creation feats (all), metamagic feats (all), Power Attack, Selective Channeling, Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, Toughness, Elemental Channel, Alignment Channel, and Channel Smite.

Divine Caster (Without Channeling): Cleave, Combat Casting, Eschew Materials, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, item creation feats (all), Lightning Reflexes, metamagic feats (all), Natural Spell, Power Attack, Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, Toughness, and Weapon Focus.

Melee (Finesse Fighter): Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dazzling Display, Deadly Stroke , Dodge, Improved Disarm, Improved Feint, Improved Trip, Improved Vital Strike, Mobility, Spring Attack, Shatter Defenses, Vital Strike, Weapon Finesse, and Whirlwind Attack.

Melee (Unarmed Fighter): Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Dodge, Gorgon’s Fist, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Medusa’s Wrath, Mobility, Scorpion Style, Snatch Arrows, Spring Attack, Stunning Fist, and Weapon Focus.

Melee (Mounted): Improved Critical, Improved Initiative, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-By Attack, Skill Focus (Ride), Spirited Charge, Toughness, Trample, and Weapon Focus.

Melee (Sword and Shield Fighter): Cleave, Shield Focus, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical, Improved Initiative, Improved Vital Strike, Power Attack, Shield Master, Shield Slam, Two-Weapon Fighting, Vital Strike, and Weapon Focus.

Melee (Two-Handed Fighter): Cleave, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical, Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Improved Vital Strike, Power Attack, Vital Strike, and Weapon Focus.

Melee (Two-Weapon Fighter): Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Double Slice, Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Critical, Improved Initiative, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Vital Strike, Two-Weapon Defense, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Rend, Vital Strike, and Weapon Focus.

Ranged: Deadly Aim, Far Shot, Improved Initiative, Improved Vital Strike, Manyshot, Pinpoint Targeting, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Reload, Rapid Shot, Shot on the Run, Vital Strike, and Weapon Focus.

Skill (most NPC classes): Armor Proficiency (all), Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Martial Weapon Proficiency, Run, Shield Proficiency, Skill Focus, and Toughness.

Step 5: Class Features

After determining feats, the next step is to fill in all the class features possessed by the NPC. This is the time to make decisions about the NPC’s spell selection, rage powers, rogue talents, and other class-based abilities.

When it comes to spells, determine how many spell selections you need to make for each level. Choose a variety of spells for the highest two levels of spells possessed by the NPC. For all other levels, stick to a few basic spells, prepared multiple times (if possible). If this NPC is slated to appear in only one encounter (such as a combat), leaving off lower-level spells entirely is an acceptable way to speed up generation, especially if the NPC is unlikely to cast those spells. You can always choose a few during play if they are needed.

Step 6: Gear

After recording all of the NPC’s class features, the next step is to outfit the character with gear appropriate to his level. Note that NPCs receive less gear than PCs of an equal level. If an NPC is a recurring character, his gear should be selected carefully. Use the total gp value found on Table: NPC Gear to determine how much gear he should carry. NPCs that are only scheduled to appear once can have a simpler gear selection. Table: NPC Gear includes a number of categories to make it easier to select an NPC’s gear. When outfitting the character, spend the listed amount on each category by purchasing as few items as possible. Leftover gold from any category can be spent on any other category. Funds left over at the end represent coins and jewelry carried by the character.

Note that these values are approximate and based on the values for a campaign using the medium experience progression and a normal treasure allotment. If your campaign is using the fast experience progression, treat your NPCs as one level higher when determining their gear. If your campaign is using the slow experience progression, treat the NPCs as one level lower when determining their gear. If your campaign is high fantasy, double these values. Reduce them by half if your campaign is low fantasy. If the final value of an NPC’s gear is a little over or under these amounts, that’s okay.

Table: NPC Gear
Basic Level	Heroic Level	Total gp Value	Weapons	Protection	Magic	Limited Use	Gear
1	—	260 gp	50 gp	130 gp	—	40 gp	40 gp
2	1	390 gp	100 gp	150 gp	—	40 gp	100 gp
3	2	780 gp	350 gp	200 gp	—	80 gp	150 gp
4	3	1,650 gp	650 gp	800 gp	—	100 gp	200 gp
5	4	2,400 gp	900 gp	1,000 gp	—	300 gp	200 gp
6	5	3,450 gp	1,400 gp	1,400 gp	—	450 gp	200 gp
7	6	4,650 gp	2,350 gp	1,650 gp	—	450 gp	200 gp
8	7	6,000 gp	2,700 gp	2,000 gp	500 gp	600 gp	200 gp
9	8	7,800 gp	3,000 gp	2,500 gp	1,000 gp	800 gp	500 gp
10	9	10,050 gp	3,500 gp	3,000 gp	2,000 gp	1,050 gp	500 gp
11	10	12,750 gp	4,000 gp	4,000 gp	3,000 gp	1,250 gp	500 gp
12	11	16,350 gp	6,000 gp	4,500 gp	4,000 gp	1,350 gp	500 gp
13	12	21,000 gp	8,500 gp	5,500 gp	5,000 gp	1,500 gp	500 gp
14	13	27,000 gp	9,000 gp	8,000 gp	7,000 gp	2,500 gp	500 gp
15	14	34,800 gp	12,000 gp	10,500 gp	9,000 gp	2,800 gp	500 gp
16	15	45,000 gp	17,000 gp	13,500 gp	11,000 gp	3,000 gp	500 gp
17	16	58,500 gp	19,000 gp	18,000 gp	16,000 gp	4,000 gp	1,500 gp
18	17	75,000 gp	24,000 gp	23,000 gp	20,000 gp	6,500 gp	1,500 gp
19	18	96,000 gp	30,000 gp	28,000 gp	28,000 gp	8,000 gp	2,000 gp
20	19	123,000 gp	40,000 gp	35,000 gp	35,000 gp	11,000 gp	2,000 gp
—	20	159,000 gp	55,000 gp	40,000 gp	44,000 gp	18,000 gp	2,000 gp

Weapons: This includes normal, masterwork, and magic weapons, as well as magic staves and wands used by spellcasters to harm their enemies. For example, a wand of scorching ray would count as a weapon, but a staff of life would count as a piece of magic gear.

Protection: This category includes armor and shields, as well as any magic item that augments a character’s Armor Class or saving throws.

Magic: This category includes all other permanent magic items. Most rings, rods, and wondrous items fit into this category.

Limited Use: Items that fall into this category include alchemical items, potions, scrolls, and wands with few charges. Charged wondrous items fall into this grouping as well.

Gear: Use the amount in this category to purchase standard nonmagical gear for the character. In most cases, this equipment can be omitted during creation and filled in as needed during play. You can assume that the character has whatever gear is needed for him to properly use his skills and class abilities. This category can also include jewelry, gems, or loose coins that the NPC might have on his person.

Step 7: Details

Once you have assigned all of the NPC’s gear, all that remains is to fill out the details. Determine the character’s attack and damage bonuses, CMB, CMD, initiative modifier, and Armor Class. If the character’s magic items affect his skills or ability scores, make sure to take those changes into account. Determine the character’s total hit points by assuming the average result. Finally, fill out any other important details, such as name, alignment, religion, and a few personality traits to round him out.

Just So You Know…

“For boss NPCs, just give the NPC a PC’s wealth. That increases the boss NPC’s CR by +1, so a zero HD creature with class levels and PC wealth is a CR equal to his class level. We do this pretty much for EVERY major boss of an adventure path.” -James Jacobs on the PFRPG General Questions forum: May 15, 2010

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Adept

Hit Die: d6.

Class Skills

The adept’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Survival (Wis).

Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: Adept
Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Spells per Day
Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	0th	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	—	3	1	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Summon familiar	3	1	—	—	—	—
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	—	3	2	—	—	—	—
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	—	3	2	0	—	—	—
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	—	3	2	1	—	—	—
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	—	3	2	1	—	—	—

Aristocrat

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

The aristocrat’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (all skills taken individually) (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Swim (Str), and Survival (Wis).

Skill Ranks per Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5

Class Features

The following are the class features of the aristocrat NPC class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The aristocrat is proficient in the use of all simple and martial weapons and with all types of armor and shields.

Expert

Hit Die: d8.

Class Skills

The expert can choose any 10 skills to be class skills.

Skill Ranks per Level: 6 + Int modifier.

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3
3rd	+2	+1	+1	+3
4th	+3	+1	+1	+4
5th	+3	+1	+1	+4
6th	+4	+2	+2	+5

Class Features

The following are the class features of the expert NPC class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The expert is proficient in the use of all simple weapons and with light armor, but not with any type of shield.

Warrior

Hit Die: d10.

Class Skills

The warrior’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Handle Animal (Cha), Intimidate (Cha), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), and Swim (Str).

Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Table: Warrior
Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save
1st	+1	+2	+0	+0
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+0
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+1
4th	+4	+4	+1	+1
5th	+5	+4	+1	+1
6th	+6/+1	+5	+2	+2

Class Features

The following are the class features of the warrior NPC class.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency

The warrior is proficient in the use of all simple and martial weapons and with all types of armor and shields.

NPC Boons

Fantasy literature is filled with examples of characters with wondrous powers who have no interest in being heroes or villains. Sages content to watch events unfold as they will, clerics imbued by the gods with special powers, herbalists with knowledge of special concoctions, all have unique abilities and insights that are theirs alone and, should such characters come to favor friendly adventurers, might use their special influence and abilities to turn the course of entire campaigns. To represent the unique skills and powers of individual NPCs and to grant PCs an occasional rules-related benefit for their interaction with the characters of a campaign’s setting, the GM might devise boons to have certain important NPCs grant those PCs they come to favor.

In short, a boon is a quantifiable, non-monetary way an NPC might help the PCs. This might take the form of a discount on goods or services, a one-time bonus on a specific skill check, or even a simple magical benefit that only that character can provide. The nature of a boon depends more on an NPC’s role in a campaign world than any statistical element. As position in society doesn’t necessarily correlate with class levels or specific rules, boons are largely based on a GM’s sense of logic and campaign believability. A young prince who is merely a 1st-level aristocrat might thus be able to grant a far more favorable boon—granting a pardon, financing a voyage, decreeing a law—than a baker statted out as an 11th-level commoner.

Boons are not wantonly granted, and PCs should not expect to gain useful aid from every NPC they meet. Only NPCs with an attitude of helpful grant such benefits, and usually even then only to PCs they’ve come to trust over a significant period of time or those who have done them meaningful personal services. In such relationships, NPCs are more likely to favor an individual than an entire adventuring party, making it possible for only one party member to be granted a boon while less favored members are overlooked. PCs shouldn’t expect all NPCs to grant boons; some just might not have anything special to provide or aren’t important enough to have much to offer. The success of those who try to extort boons from characters using mind affecting magics is largely up to the GM, as the effects of mundane boons might easily be guessed, while more unique ones might only be known to the NPC. Regardless of the effect, PCs should never have direct control over the granting of boons—PCs never get boons they can grant and cannot force even the closest allies to grant benefits against their will.

What a boon entails varies widely, depending not just on the NPC who provides it, but the tastes of the GM and needs of a campaign. At their heart, boons are intended to be a simple way for GMs to provide PCs with a minor rules-related benefit in reward for developing bonds with NPCs. Boons are never monetary, though they often have a monetary value, and should feel like favors between friends, not something that would change the life of either the characters or NPC. They might occasionally involve established elements of the rules—like a discount on equipment or adding a bonus on a skill check in a specific situation—but such occurrences should prove minor. Boons tend to take three forms: favor boons, skill boons, and unique boons.

Favor: Any character of any class or social level might seek to aid their friends, with favors embodying such benefits. A shopkeeper granting a 10% discount on his goods, a nobleman using his influence to set up a meeting with a local lord, or a retired adventurer loaning someone his masterwork longbow all count as favors.

Skill: Certain NPCs can share their expertise in specific fields or pass their influence on to others. Skill boons are minor bonuses on skill checks that an NPC might pass on to a favored PC. As a guideline, skill bonuses usually grant either a +2 bonus on a skill in a very specific situation— never on all uses of a skill—or a one-time +4 bonus on a specific skill check. For example, a famous merchant might give a character his signet ring, providing a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks made with other merchants in his home city’s marketplace; a scholar of a lost city’s lore might instruct a PC, granting her a +2 bonus on Knowledge (history) checks made regarding that ruin; or a guardsman might even allow a friendly PC to call in a favor he has with a local pickpocket, granting a one-time +4 bonus on an Intimidate check made against that individual.

Unique: The rarest of all boons, unique boons are special powers an NPC might grant that are exclusive to that character and fall outside the purview of his class’s typical abilities. Unique boons are special abilities too minor to be part of a character’s class abilities or so specific to a story’s details as to require a GM’s customization. A ghost who can grant a favored PC the power to see through her evil illusionist husband’s illusions; a cleric of the god of light who can grant a blessing that causes an ally’s weapons to deal an additional +1 point of damage on all attacks made against the shadowy creatures haunting the nearby catacombs; or an alchemist who can concoct a potion making the drinker immune to brown mold for 24 hours, all might be example of unique boons. As such boons have the most flexibility and the widest potential for exploitation, GMs should limit unique boons to be useful only once or to prove relevant for but a single adventure. What follows is a list of boons that might be offered by members of each of the standard NPC classes. As it would be impossible to cover all the possibilities of NPC situations and potential boons, the rest of this section should be considered a guide to creating your own boons or a shopping list from which you might choose boons to add to NPCs in a campaign. GMs looking for more specific examples should see Chapter 9, as each NPC therein includes an example boon that might be granted by such a character. Although the boons listed here detail some granted by characters with specific NPC classes, any NPC of any class can grant a boon.

Adept

While users of divine magic are often regarded simply as healers, their wisdom and vaunted positions mean they can have much more to offer.

Favor: Free healing on a single occasion.

Favor: Letter of recommendation to lower-ranking priests, ordering them to help the PCs as required (granting the aid of a 1st-level adept hireling for 3 days).

Skill: Favorable introductions to contacts in a local church, providing a PC a +2 bonus on Diplomacy checks made to influence members of that specific church.

Skill: Proves especially knowledgeable in mysterious alchemical techniques, granting a PC a +4 bonus on one Craft (alchemy) check made to create an alchemical item.

Unique: Can brew 4 unique potions that instantly heal the disease filth fever.

Unique: Allows the PC to commune with the spirit animal of his tribe, granting the PC the ability to speak with animals of a specific regional species once per day.

Aristocrat

Aristocrats vary in rank from village squires to emperors, with most having wealth and position that grants them great influence in a community.

Favor: Provides an invitation to an aristocratic event, such as an estate party, royal gala, or public celebration.

Favor: Use of influence to save the PCs from prosecution for a crime.

Skill: Offering a day-long primer on local courtesy, granting the PC a +2 bonus on a Knowledge (nobility) check for the city or region.

Skill: Attends a character on his visit to the royal court, granting the PC a +4 Sense Motive check on interactions with the court’s members during that outing.

Unique: Loans a ship and provides a crew for a voyage to a distant land.

Unique: Grants a PC a minor, landless title that affords him access to certain local rights.

Commoner

Although not usual famous or wealthy, commoners have a wide variety of skills and can usually come up with creative ways to repay favors.

Favor: Provides room and prepares an elaborate feast in a PCs honor.

Favor: Provides a 50% discount on a high quality, non-magical item made using one of his Craft skills.

Skill: Freely uses his highest Craft or Profession skill for the PC for a month of service (perhaps crewing a vehicle or ship, tending to a rare plant, or training an animal).

Skill: Shares rural remedies, granting the PC a +2 bonus when using Heal to treat diseases.

Unique: Creates a map or leads a PC through the local wilderness to a secret location only he knows about.

Unique: Competently manages a home or business for an absentee PC.

Expert

Skilled craftsmen, professionals, and learned members of society regularly have a wide range of specific talents and obscure information that can prove useful to PCs.

Favor: Provides material for a PC, cutting the price to create a non-magical item in half.

Favor: Can find a seller to buy any non-magic item or a buyer for any magic item.

Skill: Grants access to an exceptionally well outfitted workspace, granting a PC a +4 bonus on a specific Craft or Profession check.

Skill: Teaches a PC a trick of the trade, granting a perpetual +1 bonus on one Craft or Profession check that the PC and expert share.

Unique: Obtains membership in a regional guild, providing a PC with a 10% discount on a certain kind of goods in a wide region.

Unique: Can create a special tool that opens an ancient lock, circumvents an impassible trap, or replaces a part of a fabulous broken mechanism.

Warrior

Professional warriors typically have a wide range of experience and useful contacts among other career combatants, those they serve, and those they oppose.

Favor: Gifts a PC one non-magical weapon, piece of armor, or adventuring gear.

Favor: Can guard a precious object or hide it where none will find it.

Skill: Relates his experience patrolling the local sewers, granting a PC a +2 bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks in the city sewers.

Skill: Provides information with which to blackmail a local criminal, granting a PC a +4 bonus on Intimidate checks against local street thugs.

Unique: Can form a posse, bringing together a group of 2d4 low-level warriors to aid in one specific plan.

Unique: Grants the secret of a specialized fighting style, providing a PC with a +1 bonus on initiative.

The Villain’s Escape Kit

Sometimes a villain needs to appear and then get away. With all the versatility and options at the hands of a capable party of adventurers, this can prove quite difficult for the villain and dangerous to the plot should she get trapped. At the same time, PCs should never feel incapable of opposing the villain or suspect the GM of unfairly favoring the antagonist. If it’s important that a villain escape, consider some of the following spells when planning her contingencies.

Airborne Escape: Air walk, elemental body, feather fall, gaseous form, levitate, overland flight, spider climb, wind walk

Barriers: Acid fog, animate plants, antilife shell, blade barrier, black tentacles, cloudkill, entangle, fog cloud, incendiary cloud, interposing hand, magic circle, minor creation, obscuring mist, plant growth, prismatic wall, spike growth, spike stones, solid fog, stinking cloud, storm of vengeance, wall of (fire | force | ice | iron | lava | sound | stone | suppression | thorns), web, wind wall

Hindrances: Dimensional lock, hold person, hold portal, hypnotic pattern, power word blind

Instant Egress: Blink, dimension door, ethereal jaunt, etherealness, phase door, teleport, transport via plants, tree stride, word of recall

Illusory Escape: Hallucinatory terrain1, illusory wall, invisibility, minor image, mirror image, mislead, persistent image, programmed image, project image, silent image, simulacrum1

Rapid Retreat: Expeditious retreat, haste, longstrider, mount, phantom steed1, time stop

1 The casting time of this spell makes it a poor choice in an emergency.