Pathfinder RPG - Easier NPC Gear Selection

[Randy Dorman]

So, while I was developing my submission this round, I built a spreadsheet that takes all magic items from the Pathfinder Beta and assigns them an Item Level -- a great time-saving concept from a certain closed compilation of magic items.

I then retooled Pathfinder Table 14-9, NPC Gear, to express gear by item levels, rather than gp.

So, for example, a 10th-level heroic NPC would be expected to have 1 9th-level weapon, 1 8th-level protection item, 1 8th-level magic item, 1 5th-level limited used item, and 1 3rd-level gear item.

You want to outfit this cat? Just go to the item list spreadsheet and pick the right number of items from the right item level. It seems to make item selection (always the hardest thing for me) a lot easier.

Would anyone have any objections to me sharing this tool? And if not, would anyone be interested?

[Kvantum]

So in other words, the system on pages 226-228 of the 3.5 Magic Item Compendium?

[Alagard]

Im interested, sounds really usefull to me.

[Matt Banach]

Garnfellow wrote:

I then retooled Pathfinder Table 14-9, NPC Gear, to express gear by item levels, rather than gp.

So, for example, a 10th-level heroic NPC would be expected to have 1 9th-level weapon, 1 8th-level protection item, 1 8th-level magic item, 1 5th-level limited used item, and 1 3rd-level gear item.

That sounds great - I love that system. I just call it 4th Ed. ;)

(not a dis on you or 4th Ed or 3.x, I just think its funny...)

[Mike Welham]

Ezekiel Shanoax, the Stormchild wrote:

Garnfellow wrote:

I then retooled Pathfinder Table 14-9, NPC Gear, to express gear by item levels, rather than gp.

So, for example, a 10th-level heroic NPC would be expected to have 1 9th-level weapon, 1 8th-level protection item, 1 8th-level magic item, 1 5th-level limited used item, and 1 3rd-level gear item.

That sounds great - I love that system. I just call it 4th Ed. ;)

(not a dis on you or 4th Ed or 3.x, I just think its funny...)

That might lose you some votes. :-)

[Gnome-Eater]

Garnfellow wrote:

And if not, would anyone be interested?

I'd love to take a look it. I need a quick reference for dropping magic items on the fly too, and it would be interesting to see how you broke out the levels.

[Sue Flaherty]

::raises a paw::

I'm interested :)

[Elora]

Ooohhh...I'm interested. ANYTHING to make DMing easier.

[donnald johnson]

yep, sounds exactly like 4th edition to me. who can spell treasure parcels?

magic items that are distinguished by levels? what a concept.

you mean to say, that its easy to assign magic items by level? hm.

read 4th edition. it will give you all the mechanics you need for this system.

[Robert Hawkshaw]

donnald johnson wrote:

yep, sounds exactly like 4th edition to me. who can spell treasure parcels?

magic items that are distinguished by levels? what a concept.

you mean to say, that its easy to assign magic items by level? hm.

read 4th edition. it will give you all the mechanics you need for this system.

*eyes his magic item compendium*

I'd like the chart, it would be very handy.

[Eric Morton]

On a related note, here's part of an Armor Class optimization table I've been working on. This part of the table can be used to purchase AC-related defensive gear for any NPC who uses both armor and a shield. It doesn't currently take AC bonuses from Dexterity-boosting items into account.

Key:
ring = ring of protection
amulet = amulet of natural armor
ioun stone = dusty rose prism ioun stone

+1 AC, 1,000 gp: +1 armor
+2 AC, 2,000 gp: +1 armor, +1 shield
+3 AC, 4,000 gp: +1 armor, +1 shield, +1 ring
+4 AC, 6,000 gp: +1 armor, +1 shield, +1 ring, +1 amulet
+5 AC, 9,000 gp: +2 armor, +1 shield, +1 ring, +1 amulet
+6 AC, 12,000 gp: +2 armor, +2 shield, +1 ring, +1 amulet
+7 AC, 17,000 gp: +3 armor, +2 shield, +1 ring, +1 amulet
+8 AC, 22,000 gp: +3 armor, +3 shield, +1 ring, +1 amulet
+9 AC, 27,000 gp: +3 armor, +3 shield, +1 ring, +1 amulet, ioun stone
+10 AC, 33,000 gp: +3 armor, +3 shield, +2 ring, +1 amulet, ioun stone
+11 AC, 39,000 gp: +3 armor, +3 shield, +2 ring, +2 amulet, ioun stone
+12 AC, 46,000 gp: +4 armor, +3 shield, +2 ring, +2 amulet, ioun stone
+13 AC, 53,000 gp: +4 armor, +4 shield, +2 ring, +2 amulet, ioun stone
+14 AC, 62,000 gp: +5 armor, +4 shield, +2 ring, +2 amulet, ioun stone
+15 AC, 71,000 gp: +5 armor, +5 shield, +2 ring, +2 amulet, ioun stone
+16 AC, 81,000 gp: +5 armor, +5 shield, +3 ring, +2 amulet, ioun stone
+17 AC, 91,000 gp: +5 armor, +5 shield, +3 ring, +3 amulet, ioun stone

[Count_Rugen]

Yeah, it's 4th ed. Not that I'm dissing 4th ed, it's one of the systems we play (we rotate DMs and each one has their own system and story lines) and I dig it bunches. It makes DM'ing insanely easier (at the expense of other characteristics, it's true...but ain't nothin for free).

[William Senn]

4E did do a good job of optimizing the DM side of the game. There's a lot of stuff from 4E that I intend to ... "borrow" ... for my own games. Minions, defenses instead of saves, and passive skills are the big ones for me.

Sticking with Pathfinder for my main system, though :)

[Randy Dorman]

I'm afraid I don't know anything about these "treasure parcels" that people seem to dislike.

What I'm talking about is no different from what is already described in the Pathfinder RPG or 3.X: NPCs have a standard amount of gear by character level, expressed in gold pieces. Using item levels is just a shortcut to accomplish the exact same thing.