IIRC, JosaricHawk, your party of 6 level 1 characters should be APL 2.
Determine the average level of your player characters — this is their Average Party Level (APL for short). You should round this value to the nearest whole number (this is one of the few exceptions to the round down rule). [...] If your group contains six or more players, add one to their average level.
So, a Challenging encounter would be a CR 3 NPC (so your sorcerer should be level 4, capable of casting only second-level spells). At this point, scorching ray could be a big threat (touch attack, 4d6 damage) but there are no "save-or-death" spells (though there are a lot that will screw your day on a failed save).
Say you have 6 level one characters. This would make their Average Party Level of 6.
Er, no. The average party level of 4 level 1s is 1, not 4. I believe for 6 players, you increase their APL by 1, so your party's actual APL is 2.
Remember, it's Average Party Level, not Total Party Level.
Have a flick through some of the Paizo modules/APs (there are some free modules if you have none) to get a decent idea of what you should be throwing at your average party level. Typically I find paizo encounters are tailored towards non-optimised 'beginner' style parties, which is probably what you have.
Every time a character gains a class level, he gains 1 hit die of that class's type. At 1st level, a PC-classed character gains the maximum value of hit points for their hit die (including Constitution modifier and other modifiers).
By default, PC characters roll for hit points gained at each level, while NPC characters simply receive half of their maximum (3.5 for d6, 4.5 for d8, 5.5 for d10, and 6.5 for d12). I recommend allowing PC characters to take the higher of half for hit points at each level (4 for d6, 5 for d8, 6 for d10, and 7 for d12). This is the default for Pathfinder organized play, and prevents situations where a character might roll low for hit points and fall behind the expected curve.
Was that the correct way of creating an Arcane NPC? Since Adept is for Divine and the rest are for Fighters, Barbarians, etc. I did take the Arcane NPC abilities (Heroic, since the NPC has Character levels.) But to make an Arcane NPC, must they be a Sorcerer or Wizard? Because they're not an Adept, not a Warrior. They could be an Expert or Aristocrat, maybe.
The book did say something about assigning spells of the highest level, though, for Arcane NPCs.
Regardless, I am sticking with this Aberrant Sorcerer.
Thank you again so, so, so much for helping to clear that up. I really appreciate it :)
Arcane characters cast arcane spells. So, such a character would be a Bard, Sorcerer, or Wizard. If you have access to the Advanced Player's Guide (APG; contents available for free on the Paizo Reference Document (PRD)), such a character could also be an Alchemist (not technically an arcane spellcaster, but pretty close), a Summoner, or a Witch. With Ultimate Magic (also on the PRD), you have the Magus.
Divine characters are the Adept, Clerics, Druids, Paladins, and Rangers. From the APG you have the Inquisitor and the Oracle.
Martial characters are represented by the Warrior, the Aristocrat, the Barbarian, the Fighter, the Monk, the Paladin, and the Ranger. The Druid and Rogue can also make excellent martial characters. The APG presents the Cavalier and Inquisitor, and from Ultimate Combat you have the Gunslinger, as well as the Ninja and Samurai (alternate classes for the Rogue and Cavalier)
Skilled characters would include the Commoner, the Expert, the Bard, the Rogue, and the Wizard. The Ninja also makes a Skilled character, for obvious reasons.
Keep in mind that these categories are simply roles, with no particular mechanics behind them - they are suggestions for creating NPCs of those types.
Hitdice is the number of die you rolled to get your hp. So a level 5 barbarian has 5 hitdice, as well as a level 5 wizard. For PCs it will almost always be equal to their class levels.
Monsters with classes will have different hitdice. A level 3 Dryad ranger will have 9 HD (6 fey 3 ranger).
Just to add to the conversation, if you want to increase the challenge rating of an encounter because you have more then normal players (I happen to disagree with pathfinders core rules and add one to the APL for each person over 4) its usually better to do so by adding more enemies, instead of increasing the strength of one. So if you want to have a really hard encounter (APL +3 which at 1st level is 6 [1+2+3]) I wouldnt just have a 7th level caster be my enemy. I'd instead have like a 3rd level caster, and a bunch of minions that add up to a CR 6 encounter. This means that an individual enemy isnt quite as dangerous to any single party member, but the overall challenge of the encounter is still difficult.
Was that the correct way of creating an Arcane NPC?
NPCs can have PC class levels (and for that matter, PCs can have NPC class levels), and in fact, it's common for "named" NPCS to do so. Basically, PC classes are special and more powerful, so, for example, the Trig Gnashtooth, the leader of the bandit tribe, might be a level 2 ranger, his lieutenant Barwise the Fair a level one sorcerer, and everyone else a level 1 warrior.
Just to add to the conversation, if you want to increase the challenge rating of an encounter because you have more then normal players (I happen to disagree with pathfinders core rules and add one to the APL for each person over 4) its usually better to do so by adding more enemies, instead of increasing the strength of one. So if you want to have a really hard encounter (APL +3 which at 1st level is 6 [1+2+3]) I wouldnt just have a 7th level caster be my enemy. I'd instead have like a 3rd level caster, and a bunch of minions that add up to a CR 6 encounter. This means that an individual enemy isnt quite as dangerous to any single party member, but the overall challenge of the encounter is still difficult.
Agreed. Single-monster encounters tend to be wildly variable and are often boring. There's a good chance that they'll result in a total party kill (the sorcerer casts a badass spell and everyone dies), but also a good chance that they will pose no challenge at all (they lose initiative and fail the save against the wizard's Charm Person spell). Two 2nd level rangers are better than one 4th level ranger.
I found at lower levels ( before fly basically) adding terrain or other enviromental challenges is a great way to make things more fun and challenging without adding stronger monsters.
So 4 goblins by themselves no big deal. But what about 4 goblins being chased on the back of a speeding mine cart as they drop barrels? Any enviroment from pits to cliffs to jungles can be used.
I will also add to what others have said in that you can make npc of classes other than npc clases however especially at lower levels npc classes surve a useful purpose.
First, they let you make opponents a little stronger while keeping the complexity down. For alot of cases this is what warriors are for.
Second, the adept is useful in that it lets you have a higher level spellcaster without higher level spells. This can be used to make lower cr oponents that have a higher caster level. So your lvl 7 npc as an adept is cr 5 casts at lvl 7 but doesnt have lvl 4 spells. Mostly lvl 1 and 2 spells. He makes for a good end boss with warrior support around lvl 3 or 4.
Finally, you can use experts to give npc higher skills you want them to have without making the oponent too much harder.
Ayhow i hope this helps.
Yes, a barbarian player at 2nd level would have 2d12 hit points. But, remember that at first level that barbarian got maximum hit points, so he doesn't need to roll his first 1d12,he just gets 12 hit point (plus modifiers). This means that a 2nd level barbarian has 12+1d12+(other modifiers).
As for NPC classes; NPC classes are called NPC classes because they are generally not advisable for PCs to take. PCs are heroes and NPC classes represent just average people. However, not all NPCs are average people, some are quite heroic themselves and should not generally be built with NPC classes.
Warriors represent something like an average guard at the gate, or conscripted foot soldiers in an army. Aristocrats represent low-level noble and foppish cads. Commoners are someone your PCs may get in a fight with at the local tavern, or a lowly farmer toiling away at the land. Finally, Adepts are the keepers of magical lore,something like a hedge witch, or a shaman.
If you take a close look at the Adept you will see that it is not just an analog of the Cleric. For instance, Adepts gain access to a familiar like Wizards do. Also, you will see that they have access to spells that are not available to Clerics. As such, Adepts cover both roles, albeit in a very limited manner because they are the non-heroic average lore keepers of the common people.
Also remember, each class gets access to thier listed spells and skills, meaning they can choose from those lists; they don't just automatically get every skill or spell on those lists.
I hope this helps.
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I'm sorry, but I am lost on this whole NPC class thing and Character Class thing. What is the point of having the Warrior, Aristocrat, Adept, Commoner, and Expert NPC classes? Why even have those if all NPCs can just have Character Classes?
(...)
Basically, every Character Class in the game "Translates" into one of those NPC classes, except Sorcerer and Wizard.I really don't understand the purpose of Aristocrat, Adept, Warrior, etc. if a GM can just roll an NPC like they roll a character.
Not everyone's a professional.
A fighter is a dedicated kick-your-ass battlemaster type. He's the general, he's the elite fellow. He's the one supremely focused on combat and martial skills.
A warrior is that guy who's kinda tough and knows how the sword works, and generally knows how to fight with it.
The majority of the army in Pathfinder is warriors. The orc who swings his axe at you is a warrior.
Adepts are mostly for the shamanistic, hedge wizard types. Also for the cultist types who don't really have a lot of spellcasting mojo, but have some.
Aristocrat and Expert are kind of different though.
Expert is for the sages, the learned men and the guys who your party goes to for information. Its also for the blacksmiths, and the tradesmen, the guy who fixes their ship, pilots their ship through a storm, the one who comes by and helps them build their fortress, or balances their checkbook.
Aristocrats are generally just that. The higher class guys. They're tougher then commoners, pretty good combatants for an NPC class (not as good as say a fighter obviously), and tend to have quite a few skills. The mayor's a pretty beefy guy, and he's clever, and has skills, but he's not throwing spells, and he's not fighting the orc king himself ideally, but he /can/ if he has to, just not well. THey also work well as clergy what-ain't-clerics because of their skills and similar fighting progression.
Commoners are basically just your day to day schlub. The guy you rescued from kobolds? Probably a commoner. The waitress? Commoner. Those untrained miners you hired? Commoners.
You want NPC classes because NPCs aren't built for 'effectiveness.' As a DM you build characters to represent things, or for a more simulationist ethic. It'd be kind of freaking weird if the 8 year old kid was a Ranger instead of a commoner, or if the guy who delivered your apples was a master of the Ninja arts. Similarly, everybody you fight isn't a 'professional.' That police officer knows his stuff when it comes to using his weapon and dealing with thugs, but he'd probably have trouble if he had to deal with some murderous terrorist, thats why the force would have a few guys like say Riggs from Lethal Weapon or McClane from Die Hard who'd have actual PC class levels..
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Since I had a bit of trouble understanding your understanding of the hit dice system. Just let me clarify to make sure we've made it clear. :)
I'm a first lerel barbarian, I have a 1d12 HD.
That means my first level is 12 HP + my Con Modifier.
When I level up to level 2. I roll a single 1d12 and add my con modifier.
My total HD is 2, for the two d12. My Hit Points are 12+(d12)+(2xCon Modifier).
Since thats looking algebraic, lets try an example. Lets say I have a 16 con (+3 modifier), at first level I have 15hp (12+3). Then when I level up to level 2, I roll a d12, and get lets say...an 8. So my hit point total is now 26 (15(from first level) + (8+3)).
When I level up again, I roll another single d12 and add my con modifier. And so it goes. The con modifier flows backwards though in Pathfinder. So if my con goes up enough at say level 8 to become an 18, I retroactively get hit points.
I just want to make sure you understand that its additive, not exponential. A 20th level barbarian has 20 HD and 20d12+(20xcon modifier) hit points. He doesn't have like...210 HD.
Adepts are weird but I use them a lot. For cultists or tribal shaman mostly. As opponents they make for good balanced encounters in my experience. Easy and simple to run too.
Yes, I think you understand Hit Dice now.
With your previous understanding of Hit Dice, a 20th level Barbarian would have on average 1,371 Hit Points before adding his Constitution modifier! For comparison, a Great Wyrm Red Dragon has 189 Hit Points before adding its Constitution modifier, and the unkillable Tarrasque, widely considered the ultimate monster, has only 525 Hit Points altogether!
Watch out for Munchkinitis, the desire for more Hit Points, more treasure, more Strength, more this, more that, more everyhting...MORE POWER! We all have it, and the game rules, in my opinion, are conservative; they are designed to counteract the munchkin in all of us.