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We just started kingdom building in the Kingmaker game I'm GMing. 6 players fill government posts and they have 5 NPC in leadership positions. Oleg and Svetlana start as 2nd level expert but shouldn't stay that way forever. How do I advance them?
My rule of thumb is regular folk gain 1 XP/ day of doing their jobs. Gets them to 3rd or 4th level over their life. But that seems slow for a ruler. PCs are aging way more, even just during kingdom building.
Actually, in theory, the NPCs are helping build the kingdom. Should they get a share of the XP? Divide the kingdom building awards by 11 instead of 6?
Thanks.
I've been advancing everyone on the council by 1 level for every 2 the players gain. That way, Jhod can raise dead in a pinch, and keep them all relevant as the world around them scales. My players are now Lv12, which means Jhod is 10.
I've been advancing everyone on the council by 1 level for every 2 the players gain. That way, Jhod can raise dead in a pinch, and keep them all relevant as the world around them scales. My players are now Lv12, which means Jhod is 10.
That's a really nice way of doing it. I was just starting to get to the point where I would need to worry about things like this and I think I'll do pretty much the same.
I'm not sure I want them to advance quite that fast though, so I was thinking perhaps 1 for every 3 PC levels. People like Akiros is already level 4 when the PCs are level 3.
So, when going 2 for 1, he'd be level 10 when they get to 15. I think I'd rather he be closer to 8 which is what you'd get at 3 for 1.
My baseline for leveling the NPCs is 1 for every 3 PC levels.
For Jhod, I'm using 1 per 2 since it makes sense he will have more challenges at the ruined temple in the middle of the woods. After he hits level 11 for Raise Dead, I'll reduce him to baseline.
While the above are great pieces of advice (I personally like the 2 for every 1 level rule), I myself will be leveling the NPCs depending on mini quests that the PCs can do to aid the NPCs. For example, the Grand Diplomat NPC was the General's girlfriend - she gained a level when the PCs "rescued" her from a kidnapping and the general won her hand in marriage.
Another NPC (their Magister) has an interest in elven artifacts, and will gain levels and increase his bonuses to their kingdom based on how much they indulge his whims. (He recently increased his bonus when the PCs settled - and practically gave him - Candlemere as an arcane learning center.)
I've been advancing everyone on the council by 1 level for every 2 the players gain. That way, Jhod can raise dead in a pinch, and keep them all relevant as the world around them scales. My players are now Lv12, which means Jhod is 10.That's a really nice way of doing it. I was just starting to get to the point where I would need to worry about things like this and I think I'll do pretty much the same.
I'm not sure I want them to advance quite that fast though, so I was thinking perhaps 1 for every 3 PC levels. People like Akiros is already level 4 when the PCs are level 3.
So, when going 2 for 1, he'd be level 10 when they get to 15. I think I'd rather he be closer to 8 which is what you'd get at 3 for 1.
Tem's idea sounds good to me too; thanks to both you & Kamelguru for sharing that idea.
I'd keep them the same level and encourage the players to take leadership, name them as cohorts and level them that way. I've always disliked the idea that stay-at-home NPCs keep up with Heroes who defend the realm.
Im progressing my NPC's 3 levels behind the players, this will make it easy if the players want to recruit them as henchmen. If there recruited they gain a level and presto! I don't optimize them at all though so even though there quit high in level there not "all powerful".
Greetings, fellow travellers.
I have advanced all the NPCs already up to six levels above what is given in the books.
E.g., Jhod started out as a 10th lvl druid (crippled spellcasting though, he needs the "evil spirit" at the temple killed to get back some of his spellcasting).
Also, Lana and Oleg got ranger (Oleg) and rogue (Lana) levels; Oleg being a retired ranger and Lana his mail-order-bride from Restov.
Since Kressle has become a reoccurring villain for my group, she has been upped to level 4 (having defeated my group twice and other stuff).
The general outline I will use is to keep them two levels under APL for the following chapters.
Ruyan.