Greetings!
Here are some ideas I've had for NPCs, but I'm not 100% sure that I'm doing this right. Comments on both the concepts and the math are welcome. Once these get properly vetted, I'll re-post them to the 'NPC Thread'.
Khetem Ra, exiled Egyptian sorcerer-priest
Strife: 20
Name Die: d10 (man)
Divine Favor: 6
Abilities:
Insight: d8
Grace: d6
Might: d6
Spirit: d10
Heal: d6
Lore: d10
Music: d4
Orate: d8
Athletics: d4
Cunning: d10
Hunt: d4
Wrestle: d4
Aim: d6
Shield: d4
Spear: d8
Sword: d8
Weapons:
Dagger 2d6 (sword)
Swarm of Locusts spell 1d10+1 (javelin)
Heroic Trait: Speaker to the Dead (+2 to Lore rolls, +2 to Spirit rolls) (from iago's optional rules, the idea of Heroic Traits for NPCs from the wiki)
(of course John Harper created the 'Speaker to the Dead' trait itself, which inspired this whole NPC.)
Powers:
Poison (for his dagger)
and his vile Minions...
Skeletons (men)
Strife: 1
Arete: d6
Battle: d6
Craft: d6
Sport: d6
Weapons:
Sword 2d6
Bow 1d8+1
These Skeletons are literally the cheapest Minions possible, so they should fall in droves like wheat before a scythe. Lots of wheat...
But there is another option:
Harryhausen Skeletons (monsters)
Strife: 1
Arete: d6
Battle: d6
Craft: d6
Sport: d6
Weapons:
Sword 2d6
Bow 1d8+1
These buggers don't die except from magical weapons. Otherwise they just keep reassembling themselves out of one another's hacked-off parts.
(As far as I can tell, they should still cost just one Strife... I'm not sure about this.)
Of course, If we upgrade the Minions, we could also upgrade the Master:
Khetem Ra, revived mummy of an ancient Egyptian sorcerer-priest
Strife: 25
Name Die: d10 (monster)
Divine Favor: 6
Abilities:
Insight: d8
Grace: d6
Might: d6
Spirit: d10
Heal: d4
Lore: d10
Music: d4
Orate: d4
Athletics: d4
Cunning: d10
Hunt: d4
Wrestle: d4
Aim: d6
Shield: d4
Spear: d8
Sword: d8
Weapons:
Dagger 2d6 (sword)
Swarm of Locusts spell 1d10+1 (javelin)
Sandstorm spell 1d8+1 (bow)
Heroic Trait: Speaker to the Dead (+2 to Lore rolls, +2 to Spirit rolls)
Powers:
Poison
Resurrection
Fear
Armor-piercing (for Sandstorm spell)
25 Strife puts this version over the single-NPC limit for any group that doesn't have at least one d12 name die. Dropping the Poison for the dagger puts it at 23, which is within the limit for d10-name groups. Tactically that makes the mummy into a range-attack specialist, hanging back and casting his spells while the restless dead shamble forward in unstoppable(?) waves.
Here's a couple I came up with, trying to make NPCs suitable for heroes with d6 name dice:
Medusa
Strife: 16
Name Die: d8 (monster)
Divine Favor: 6
Abilities:
Insight: d10
Grace: d8
Might: d8
Spirit: d8
Heal: d4
Lore: d8
Music: d4
Orate: d4
Athletics: d6
Cunning: d8
Hunt: d4
Wrestle: d6
Aim: d6
Shield: d6
Spear: d6
Sword: d6
Weapons:
(weapons don't cost the Antagonist any Strife, so she could have some if she wants, but it doesn't seem thematic)
Armor: d6 (mystical toughness or reptillian regeneration, not actual armor)
Powers:
Gaze
Transform (into stone)
(I'm on shaky ground here, since I'm not sure how the victims of the transformation could be saved. Those transformed might revert to normal after the Medusa is slain, or perhaps the priests at a local temple could be convinced to reverse the effect via a suitably-difficult Orate contest. Or perhaps a difficulty-enhanced Lore test could reveal the special herbs that make a curative potion.)
Harpy
Strife: 8
Name Die: d6 (monster)
Divine Favor: 6
Abilities:
Insight: d4
Grace: d6
Might: d6
Spirit: d6
Heal: d4
Lore: d6
Music: d6
Orate: d6
Athletics: d4
Cunning: d10
Hunt: d8
Wrestle: d4
Aim: d4
Shield: d4
Spear: d4
Sword: d12
Weapons:
Claws 2d6/2d6 (swords)
Armor: d6 (mystical toughness, not actual armor)
Powers:
Swift ("flight" isn't an available power, but Swift seems to create the same effect -- the ability to control engagement range pretty much at will)
First Strike (to represent a hawk-like stooping attack at high speed)
At only 8 Strife each, these things are pretty dangerous, mostly because of their d12 Sword ability and Claws. PCs should take the time to get Advantages for their side representing fighing indoors, in a cave, or in a narrow crevasse, all of which restrict the Harpies "flying" abilities.
The cheap skeleton Minions above got me thinking about more expensive Minions. Here is a build for centaurs that puts them close to the limit for d6 name dice.
Centaurs (men) (because they're not beasts, and they aren't immune to normal weapons...)
Strife: 7
Arete: d6
Battle: d8
Craft: d8
Sport: d6
Weapons:
Sword 2d6
Charge 1d6+1 (javelin) (similar to the exampel Boar)
Powers:
Swift (to represent their horse-like speed)
Of course, a band of centaurs needs a leader:
Centaur Warlord
Strife: 14
Name Die: d8 (man)
Divine Favor: 6
Abilities:
Insight: d4
Grace: d6
Might: d10
Spirit: d8
Heal: d6
Lore: d6
Music: d6
Orate: d6
Athletics: d8
Cunning: d8
Hunt: d10
Wrestle: d6
Aim: d6
Shield: d4
Sword: d10
Spear: d6
Weapons:
Sword 2d6
Charge 1d8+1 (javelin)
Armor: d6 (an actual breastplate, for once!)
Powers:
Swift
The Warlord and his Minions could also be equipped with Bows, and turned into a raiding force. With the Swift power and long-range weapons, these guys could harry a group of heroes while keeping out of melee range. Between the Harpies and the Centaurs, I may be overusing Swift... :)
These are great! I don't have my book handy to check your math (I'm at work), but I bet someone will.
Using Swift to represent flying ability sounds good to me. In hindshight, I'm not sure why I didn't include an actual Flight power. Just slipped my mind, I guess.
Thanks for posting these very cool NPCs.