SilentRuin
June 4th, 2020, 23:03
I've followed the rules on how your supposed to drag an NPC over the players to give them limited control of it in the map - but truth be told? I've only ever seen it work once. I don't know if its because I'm running Fantasy Grounds Unity with a modified Death Extensions module or if it just doesn't work in FGU at this moment. Even then - it does not really let them fully play the NPC. So I figured something out - that probably every one else knows - but will share it just in case some don't.
I have created the following groups under the following character creations buttons:
Classes: NPC as PC fake classes
Races: NPC as PC fake races
Backgrounds: NPC as PC backgrounds
Items: NPC as PC weapons
The new groups in each category will help me quickly get to special NPC critter class/race/background/weapons in order to make a PC of them.
For my test case, which is actually a real need in my current campaign - I wanted someones hawk familiar to be fully playable with minimum look-ups (because you know - its slow to do that and I like things fast for the players and myself). In this case its a hawk. So I brought up the NPC and set it to unlock so I could see all the fields and started creating things I needed to make all that stuff appear in a PC character sheet. I made the following things in the above relevant groups (Yes, you would do it better and have more detail and variety - but I was just trying to get it done and usable for my campaign):
Created New class:
Hawk
Other:
HD Per Level: 1d4-1
Skills: Perception +4
Main:
"This is the NPC hawk defined as a PC so that a player may fully control it."
Created New Race:
Hawk
Other:
Traits: Keen Sight (clicked link it created and added - "The hawk has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. ")
Main:
"This is the NPC hawk defined as a PC so that a player my fully control it. "
Created New Background:
Celestial Familiar
Other:
Features: Got to Pocket Dimension (clicked link it created and added the find familiar spell's description of this feature)
Features: Spell by touch (clicked link it created and added the find familiar spell's description of this feature)
Main:
Put in link to spell Find Familiar
"This is a Celestial Familar subject to all the above links rules for the owner. "
Created new Item:
Talons
Type: Weapon
Subtype: Simple Melee Weapons
Bonus: +6
Damage: -2 slashing
"NPC defined as PC for a hawk's talons. Thrown off by automatic PC bonuses applied to damage so need to add one to bonus and subtract 2 from damage in order to match the NPC hit/damage of the hawk."
Now I create a new PC with the name Hawk (familiar) and add the hawk class, Celestial Familar background, hawk race, and give his inventory the weapon talons. Change all the Abilities in main page to numbers matching NPC page. Go to skills and set perception as proficiency so that it matches the +4 in the NPC description. Change the max HP to 1 (cause familiars are pitifully weak). Add my hawk icon... and wala...
A very detailed playable hawk familiar that has all the links built in for fast easy reference and access without any delays.
And I try to make sure my sessions have 0 delays by links being preset for everyone. At least in FGU that is a requirement currently.
Anyway - sure everyone "knows this" but as a newbie it irritated me that I could not find anything other than "you can create a PC". Sure.
I have created the following groups under the following character creations buttons:
Classes: NPC as PC fake classes
Races: NPC as PC fake races
Backgrounds: NPC as PC backgrounds
Items: NPC as PC weapons
The new groups in each category will help me quickly get to special NPC critter class/race/background/weapons in order to make a PC of them.
For my test case, which is actually a real need in my current campaign - I wanted someones hawk familiar to be fully playable with minimum look-ups (because you know - its slow to do that and I like things fast for the players and myself). In this case its a hawk. So I brought up the NPC and set it to unlock so I could see all the fields and started creating things I needed to make all that stuff appear in a PC character sheet. I made the following things in the above relevant groups (Yes, you would do it better and have more detail and variety - but I was just trying to get it done and usable for my campaign):
Created New class:
Hawk
Other:
HD Per Level: 1d4-1
Skills: Perception +4
Main:
"This is the NPC hawk defined as a PC so that a player may fully control it."
Created New Race:
Hawk
Other:
Traits: Keen Sight (clicked link it created and added - "The hawk has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight. ")
Main:
"This is the NPC hawk defined as a PC so that a player my fully control it. "
Created New Background:
Celestial Familiar
Other:
Features: Got to Pocket Dimension (clicked link it created and added the find familiar spell's description of this feature)
Features: Spell by touch (clicked link it created and added the find familiar spell's description of this feature)
Main:
Put in link to spell Find Familiar
"This is a Celestial Familar subject to all the above links rules for the owner. "
Created new Item:
Talons
Type: Weapon
Subtype: Simple Melee Weapons
Bonus: +6
Damage: -2 slashing
"NPC defined as PC for a hawk's talons. Thrown off by automatic PC bonuses applied to damage so need to add one to bonus and subtract 2 from damage in order to match the NPC hit/damage of the hawk."
Now I create a new PC with the name Hawk (familiar) and add the hawk class, Celestial Familar background, hawk race, and give his inventory the weapon talons. Change all the Abilities in main page to numbers matching NPC page. Go to skills and set perception as proficiency so that it matches the +4 in the NPC description. Change the max HP to 1 (cause familiars are pitifully weak). Add my hawk icon... and wala...
A very detailed playable hawk familiar that has all the links built in for fast easy reference and access without any delays.
And I try to make sure my sessions have 0 delays by links being preset for everyone. At least in FGU that is a requirement currently.
Anyway - sure everyone "knows this" but as a newbie it irritated me that I could not find anything other than "you can create a PC". Sure.