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View Full Version : How to skip NPC's (solved, I think)



Gezzer
May 1st, 2022, 03:36
I've just found out that skip NPC doesn't work even though the combat tracker actually still has the button to skip individuals.

I found a thread where someone mentioned that I had to use a custom effect "SKIPTURN" on each NPC, but I have no idea how this is done. I've created the custom effect (I think), but when I test it all I get is a notice in the com window and nothing happens in the actual tracker.

Maybe the best way is to describe what I'm trying to do first. I have a combat scenario where there are a couple of switchbacks. The players will be on the upper trail with three NPCs on the trail below them. There is also a large bolder at the point where the upper trail turns and starts to go down the next switchback. As the players move along the upper trail they will become aware of two of the NPCs on the trail but the NPCs will not be aware of them (unless they do something stupid of course). I'll describe the bolder as being highly unstable and swaying back and forth as two squirrels frolic on top of it. The squirrels and the potential danger they pose is what has the two NPCs so oblivious to the party.

If the players think of it, they can sneak behind the bolder in stealth and push it with a 100% chance of it rolling down the second switchback the NPCs are on. Or they can attempt to do a ranged strike with a high probability that it will succeed with the same result. The rolling bolder will then roll over each NPC in turn with reduced damage for each NPC depending how far away they are from the boulder's initial location. So I've come up with two ways to accomplish this. Either kill/damage the NPCs before I add everyone to the combat tracker, but I'm uncertain how to do this. As well, as I thought about it I realized that the bolder could be triggered at anytime during combat if party didn't initially think of it. So instead I decided to create a bolder stat block, add it to the tracker, and then simply skip anyone with higher initiative until the NPCs become aware of the party and actual combat starts.

But as I said they've taken skipping out of the combat tracker for some reason. Am I over thinking things here and there's an easier way to accomplish what I'm trying to do? I realize that there's a skip NPCs option in the settings, but only for hidden or dead/dying ones which these ones are not. So how do you have a NPC or player for that matter not do anything for a turn? For that matter why take skipping turns out? It seems like an option that has a lot of potential uses during encounters.

esmdev
May 1st, 2022, 03:48
Which ruleset are you using?

Gezzer
May 1st, 2022, 04:16
5e, but I've figured out an easy way to do it. I just manually set the boulder's initiative to 30+ and it's all good. (I think).

Dire Weasel
May 1st, 2022, 05:02
SKIPTURN should work in 5e - I use it in my sessions. I assume you typed it without the quotes? Are you running any extensions?

LordEntrails
May 1st, 2022, 05:17
Also if the NPC is hidden on the CT, it will automatically be skipped if you have the campaign option Skip Hidden NPC set to On.

Gezzer
May 1st, 2022, 07:54
Also if the NPC is hidden on the CT, it will automatically be skipped if you have the campaign option Skip Hidden NPC set to On.

The problem was some of the NPC weren't hidden from the players, just not noticing them. But as I said I figured out a way to do what I wanted so it's all good.

Gezzer
May 1st, 2022, 07:57
SKIPTURN should work in 5e - I use it in my sessions. I assume you typed it without the quotes? Are you running any extensions?

Yes to no quotes, no to extensions. My problem is I really don't know that much about the effects option to begin with. Like how I actually apply any of them to a NPC or player, let alone a custom one. But I figured out a way to do what I want so it's all good.

Zacchaeus
May 1st, 2022, 08:01
The way to handle this kind of thing is to not make the NPCs visible on the CT - and by default also not on the map - and then you can use the skip hidden actor option. Then just move the NPC token on the fly. Once the PC has spotted an NPC make them visible and take their turns as normal. Whether they are then visible to the PCs will depend on line of sight etc.

Gezzer
May 1st, 2022, 08:05
The way to handle this kind of thing is to not make the NPCs visible on the CT - and by default also not on the map - and then you can use the skip hidden actor option. Then just move the NPC token on the fly. Once the PC has spotted an NPC make them visible and take their turns as normal. Whether they are then visible to the PCs will depend on line of sight etc.

Okay, sure, but as I said the NPCs are visible to the players. Since the players are higher then the NPCs and the NPCs are out in the open making the NPCs hidden simply won't make sense. But as I said, and even edited the thread title to show this I've figured out how to do what I want to do, so it's all good...