Running NPCs In FGII

[dulux-oz]

A question for my fellow GMs:

How do you run "Character" type NPCs (as oppossed to "Monsters") - do you:
a) Create a PC and use it in thr Combat Tracker as an NPC, and if so, how?
b) Create a PC and transfer it over to a NPC/Encounter Sheet and use it in the CT that way?
c) Create it directly into an NPC/Encounter Sheet, and if so, how do you ensire all the "sutulties" of a non-Monster NPC is captured?

Thanks in advance for the advice

[Tiqon]

Depends on how much Im going to use that character. If a very important one that going to participate in the group a lot I make a full characters, that I run from a second instance, just like another player. But 99% I make just as I would make a monster.

[dulux-oz]

So how do you stop your players from opening up that character for a "look-see"?
Or are they simply on the honour-system?
For that matter, can't the players see the level details of the character from the Character selection Window?

[Blahness98]

So how do you stop your players from opening up that character for a "look-see"?
Or are they simply on the honour-system?
For that matter, can't the players see the level details of the character from the Character selection Window?

Before you can connect a second instance to your first one, you will need to set a username. Once the second instance connects and starts making a character, that character is only able to be viewed by that username unless you clear the owner. If they are not the owner, they will not see the character or any details about it.

[JohnD]

I make my major NPCs in Hero Lab, export the file then import into FG. Outside of the regular game session I launch FG and connect to it with my "Player" id and take control of the NPC - going forward only I will see the character in the list, just like other players only see their PC in the list of characters to choose from.

[Tiqon]

As Blahness98 say, you can make sure they cannot see the npc. Though it never really crossed my mind, as I play with adult players whom I know very well, so I have never really looked into it. It has never been an issue.

[dulux-oz]

Thanks to everyone for replying and for sharing your insights - I really appreciate it

[Callum]

I do c) - I find that now the NPC sheet has the Spells tab, I can get everything I want on there. I only create PCs for cohorts and the like.

[Trenloe]

I do c) too. If I'm playing Pathfinder, I create the NPC in Hero Lab, export as an NPC stat block and use the creature parser to create the NPC record in Fantasy Grounds format.

[graphil]

What is the benefit of using hero lab rather than just typing it into a new NPC sheet straight?

[Trenloe]

What is the benefit of using hero lab rather than just typing it into a new NPC sheet straight?
If your comfortable with generating PCs/NPCs yourself then you don't specifically need Hero Lab, and go ahead an manually type the NPC into FG. However, using Hero Lab and the creature parser can be a major time saver. I can create an NPC (with class levels) very quickly in Hero Lab, export to NPC statblock, import into FG using the creature parser in a matter of minutes. It is a major time saver - even if I know the NPC stats, I'll still create the NPC in Hero Lab, export as an NPC statblock and use the creature parser as it eliminates a lot of manual typing.

With the next version (V2) of the creature parser it will even populate the NPC spells tab, which will be an even bigger time saver.