Do NPCs have favored classes? Just heroic NPCs, or basic NPCs as well?
I looked at a few NPC stat blocks--Kiramor on p. 455 of the Core Rulebook, and the goblin, tengu, and tiefling in the Bestiary Preview--and they all suggest that NPCs don't have favored classes. Kiramor, the tengu, and the tiefling are heroic NPCs, with all the same perks as PCs--max hit points at 1st level and good starting ability scores. The goblin is a basic NPC, with average hit points and ability scores. The hit points and skills of all four lack any evidence of a favored class bonus.
On the other hand, the Core Rulebook says on p. 31 that "each character begins play with a single favored class." Also, NPCs receive all the benefits of their race, just like PCs, but the half-elf's Multitalented trait (choose two favored classes instead of one, p. 24) is based on the assumption that every character normally has one. Lastly, the Conversion Guide on p. 12 says that as part of converting an NPC from 3.5, you "add a number of hit points equal to the highest level the NPC possesses in any one class to represent its favored class bonus."
While the rules text suggests that every character--PC or NPC--gets a favored class, all the examples of NPCs given in the Core Rulebook and Bestiary Preview don't appear to. Can anyone find a definitive answer for this?
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I always prefer to give the NPC an even break and I favor giving the NPCs the same bonuses as the PCs. I would even go as far as to allow all races to be able to choose an NPC class as an NPC's "favored class". Currently, only humans and half-elves can do this, giving their NPC hordes a huge advantage over other races. This would also provide the adept, the aristocrat, the commoner, the expert, and the warrior with a somewhat plausible reason for not multiclassing with PC classes.
I've got a reason for my campaign for NPCs to stay NPCs ...
NPC Classes: As NPC classes are far less beneficial than regular character classes, it is easier to advance forward in these classes – this is the reason NPCs prefer to advance in these classes, in order to gain skills and feats that advance their livelihood rather than gain abilities needed for adventuring.
Characters who take a level of Commoner gain immediately 50% of the experience needed to gain the next level.
Characters who take a level of Expert, Warrior, Adept, or Aristocrat gain immediately 25% of the experience needed to gain the next level.
I always prefer to give the NPC an even break and I favor giving the NPCs the same bonuses as the PCs. I would even go as far as to allow all races to be able to choose an NPC class as an NPC's "favored class". Currently, only humans and half-elves can do this, giving their NPC hordes a huge advantage over other races. This would also provide the adept, the aristocrat, the commoner, the expert, and the warrior with a somewhat plausible reason for not multiclassing with PC classes.
Where are you finding the rule that only humans and half-elves can take NPC classes as favored classes? I remember something like that in the Beta Playtest, but I haven't seen it in the final rules.
I agree with you that all NPCs or at least heroic NPCs should have favored classes, just like the PCs. I just can't find rules text that clearly says they do.
In fact, the chapter of the Core Rulebook on creating NPCs doesn't mention favored classes at all in its seven-step process, which seems to contradict the statement in Chapter 3 that "each character begins play with a single favored class of his choosing." Maybe the statement in Chapter 3 should have said "each PC begins play with a single favored class of his choosing"?
Anyone have a good idea what the designers intended the rule to be?
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The clear assumption from the Conversion Guide is that yes, even NPC mooks benefit from having favoured class:
Converting NPCs
The process for converting NPCs is similar to the one for converting player characters. GMs making these conversions have two options. The first is a full conversion, in which case the GM should take the NPC through the same process for converting a PC. This should be reserved for truly important or vital NPCs, such as major villains or characters that will have recurring roles in the campaign. The second version is a quick conversion designed for NPCs that only appear for a single encounter or whose full stats are not likely to come into play.Quick conversion can be done at the table as needed to advance the story.
Step 1: Add 1 hit point per level of the NPC for every level of bard, commoner, expert, ranger, rogue, sorcerer, warrior or wizard possessed by the NPC. In addition, add a number of hit points equal to the highest level the NPC possesses in any one class to represent it's favoured class bonus.
The big difference between NPC classes and PC classes is the hp at first level:
"A creature gains maximum hit points if its first Hit Die roll is for a character class level. Creatures whose first Hit Die comes from an NPC class or from his race roll their first Hit Die normally."