Balanced NPCs

[Taliesin_Bardwolf]

Well, my third post in an hour I'm going for Guinness

This post is to ask you about a problem I have found in my new game. As I have said in others threads, I have begun to play after some years, and a question is presented to me: ¿how do you make NPCs which are balanced with your players?

I mean, ¿how many total dices do you assign? ¿Do you follow the rules in Gamemaster Handbook, or do you have your own house rules for it? Looking at this book, it gives you large ranges, so it's difficult to me to be precise when I am designing my NPCs stats.

[Gry Sarth]

Usually, when I'm creating NPC, I don't assign a "dice pool" for their skills. I just raise them as I see fit. You just need a firm grasp of what each skill level means.

2D - Avarega Joe's skill, will only perform mundane tasks.
3D - Starts being capable of more professional actions, might get lucky sometimes.
4D - Base professional level for a skill. Can do some neat tricks with it and is less likely to fail normal tasks.
5D - Already impressively skilled. Can accomplish hard tasks regularly, but is still capable of fumbling from time to time.
6D - Really Pro. This guy can show off his skill and really stands out.
7D+ - Heroic levels, can pull amazing things on a regular basis.

So just decide how capable/dangerous your NPC is at a given skill and assign the appropriate amount of dice. Unlike most other RPG systems, D6's NPC creation process is completely free, and can be accomplished in seconds. Also, if you're dealing with combat skills, just compare your PC's skills (always good to have a copy of all your PC's sheets) to your NPCs skills. If you want the NPC to be real trouble, assign him an attack skill greater than your PCs dodge or parry skills, and so on. Villains should be tailored to your PC's level.
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"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[garhkal]

One of the best ways i have seen, is to give the major (and even minor NAMED) npcs say 6cp per 8 you give the pcs... to be used the same way that the pcs use theirs.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Taliesin_Bardwolf]

Well, I make my NPCs as you said, comparing them with my PCs, and when they are minor NPCs, as stormtroopers, thugs, etc, it works, but when I am creating a Villain, minor or mayor, I always feel as if I was making to much powerfull, even comparing it with players characters. This is why I asked you this question, in order to know if you have put any limits o rule, but I see you make the NPCs like me, so it's possible it's only a feeling I have and my NPCs are well done

[Boomer]

For me, most of my major villains usually have rather crappy stats in most things. They tend to be very good however in skills that involve some form of economic and/or psychological manipulation, having decent knowledge and perception scores, et cetera.
After that, the real threat of them is that they end up controlling so much. How do you stop a man with the ability to call upon orbital support. His stats suck, but the giant turbolasers raining down on you still hurt.
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My backpack has jets!
I'm Boba the Fett!
And I bounty hunt for Jabba Hutt,
to finance my 'vette!

[Gry Sarth]

Agreed. I hate it when the evil mastermind is also a frigging ninja! Usually people excel in one area alone.

My last villain was an imperial commander/dark Jedi. But since I wanted her to be a fairly decent fighter, I made her a somewhat crappy commander, who only rose to that position due to family influence and wealth.
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"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[Jedi Skyler]

Now, THAT's a decent villain! There's some good backstory, and plausibility to her that makes her believeable.

Good stuff, Gry!

[Gry Sarth]

Yeah, thanks. Too bad she had an arm pulverized by ship blaster fire, got blown by a thermal detonator and cut in half by a lightsaber....

..who knows... she might return.....
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"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[garhkal]

Here are the stats on several of my NPCs..

Captain Sarr Vulla.
Dex 3d. Blaster 5d (s) rifle 7d+1, dodge 7d, thrown weapons 3d+2 (s) knives 6d.
Know 3d+1. Alien species 5d, Law enforcement 5d+2, Tactics 5d (s) Capital ships 7d+2, Languages 5d, Scholar 4d+1 (s) imperial doctrine 7d.
Mech 2d+2. Astrogation 5d+1, Capital ship piloting 6d, Capital ship gunnery 5d+2, Sensors 4d+2, Repulsorlift operations 5d+1.
Per 3d. Command 5d (s) Imperial navy 8d, Search 4d+2.
Str 3d. Stamina 6d.
Tech 3d. Computer programming and repair 4d (s) Imperial codes 8d+1, First aid 5d, (A) Medicine 2d.
CP 7, FP 2, DSP 2, Move 10. This character is force sensitive.
Equipment: Several sets of uniforms, Archaic dueling sword in a decorative case, blaster rifle (5d), bandolier of throwing knives (str+2).

Capsule: Sarr was a headstrong and somewhat naïve child when he enlisted with the Old republic military, during the clone wars. He quickly matured, and was soon rising through the ranks. Part of his old personality, the part which still clung to honorable conduct, surfaced, long after Emperor palpaltine started his new order , then Sarr was put under Moff Renchekov, as they were of like minds. When the Moff actually travels, it is usually on Captain Vulva’s ISD.


Moff Renchekov
Dex 2d+1. Blaster 4d, (S) pistol 6d+2, dodge 5d (S) energy attacks 7d, melee 4d (s) Vibro rapier 7d+1, Melee parry 3d, (s) rapier 6d+2, Brawl parry 4d+1
Know 3d+2. Alien species 5d, Cultures 5d, bureaucracy 4d (s) Imperial navy 6d, Law enforcement 6d, Languages 4d (s) rodian, hutt and Trianii 5d, tactics 4d+2 (s) capital ships 6d, willpower 5d+1
Mech 2d+2. Communications 5d+1.
Per 3d+1. Bargain 4d+1, Con 4d, Command 6d (s) Imperials 9d, intimidation 5d+2, search 4d+2
Str 2d+2. Brawl 4d (s) Pugilism 6d+2
Tech 3d+1. Computer programming/repair 5d+1, security 6d.
CP 13, FP 4, DSP 1, Move 11. This character is force sensitive.
Equipment. Several dozen uniforms, nearly anything non combat related. Vibro rapier (mod, Str+2d+2), heavy blaster pistol modified (5d+2).
Capsule: Moff Renchekov was a stalwart from the old republic security forces. When palpaltine formed his Imperial navy, the Moff joined (but he was just a colonel then). He rose through the ranks, more from politics (as many saw his honorable ways as just and fitting for a new order). Since then, he has been 'retired' from active duty and made into a sector Moff. His posting was seen as a 'slap in the face' as the sector is (or was) rife with many planetary conflicts, but his attitude and perseverance to the ways of duty and honor, has won him many friends. The sector is a shining example of keeping one's honor without going fully imperial.


Yannus.
Imperial dark side adept.
Dex: 3d+1. Dodge *, melee 4d+2, melee parry 5d, running 6d+2, thrown weapons 7d,
Know: 3d+1. Alien species 5d, bureaucracy 6d, cultures 4d+1, languages 5d, streetwise 5d, survival 6d, willpower *,
Mech: 2d. Beast riding 5d, communications 7d, repulsorlift operations 7d,
Per: 4d. bargain, con 8d, hide 7d, persuasion 8d, search 7d, sneak *,
Str: 2d. Climb/jump 5d, stamina 4d, swimming 5d+2,
Tech: 2d+2. Computer programming/repair 7d, first aid 6d+2, repulsorlift repair 6d,
FORCE SKILLS.
Control, Sense and Alter *
Force powers:
Absorb/dissipate energy, enhance attribute, concentration, control pain, detoxify poison, force of will, reduce injury, remain conscious, resist stun, life detection, life sense, danger sense, combat sense, magnify senses, sense force, sense force potential, receptive telepathy, shift senses, TK, bolt of hatred, injure/kill, far seeing, projective telepathy, force barrier, inflict pain, dim other’s senses, force wind, affect mind, control mind, Influence mind, TK kill

[Firehawk0220]

My regular NPC's are usually just what I have defined as the "base" for characters of that type. Usually pretty easy for the players to handle. Unless they are significantly outnumbered. Which does happen from time to time.

The main villians are usually either really smart, and well protected by others, or they are badasses and the players barely stand a chance.

If a character is significantly weaker, they will usually figure out something to do besides out right combat. Though some of my players will often try their luck in combat, and funny as it might be, I'll usually roll crappy and they'll roll great. They always feel like they've accomplished something when they beat out someone who is significantly more powerful then they are. Even if they are forced to outsmart them rather than fight them.