Agon: Post Your NPCs Here

[John Harper]

This is the place to share your NPC builds. Only NPC posts here, please. If you want to discuss anything in this thread, start a new thread for commentary.

[Darren Hill]

Here's a revised verion of the Hydra I posted in another thread.
Hydra (Strife 28)
Name: Lernean Hydra d10 (Monster) (3)
Arete: Insight d4, Grace d4, Might d10, Spirit d6 (1)
Craft: Heal d4, Lore d4, Music d4, Orate (for roars, etc.) d6
Sport: Athletics d4, Hunt d6, Cunning d6, Wrestle d10 (1)
Battle: Aim d8, Shield d4, Spear d4, Sword d12 (2)
Weapons:
Heads 2d6/2d6 (Swords)
Snapping at reach d6+1 (Javelin, R2-4)
Scaly Hide d8
Powers:
Natural Weapons (1)
Multi-strike 5 (10)
Poison (2)
Reposition (strides boldly into the middle of its foes, scattering them with its head attacks) (3)
Resurrection (3)
Defence 1d8 (2)
Power Descriptions
Defence: It’s body is unkillable. You need to chop off heads to kill it, and they are moving and snapping as you try.
Multi-Strike: Whether the beast has 9 heads or 50, it gets five extra attacks. It might divide these attacks between javelin and sword, and might also use Special Manoeuvres like an Intimidating Roar, or try to wrap its body around a foe to pin it in place (opposed Name + Wrestling, -2pv to target’s next defence).
Natural Weapons: it can switch between snapping at close range (swords) and snapping at reach with its long necks (javelin), and thanks to Multi-strike, can do this on the same attack!
Poison: The Hydra is famed for its poison which has turned its home river into a foul place where the fish are unsafe to eat. The venom in its tracks alone can kill. (Hunting it might be a Harmful contest!)
Reposition: The Hydra is usually said to have one immortal golden head and eight other heads, but is sometimes described as having 50 heads. In any case, it’s a huge many-headed serpent, and when it launches itself among its foes, heads snapping, it scatters its foes.
Resurrection: When Herakles killed the Lernean Hydra, he lopped off the golden head and buried it under a heavy boulder, and then chopped up the body. It’s safe to assume that if the killer of the Hydra doesn’t do something like this, the beast will reform and return…
Killing The Hydra
The Hydra’s body is unkillable; it can be killed only by lopping off its heads. The Immortal Gold head cannot be harmed until all the otherheads are gone. When a mortal head is lopped off, two more grow in its place during the following Break phase.
So to kill it: inflict a wound (to lop off a head), and follow up before the Break with a Special Manoeuvre to press a burning brand to the wound: Name + Grace v a standard 2d6 difficulty. (Or maybe the creatures Defence)
When all 6 wounds are inflicted, the creature has lost so many heads it is temporarily helpless, in pain, and whoever inflicted the Defeated blow gets to lop off the Golden Head.
All of this is pretty laborious, so its very likely players will skip it and use Divine Favour. But if they don’t know they have to bury the golden head, all that effort will be in vain…
Glory: The person who chops off a head gets the credit for that wound, not the person who applies the brand to stop it regrowing!
Optional Rule: instead of suffering injury penalties, each time the Hydra is injured and loses a head, it loses one level of Multi-Strike.
Notes
Since this is a Strife 28 beastie, it can only be faced by a band containing at least one Name d12 Hero. Since by then there might well be skills of d12 about, it might not be that much of a challenge, so it probably won't be alone. (When Herakles faced it, it was assisted by a Giant Crab).
But there’s another way to design a Hydra…

[Darren Hill]

Hydra (Strife 20)
I like monster/character creation systems that allow me to think outside the box. I also wanted to be able to put a Hydra with lots of attacks up against d8 Name characters. And so…
Name: Lernean Hydra d10 (Monster) (3)
Arete: Insight d4, Grace d4, Might d10, Spirit d6 (1)
Craft: Heal d4, Lore d4, Music d4, Orate (for roars, etc.) d6
Sport: Athletics d4, Hunt d6, Cunning d6, Wrestle d12 (2)
Battle: Aim d8, Shield d4, Spear d4, Sword d10 (1)
Weapons:
Head* 2d8 (Spear, R2)
Snapping* at reach d8+1 (Javelin, R2-4)
Body Slam/Tail Lash 2d6 (Sword, R1)
Dodge-y bugger d8 (shield)
* +1 cost.
Powers:
Armour: d8 (2)
Ambush (1)
Natural Weapons (1)
Poison (2)
Resurrection (3)
Defence 1d8 (2)

The Hydra’s Extra Heads (Strife 10)
Minion of Hydra (D10).
Abilities: Arete: d6; Craft: d6; Sport: d8; Battle: d8 (4)
Weapons:
Heads 2d6 (Swords)
Snapping at reach d6+1 (Javelin, R2-4)
Scaly Hide d8
Powers:
Ambush (1)
Poison (2)
Resurrection (3)
Fun With Minions
In an encounter with the Hydra, Buy the Hydra, and 8 Minions, for a total cost of 37.
Also set aside a further 6-12 points, just in case – you’ll see why shortly.

The Minions are the non-Immortal Heads of the Hydra.
At the start of the battle, the Minions and the Hydra start at the same range band. But the Minions can move independently of the Hydra: the heads might be reaching out on their long necks and striking.
When a Hero uses Positioning to separate a head from the group, this means he is diverting or attracting the attention of that head – at least until it rejoins the group.

When a Minion Head is slain, it immediately springs up again during the Break Phase – with another Minion Head for company! Spend one of those 12 Strife points you set aside to account for the extra head.
If a burning brand is applied to the stump before the Break phase, the head doesn’t regrow.

Killing the Hydra
It cannot be harmed until all of its non-Immortal heads are slain (unless you use Divine Favour to enchant your weapon of course).
If it is killed before all heads are slain, it will simply revive.
If it is killed after all its minion heads are slain, the Golden Head needs to be separated from the body and safely buried to stop it resurrecting.

A Useful Tactic
Divide the Minions into two groups (probably one using Swords and one using Javelins). Then when you get Positioning rolls, you’ll be rolling for each bunch of minions and for the Hydra. If the Hydra rolls badly, there’s a good chance one of the head groups will roll better – so when a hero move the hydra, the minions can move it back!

[Willow]

Kallistae, evil mysterious sorceress:

Strife:  14
Name: d8
Abilities:
Insight: d6
Grace: d4
Might: d8
Spirit: d10
Heal: d6
Lore: d10
Music: d4
Orate: d6
Athletics: d6
Cunning: d8
Hunt: d6
Wrestle: d4
Aim: d8
Shield: d6
Sword: d4
Spear: d6

Armor: d12 (Hypnotic Gaze)
Lightning Blast: (Bow, Armor Piercing)
Lightning Ball: (Javelin)
Magic Spear: (Spear)
Cadence of Deflection: (Shield)

Powers:
Hypnotic Gaze (Reflect Attack)
Terrible Visage (Fear)
Word of Paralysis (Hold)

Advancement Ideas:  More Might and Spirit, Boosts to Weapons, Gaze Power and More Insight
Tactics:  Minions, Minions, Minions.  Clog them in front, keep Kallistae in back and use her Fear and Hold powers as area control to give the minions an easier time, and the Lightning Blast in optimal range if possible.

[DainXB]

    
Some NPCs: 
These were originally posted for commentary and correction, but nobody corrected me.   
I guess that means that they are OK! 



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...


-- DainXB
Dain Lybarger

[DainXB]

And here are some more...

Minotaur

Strife:  16
Name Die: d10 (beast)
Divine Favor: 6

Abilities:
Insight: d4
Grace: d6
Might: d10
Spirit: d6
Heal: d4
Lore: d4
Music: d4
Orate: d4
Athletics: d8
Cunning: d8
Hunt: d10
Wrestle: d10
Aim: d6
Shield: d4
Spear: d4
Sword: d10

Armor: d6

Weapons:
Horns:  2d6/2d6 (swords)
Hooves 2d6 (sword)

Powers:
Natural Weapons
Ambush
Multi-Strike
Armor Piercing for Horns

This is a basic Minotaur -- if you want THE Minotaur, give him advantages like these:

Knows the Labyrinth like the back of his hand (d8)
Royal bastard (d8)

There is art out there (from Magic: The Gathering and World of Warcraft) that show Minotaurs of varying types -- tatooed Minotaur shaman, Minotaur mage, etc.  They aren't exactly 'canon' Greek myth, but they are cool...

Speaking of cool, I was watching Xena re-runs, and couldn't resist:

Warrior Princesss

Strife:  20
Name Die: d10 ((wo)man)
Divine Favor: 6

Abilities:
Insight: d6
Grace: d8
Might: d8
Spirit: d8
Heal: d6
Lore: d8
Music: d4
Orate: d6
Athletics: d12
Cunning: d8
Hunt: d6
Wrestle: d8
Aim: d10
Shield: d4
Spear: d6
Sword: d12

Armor: d8

Weapons:
Chakram:  1d8+1 (javelin)
Sword 2d6

Powers:
Battle-Cry (Fear)
Multi-Strike

Travelling Bard

Strife:  11
Name Die: d6 ((wo)man)
Divine Favor: 6

Abilities:
Insight: d6
Grace: d6
Might: d6
Spirit: d8
Heal: d8
Lore: d10
Music: d10
Orate: d10
Athletics: d10
Cunning: d8
Hunt: d8
Wrestle: d4
Aim: d4
Shield: d4
Spear: d8
Sword: d8

Armor: none

Weapons:
Staff 1d8/1d6 (spear)

Powers:
Defense

I envision using these two as opposition for a quest from Ares.  Take the example quest The War, and add in the fact that there are a pair of diplomats attempting to broker a peace between the two factions.  The diplomat's actions must be thwarted in order to complete the quest.  Then spring the Warrior Princess and her Bard companion on the PCs in the role of the diplomats!  The Warrior Princess is built for battle, of course.  The Bard is capable of taking care of herself in combat (barely) -- but her real value is to get PCs involved in contests of Lore, Music, or Orate. 

Heres another non-Greek opponent, but one that seems reasonable to the setting:

Vampire Queen

Strife:  20
Name Die: d8 (man)
Divine Favor: 6

Abilities:
Insight: d10
Grace: d8
Might: d6
Spirit: d8
Heal: d6
Lore: d6
Music: d4
Orate: d8
Athletics: d8
Cunning: d10
Hunt: d4
Wrestle: d6
Aim: d6
Shield: d4
Spear: d4
Sword: d10

Armor: d6

Weapons:
Fangs  2d6 (swords)
Claws  2d6 (sword)

Powers:
Life Drain
Swift
Fear
Resurrection (weakness: stake through heart or head cut off)

The Vampire Queen might come with a coterie of lesser vampires (d6 Name and reduced values for some of the other abilities, but Weapons and Powers the same).  Lesser vampires should be individualized lieutenants, not cookie-cutter minions.  Of course, she might depend on mortal warriors to serve her, instead.  She will heartlessly sacrifice them in droves to wear down the PCs, while she lurks in the backgroound, causing Fear and using her attacks surgically to take out weakened heroes.

As always, comments welcome!

-- DainXB
Dain Lybarger

[Nathan Frund]

Peirates The Pirate King (d10)  20 Strife

Arete
Insight: d6
Grace: d6
Might: d8
Spirit: d6

Craft
Heal: d4
Lore: d10
Music: d6
Orate: d10

Sport
Athletics: d6
Cunning: d8
Hunt: d8
Wrestle: d4

Battle
Aim: d4
Shield: d6
Spear: d6
Sword: d10

Armor: d6
Divine Favor: 6

Weapons:

Magic Sword (Armor Piercing)



Powers

Ambush: The NPC may choose the starting terrain of the battle (and thus the range).  The NPC gets +2 to position, attack and defense rolls during the first exchange of the battle.

First Strike: The NPC always attacks first, regardless of weapon length, range, or other factors.

Amazingly Quick Relexes: +2d8 to attack or defend pool.

Swift: The NPC may move one range band at any time during the exchange.

[Nathan Frund]

Baby Crystalline Spiders

Strife: 3
Arete: d6
Battle: d6
Craft: d6
Sport: d6

Weapons:
Bite: 2d4 (sword initiative) + poison

I used fishtank/decorative stones as markers for the baby spiders.  I held them several inches above the players' figures on the range-band sheet and dropped the stones.  Any figures knocked over were snatched and attacked by the spiders without a positioning test, simulating surprise attacks from below via trapdoors.

[Excellence]

I will be running a game tomorrow, my first game. Check next week for an AP.

These are the NPCs I have planned for my 4 players:

The Crystal Bull of Adelfoi - Pet of Athena (d8)  15 Strife

Arete
Insight: d4
Grace: d6
Might: d8
Spirit: d6

Craft
Heal: d4
Lore: d4
Music: d4
Orate: d4

Sport
Athletics: d6
Cunning: d4
Hunt: d6
Wrestle: d8

Battle
Aim: d4
Shield: d4
Spear: d8
Sword: d8

Armor: d10
Divine Favor: 8

Weapons:
Giant Horns (with a span of around 15 feet. Counts as Spear)
Trample (Counts as Sword)

Powers
Extra Damage
Reflect Attack
Multi-Strike
Natural Weapons

-----------------------------------------------

Queen Timandra - Enraged Wraith (d6) 14 Strife

Arete
Insight: d4
Grace: d6
Might: d4
Spirit: d10

Craft
Heal: d4
Lore: d6
Music: d4
Orate: d4

Sport
Athletics: d4
Cunning: d6
Hunt: d6
Wrestle: d4

Battle
Aim: d8
Shield: d6
Spear: d4
Sword: d8

Armor: none
Divine Favor: 6

Weapons:
Chilling Touch (Counts as Sword. Armour Piercing)
Shriek (Counts as Bow. Armour Piercing)
Shield

Powers
Natural Weapons
Swift
Life Drain
Defense +2d8

Monster type immunity: Can only be hurt by someone weaping a medaillon carved from the horns of the Crystal Bull

---------------------------------------

Egeria - The Black Priestess (d4)  7 Strife

Arete
Insight: d8
Grace: d6
Might: d4
Spirit: d8

Craft
Heal: d6
Lore: d8
Music: d4
Orate: d6

Sport
Athletics: d6
Cunning: d8
Hunt: d6
Wrestle: d4

Battle
Aim: d10
Shield: d4
Spear: d4
Sword: d6

Armor: none
Divine Favor: 6

Weapons:
Cursed Daggers (Count as swords)

Magic dart of flame (Counts as Bow)

Powers
Ambush
First Strike
Hold (uses spirit instead of might)

---------------------------------------------

Timandra will be in the company of 2 Angry Ghosts and 5 Walking Dead.

Angry Ghost 4 Strife
Arete d6
Battle d6
Craft d4
Sport d6
Weapons: Chilling Touch (Count as sword. Armour Piercing), Shield
Powers: Swift
Monster Type Immunity: same as Timandra

Walking Dead 1 Strife
Arete d6
Battle d6
Craft d4
Sport d6
Weapons: Spear, Shield, Bow
Monster Type Immunity: Will reform the round after being destroyed unless killed by someone with said crystal amulet.

Egeria, the priestess, will have a contingent of 5 cultists with her, when she ambushes the players.

Black Circle Cultist 2 Strife
Arete d6
Battle d6
Craft d6
Sports d6
Weapons: Sword, Shield, Javelin
Powers: Ambush