How Many Consumables Should an NPC Have?

[Balkoth]

Since NPCs have drastically reduced WBL compared to PCs (along with drastically reduced life expectancy), how much of their limited wealth should be consumables? It seems like a Potion of Invisibility (300g), Potion of Heroism (750g), Potion of Bull's Strength (300g), Potion of Shield of Faith (50g), etc and using the Potion of Invisibility to hide and drink the other potions is a better combat strategy than spending 2000g on a Ring of Protection +1.

On the flip side, I don't want the PCs to feel like the NPCs get to "optimize" around a single encounter while the PCs have to worry about long term stuff and can't afford to burn massive consumables every encounter.

[Eltacolibre]

Are you using the guidelines for creating npcs? They exactly tell you how much you should spend on consumable.

[deuxhero]

However many they can use in their (almost certainly) single fight plus whatever you want to give the PCs as loot.

[Elegos]

I guarantee you, however many consumables you give your bad guys, the number of consumables that they will use is close to 1. Maybe 2 if they have mooks screening them while they drink a potion.

[Balkoth]

Eltacolibre wrote:

Are you using the guidelines for creating npcs? They exactly tell you how much you should spend on consumable.

Hmm. So according to the guidelines, a level 6 NPC could not even afford one Potion of Invisibiity and one Potion of Bull's Strength, for example (450g for potions). The NPC is only spending 450 out of 4650 gold (9.7%).

On the flip side, the Gamemastering guide says

"15% on disposable items like potions, scrolls, and wands"

A PC will have MORE consumables due to having more wealth in the first place, but it seems odd the "constantly adventuring" PC has a greater percentage of their wealth in consumables compared to the NPC soldier who's only worried about surviving his first battle. You'd think armies would focus on giving their soldiers a larger percentage of consumables, far more cost efficient...

deuxhero wrote:

However many they can use in their (almost certainly) single fight plus whatever you want to give the PCs as loot.

That's what I've been using but I was wondering if that was fair/reasonable.

Elegos wrote:

I guarantee you, however many consumables you give your bad guys, the number of consumables that they will use is close to 1. Maybe 2 if they have mooks screening them while they drink a potion.

These are often for the mooks. A way for them to pre-buff if they're aware the party is incoming (just like the party often pre-buffs like crazy when possible). Potion of Bull's Strength is <2% of the cost of a +4 Belt of Giant Strength but the same effect if you have a round to chug it. And if the party doesn't give the enemy time to prepare, then hey the PCs get more loot.