Designing on Style: Building an NPC Blank from a Design Doc
Over the last few days, I was inspired to create a series of Style Guide for my home campaign and figured that this work would be perfect project for my audience to enjoy.
The first in this series is the Frontiersmen. Settler immigrants and their descendants, these people are a culture and one of the primary factions that my Players may join as a faction option for my campaign. This makes them one of the most important and most common peoples they are likely to run into during any given session, and that means their consistent portrayal is important to not only telling my story, but to achieving immersion going forward. So with that, lets look at...
The Concept: Frontiersmen are meant to be a hodgepodge, a group of immagrants from Empire to the Southeast that have migrated here over the centuries for a variety of reasons. This means that this faction is in some ways even less consistent internally than other factions might be, since their only initial defining feature is, "left their home to move west". But we can do a lot with that little concept, and below, I have a few key points that drove the design.
The first in this series is the Frontiersmen. Settler immigrants and their descendants, these people are a culture and one of the primary factions that my Players may join as a faction option for my campaign. This makes them one of the most important and most common peoples they are likely to run into during any given session, and that means their consistent portrayal is important to not only telling my story, but to achieving immersion going forward. So with that, lets look at...
The Concept: Frontiersmen are meant to be a hodgepodge, a group of immagrants from Empire to the Southeast that have migrated here over the centuries for a variety of reasons. This means that this faction is in some ways even less consistent internally than other factions might be, since their only initial defining feature is, "left their home to move west". But we can do a lot with that little concept, and below, I have a few key points that drove the design.
- Oregon Trail & the Wild West: When I picture the Frontiersmen, I see settlers travelling west from american history. This has been an inspiration since the beginning and both visually and culturally is something I'd want to carry through. They might have other cultural and historical groups that get incorporated as well, but this initial idea of people from wagon trains with the American Dream in their hearts guiding their decisions is a big one, along with that American Exceptionalism ego. The latter idea makes even more sense when used as a filter to incorporate things like Roman identity politics in, another key culture ingredient used for The Empire, the home culture for much of this group. It also gives me an easy place to insert things like leather dusters, wide brim hats, raccoon skin caps, and ammo belts since "The Old West" is such an easy image for most people to conceptualize.
- Archaic: Though the Frontiersmen are a modern, living culture in the setting, they are in large part composed of ethnic groups that left their original home long ago to find a land where they could exist without oversight and oppression by the new forces coming into power. As such, I wanted their technology, fighting techniques, and culture to often be viewed as antiquated or crude by those from the more "modern" cultural family group they came from i.e. The Imperium. Think the rural areas of the United States vs. the urban areas. This includes their cultural technology, and has become one of the happy accidents of this project. To illustrate, one of the main cultures of the Empire is heavily based on the Roman Republic, and as such their armies are often composed of highly organized and standardized trained professionals. So, armies of men with good armor, shields, swords, and pila marching in formation. I wanted to carry that over, but make it feel older and incorporate that independent mentality that comes with American exceptionalism, and with the romans I have a great opportunity since their military culture is a descendant of the greeks. So the melee military history looks a lot like the Trojan war, with longspears, big aspis, diplyon, and pelta shields, and light breathable armor. This lets me incorporate books like Amazons vs. Valkyries: Arms and Armor into my work easily, alongside Call to Arms: Javelins and Throwing Spears. Both were already legal books for my players to use, but now they have a way to "see" where to find some of this content in the world and direct their searches accordingly.
- DIY Lost Technology: One of the biggest draws to the west and exports from that region is the strange and ancient technology that is scattered around the region. Things like firearms, strange metallic devices that can knit a man's arm back onto his body, and silverdisks that can bring metal men to life and give light like a candle are all "common" to the rolling plains and high deserts of this region. As such, the Frontiersmen have to have some opinion on them. Unlike the Nomads, who often avoid them and only use them sparingly if ever or the Imperium, who see them as religious relics of their faith, the Frontiersmen see them as curiosities to be used for their daily lives. They lack the reverence or fear of the other two groups to prevent their mass incorporation but also lack the experience and wisdom to know what might be a bad idea, and so their culture is often littered with a hodgepodge of technological scrap they have found, tinkered with, and often permanently destroyed. The fact that they often just destroy their prizes or themselves does little to actually impede their curiosity, and they often just recycle the broken pieces of their most recent curiosity bent into whatever other projects they might have.
So now you have farmers with hoes made out of pieces of old sliding steel doors and crossbows with covered barrels salvaged from guns destroyed beyond repair. It's not pretty, and it makes everything they use look a little DIY like the scrap guns in say Fallout 4, but it means you always know who made that crossbow you're looking at at a glance.
So, our list looks like this:
- American west & wagon train settlers
- Bronze Age Greek weapons
- Recycled Lost Technology
- Ethnic Minorities in international geopolitics
Yeah, that feels good. It gives a good starting point for designing an easy NPC blank with mechanics while also giving a good attitude and roleplaying point for me as a GM to build off of.
So lets build the first character. He's meant to be a young farmer, likely running his family farm alongside a small host of relatives. They are sedentary, tending their fields and little livestock that they've had for generations. They don't fight much, but they are lightly "trained" to defend their land & property in case of attack. They aren't good at it, and most regular warriors could lay them flat, but they are at least marginally prepared in case of being called up in a levy and when they and their family band together are probably threatening enough to shoo off a few wolves or bandits that might think they are an easy target.
Homesteader GreenhornCR 1/3
DEFENSE
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee longspear +1 (1d8+1/x3)
Ranged throwing stones -1 (1d3+1; 20ft.)
Combat Abilities Desperate Battler (+1 melee atk & dmg when fighting w/o allies within 10ft or aid another.)
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, oil of magic weapon, antiplague
Melee longspear +1 (1d8+1/x3)
Ranged throwing stones -1 (1d3+1; 20ft.)
Combat Abilities Desperate Battler (+1 melee atk & dmg when fighting w/o allies within 10ft or aid another.)
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, oil of magic weapon, antiplague
STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 11
Feats Power Attack, Toughness
Skills Handle Animal +4, Profession (farmer) +4
Languages Common
Gear cardiophylax armorAvV:A&A, helmet & greavesAvV:A&A, potion of cure light wounds, backpack mwk, Fighter's Kit, necklace with semi-precious gem (t2 gem value), silver ring (10 gp), 2 gp, 9 sp, 8 cp
Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 11
Feats Power Attack, Toughness
Skills Handle Animal +4, Profession (farmer) +4
Languages Common
Gear cardiophylax armorAvV:A&A, helmet & greavesAvV:A&A, potion of cure light wounds, backpack mwk, Fighter's Kit, necklace with semi-precious gem (t2 gem value), silver ring (10 gp), 2 gp, 9 sp, 8 cp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Desperate Battler
The Militiaman is used to fighting alone and outnumbered, and as the stakes get more desperate, they fight harder.
Benefits: When no ally is within 10 feet of you and you are not receiving benefits from the aid another action, you gain a +1 morale bonus on melee attack and damage rolls.
Toughness
The Greenhorn is hearty, years spent working in the fields having made him tougher than average stock.
Benefits: The Homesteader gains +3 hp.
Carrying Capacity
Light: 58 lbs., Medium: 116 lbs., Heavy: 175 lbs. Current: 43 lbs.
Alright, So that's the base model, a likely young and inexperienced homesteader using his family gear to protect his little plot of land. He's not the strongest, but he's tough, and he's got a big pointy stick. Combine that with his feats Toughness and Desperate Battler, and you have a little farmer who isn't the best fighter, but the more he's separated and isolated from his allies, the tougher he gets. Now, as with most Blanks, I tend to build them out at 3rd and 5th, so let's see what that looks like.
Carrying Capacity
Alright, So that's the base model, a likely young and inexperienced homesteader using his family gear to protect his little plot of land. He's not the strongest, but he's tough, and he's got a big pointy stick. Combine that with his feats Toughness and Desperate Battler, and you have a little farmer who isn't the best fighter, but the more he's separated and isolated from his allies, the tougher he gets. Now, as with most Blanks, I tend to build them out at 3rd and 5th, so let's see what that looks like.
Homesteader CR 1
DEFENSE
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk longspear +3 (1d8+1/x3) or dagger -2 (1d4+1/19-20)
Ranged light slurbow -3 (1d8/19-20; 80 ft.), throwing stones -1 (1d3+1; 20ft.), or dagger -3 (1d4+1/19-20; 10 ft.)
Combat Abilities Power Attack (-1 atk +2 dmg), Desperate Battler (+1 melee atk & dmg when fighting w/o allies within 10ft or aid another.)
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, oil of magic weapon, antiplague
Melee mwk longspear +3 (1d8+1/x3) or dagger -2 (1d4+1/19-20)
Ranged light slurbow -3 (1d8/19-20; 80 ft.), throwing stones -1 (1d3+1; 20ft.), or dagger -3 (1d4+1/19-20; 10 ft.)
Combat Abilities Power Attack (-1 atk +2 dmg), Desperate Battler (+1 melee atk & dmg when fighting w/o allies within 10ft or aid another.)
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, oil of magic weapon, antiplague
STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 12
Feats Power Attack, Toughness, Desperate Battler
Skills Climb +5, Craft (carpentry) +3, Handle Animal +4, Perception +4, Profession (farmer) +4, Swim +5
Languages Common
Gear mwk lined dusterWB, helmet & greavesAvV:A&A, potion of cure light wounds, backpack mwk, Fighter's Kit, necklace with semi-precious gem (t2 gem value), silver ring (10 gp), 2 gp, 9 sp, 8 cp
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 12
Feats Power Attack, Toughness, Desperate Battler
Skills Climb +5, Craft (carpentry) +3, Handle Animal +4, Perception +4, Profession (farmer) +4, Swim +5
Languages Common
Gear mwk lined dusterWB, helmet & greavesAvV:A&A, potion of cure light wounds, backpack mwk, Fighter's Kit, necklace with semi-precious gem (t2 gem value), silver ring (10 gp), 2 gp, 9 sp, 8 cp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Power Attack
The Militiaman knows how to swing with all of his might, because when his homestead is under threat, accuracy be damned!
Prerequisites: Str 13
Benefits: The Homesteader may take a -1 to atk to increase his melee damage by +2. This damage is increased by 50% when using a weapon designed to be used in two hands (1-handed & 2-handed weapons) and the damage decreases by 50% with an offhand weapon.
Toughness
The Militiaman is hearty, years spent working in the fields having made him tougher than average stock.
Benefits: The Homesteader gains +3 hp.
Desperate Battler
The Militiaman is used to fighting alone and outnumbered, and as the stakes get more desperate, they fight harder.
Benefits: When no ally is within 10 feet of you and you are not receiving benefits from the aid another action, you gain a +1 morale bonus on melee attack and damage rolls.
Carrying Capacity
Light: 58 lbs., Medium: 116 lbs., Heavy: 175 lbs. Current: 50 lbs.
At this point our Homesteader has gotten a bit more experience, he's probably older, with a wife and maybe some kids on the way, he might live with his siblings still as the communally split the responsibility of tending to their lands. He's gotten better at fighting and managed to save enough money for a really good leather coat to protect himself instead of the cardiophylax, and even splurged and gotten himself a nice quality longspear, a slurbow (aquatic light crossbow), and a combat knife. It's still not a shield and he's a terrible shot, but it still gives him a stronger fighting chance than the shaft of lumber alone he was using before. The reach and brace of the Longspear helps him fight safely against wolves and coyotes when he's dealing with them, and keep raiders from getting too close and spilling his guts in the dust. The slurbow helps him harass enemies from far away, either as an ambush to likely shoo them away or to harass fleeing foes. Finally, the knife gives him something to use in case his longspear isn't an option, it's not much but it's still better than his bare hands.
He probably fights with his siblings and other family members aiding, spreading out to poke raiders, wolves, and orcs away while the others probably fire supporting shots. If his enemies are far away, he probably shoots at them to both cause damage and potentially scare them away. If something gets close
Carrying Capacity
At this point our Homesteader has gotten a bit more experience, he's probably older, with a wife and maybe some kids on the way, he might live with his siblings still as the communally split the responsibility of tending to their lands. He's gotten better at fighting and managed to save enough money for a really good leather coat to protect himself instead of the cardiophylax, and even splurged and gotten himself a nice quality longspear, a slurbow (aquatic light crossbow), and a combat knife. It's still not a shield and he's a terrible shot, but it still gives him a stronger fighting chance than the shaft of lumber alone he was using before. The reach and brace of the Longspear helps him fight safely against wolves and coyotes when he's dealing with them, and keep raiders from getting too close and spilling his guts in the dust. The slurbow helps him harass enemies from far away, either as an ambush to likely shoo them away or to harass fleeing foes. Finally, the knife gives him something to use in case his longspear isn't an option, it's not much but it's still better than his bare hands.
He probably fights with his siblings and other family members aiding, spreading out to poke raiders, wolves, and orcs away while the others probably fire supporting shots. If his enemies are far away, he probably shoots at them to both cause damage and potentially scare them away. If something gets close
Homesteader PatriarchCR 3
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +1 Dex, +1 shield)
or
AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +1 Dex, +1 shield)
hp 35 (5d6+5d4+5)
Fort 1d4+1, Ref +2, Will +1
or
AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +1 Dex, +1 shield)
hp 35 (5d6+5d4+5)
Fort 1d4+1, Ref +2, Will +1
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk longspear +4 (1d8+1/x3), mwk longsword +0 (1d8+1/19-20), mwk springblade +0 (1d4+1), or club -1 (1d6+1)
Ranged mwk light slurbow +0 (1d8/19-20; 80 ft.), throwing stones +2 (1d3+1; 20ft.), mwk springblade +0 (1d4+1; 10 ft.), or club -1 (1d6+1; 10 ft.)
Combat Abilities Power Attack (-1 atk +2 dmg), Desperate Battler (+1 melee atk & dmg when fighting w/o allies within 10ft or aid another.)
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, oil of magic weapon, antiplague
Melee mwk longspear +4 (1d8+1/x3), mwk longsword +0 (1d8+1/19-20), mwk springblade +0 (1d4+1), or club -1 (1d6+1)
Ranged mwk light slurbow +0 (1d8/19-20; 80 ft.), throwing stones +2 (1d3+1; 20ft.), mwk springblade +0 (1d4+1; 10 ft.), or club -1 (1d6+1; 10 ft.)
Combat Abilities Power Attack (-1 atk +2 dmg), Desperate Battler (+1 melee atk & dmg when fighting w/o allies within 10ft or aid another.)
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, oil of magic weapon, antiplague
STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 14
Feats Power Attack, Toughness, Desperate Battler, Skill Focus (Profession (farmer))
Skills Climb +5, Craft (carpentry) +5, Handle Animal +5, Perception +5, Profession (farmer) +8, Swim +5
Languages Common
Gear mwk lined dusterWB, helmet & greavesAvV:A&A, mwk good linothoraxAvV:A&A, darkwood peltaCtA:Shields, potion of cure light wounds x2, belt hook loader, backpack mwk, Fighter's Kit, necklace with semi-precious gem (t2 gem value), silver ring (10 gp), copper signet ring (15 gp), 9 sp, 8 cp
Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 14
Feats Power Attack, Toughness, Desperate Battler, Skill Focus (Profession (farmer))
Skills Climb +5, Craft (carpentry) +5, Handle Animal +5, Perception +5, Profession (farmer) +8, Swim +5
Languages Common
Gear mwk lined dusterWB, helmet & greavesAvV:A&A, mwk good linothoraxAvV:A&A, darkwood peltaCtA:Shields, potion of cure light wounds x2, belt hook loader, backpack mwk, Fighter's Kit, necklace with semi-precious gem (t2 gem value), silver ring (10 gp), copper signet ring (15 gp), 9 sp, 8 cp
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Power Attack
The Militiaman knows how to swing with all of his might, because when his homestead is under threat, accuracy be damned!
Prerequisites: Str 13
Benefits: The Homesteader may take a -1 to atk to increase his melee damage by +2. This damage is increased by 50% when using a weapon designed to be used in two hands (1-handed & 2-handed weapons) and the damage decreases by 50% with an offhand weapon.
Toughness
The Militiaman is hearty, years spent working in the fields having made him tougher than average stock.
Benefits: The Homesteader gains +3 hp.
Desperate Battler
The Militiaman is used to fighting alone and outnumbered, and as the stakes get more desperate, they fight harder.
Benefits: When no ally is within 10 feet of you and you are not receiving benefits from the aid another action, you gain a +1 morale bonus on melee attack and damage rolls.
Carrying Capacity
Light: 58 lbs., Medium: 116 lbs., Heavy: 175 lbs. Current: 57 lbs.
And finally our penultimate homesteader. This character has managed to survive deep into adulthood, they have multiple adult children, probably a few grand kids, and a rather prosperous acreage of farmland or even multiple plots, hell he probably even has a surplus! He's loved and respected among not only his immediate but likely extended family, and his experiences tending his land and defending it are experiences his family call upon to help with their own problems.
With all those years of prosperity under his belt, our little Homesteader has invested in a few toys that really set him apart from his earlier days. He's got a fancy new darkwood pelta, a classic shield from the ancestral days when his great great grandpas had to fight off orcs from the front door. He's never gotten training in it, but the super light darkwood helps compensate for his lack of training. He's added a masterwork slurbow to his roster as well, alongside a new masterwork Spring Blade. Both are of the best quality his family could find and with their perfect balance and solid construction should go a long way to help compensate for his otherwise lax training in the use of either. Now when he shoots at wolves from up on the nearby hill he's likely to hit! and that'll be more than enough to get them away from his goats and chicken coops. The Dagger is as much a utility tool as a weapon, something he uses to whittle in his spare time and clean up the errant woodwork when he's out patching a fence. He hopes to pass it down to his first born when he gets older. He also has a cudgel for when the need arises, but as little more than a rather sturdy piece of wood he shaped one day it is more of a weapon of last resort than even his spring blade might be. The last and biggest weapon of note though is his longsword. A family heirloom, this sword has been passed down from one patriarch to the next since the Orc Wars, and now that he has ascended to that lofty position of respect it is his to wield. Though he has no formal training in its use, the masterwork quality and his own experience in war has led him to be more than proficient enough to handle most ruffians that might force him to draw the blade, and the old worn pommel where his grandfathers rested their palms upon it does far more for him in his daily life than drawing it ever has. It tells everyone who sees him in daily life who he is and speaks to his authority as mediator and final judge of clan problems should the need arise, and someday he hopes to pass it on to his child should they rise to meet him.
On the armor front, our Patriarch has invested heavily. Knowing that battle can come at any moment in these lands, from wild dragons & wolves wandering into your fields to Orcs & Bandits gathering to raid your lands for your stores, he knows that it's important to be ready for anything, both a sudden ambush or a longer protracted siege. So our Patriarch has bought the finest chain lined duster he could find and the best Linothorax his family could scrounge up. The former is for his daily life. When he works in the fields, travels to a family event, or lays down for bed, his duster is not far away, and with a quick pull he can be bundled in its protection and then just as easily stow it so as not to bake in the sweltering heat of a Laurentian summer. But when he knows bandits are gathering to march on his doorstep, or his wife comes screaming that a pack of wolves has made itself comfortable in his cornfield, or he has to make a long journey to market with his goods in tow, he pulls out his Linothorax. Made from the finest Linens or likely Cattail fibers, this armor is the professional best he can work with. Tough enough to stop most arrows and blades but breathable in the heat, this armor is perfect for when he knows trouble is coming today.
Note: Though this final iteration says Patriarch, you are free to have them be whatever gender suits your story.
So, This was a blast to do and I think I'll do a few more of these. Feel free to check in later and see what's up. Bibliography to the books I used below, The Dice transfers listed in the sheets use my home setting Dice as Ability mods rules but if you would like to use them in your home game they are simple to convert out.
Amazons vs. Valkyries: Arms and Armor
Call to Arms: Shields
Westbound
And finally our penultimate homesteader. This character has managed to survive deep into adulthood, they have multiple adult children, probably a few grand kids, and a rather prosperous acreage of farmland or even multiple plots, hell he probably even has a surplus! He's loved and respected among not only his immediate but likely extended family, and his experiences tending his land and defending it are experiences his family call upon to help with their own problems.
With all those years of prosperity under his belt, our little Homesteader has invested in a few toys that really set him apart from his earlier days. He's got a fancy new darkwood pelta, a classic shield from the ancestral days when his great great grandpas had to fight off orcs from the front door. He's never gotten training in it, but the super light darkwood helps compensate for his lack of training. He's added a masterwork slurbow to his roster as well, alongside a new masterwork Spring Blade. Both are of the best quality his family could find and with their perfect balance and solid construction should go a long way to help compensate for his otherwise lax training in the use of either. Now when he shoots at wolves from up on the nearby hill he's likely to hit! and that'll be more than enough to get them away from his goats and chicken coops. The Dagger is as much a utility tool as a weapon, something he uses to whittle in his spare time and clean up the errant woodwork when he's out patching a fence. He hopes to pass it down to his first born when he gets older. He also has a cudgel for when the need arises, but as little more than a rather sturdy piece of wood he shaped one day it is more of a weapon of last resort than even his spring blade might be. The last and biggest weapon of note though is his longsword. A family heirloom, this sword has been passed down from one patriarch to the next since the Orc Wars, and now that he has ascended to that lofty position of respect it is his to wield. Though he has no formal training in its use, the masterwork quality and his own experience in war has led him to be more than proficient enough to handle most ruffians that might force him to draw the blade, and the old worn pommel where his grandfathers rested their palms upon it does far more for him in his daily life than drawing it ever has. It tells everyone who sees him in daily life who he is and speaks to his authority as mediator and final judge of clan problems should the need arise, and someday he hopes to pass it on to his child should they rise to meet him.
On the armor front, our Patriarch has invested heavily. Knowing that battle can come at any moment in these lands, from wild dragons & wolves wandering into your fields to Orcs & Bandits gathering to raid your lands for your stores, he knows that it's important to be ready for anything, both a sudden ambush or a longer protracted siege. So our Patriarch has bought the finest chain lined duster he could find and the best Linothorax his family could scrounge up. The former is for his daily life. When he works in the fields, travels to a family event, or lays down for bed, his duster is not far away, and with a quick pull he can be bundled in its protection and then just as easily stow it so as not to bake in the sweltering heat of a Laurentian summer. But when he knows bandits are gathering to march on his doorstep, or his wife comes screaming that a pack of wolves has made itself comfortable in his cornfield, or he has to make a long journey to market with his goods in tow, he pulls out his Linothorax. Made from the finest Linens or likely Cattail fibers, this armor is the professional best he can work with. Tough enough to stop most arrows and blades but breathable in the heat, this armor is perfect for when he knows trouble is coming today.
Note: Though this final iteration says Patriarch, you are free to have them be whatever gender suits your story.
So, This was a blast to do and I think I'll do a few more of these. Feel free to check in later and see what's up. Bibliography to the books I used below, The Dice transfers listed in the sheets use my home setting Dice as Ability mods rules but if you would like to use them in your home game they are simple to convert out.
Amazons vs. Valkyries: Arms and Armor
Call to Arms: Shields
Westbound
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