Author Topic: Making a NPC factotum  (Read 2747 times)

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Sjappo

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Making a NPC factotum
« on: October 10, 2011, 07:37:37 AM »
Right. I'm not sure if this should go here or at GM Gameology but seeing as this gets more traffic ...

I'm building a NPC factorum for my running campaign. My PC's don't have any social skills and knowledge skills whatsoever. They make use of an informant called Harry the Crab on whom they are depending more and more. I expect Harry to be on their payroll pretty soon and I want to just hand them his sheet and let them take it from there.

So, now I need an informant. I want to use this opportunity to show them some things out of Core which are really cool. Hence a Factotum and not an Expert or Rogue. I looked at the Factotum Handbook which has some excellent advice for Factotums (Factoti?) but nothing I'd want to use. This is an NPC Factotum who will never see combat. He'll never join the PC's on adventure. This is not a DMPC or cohort or whatever.

What I have so far:

Human Factotum 5
(PC's are lvl 6 and I want him trailing 1 level)

STR 10
DEX 10
CON 12
INT 18 (20 with gear)
WIS 12
CHA 14

Skills:

1 point in most useful skills
5 points in social skills (Diplomacy, Gather Information etc.) and knowledge skills

Gear:

Headband of intellect
Handy Haversack
Masterwork skill items for most skills
armor + weapon (trivial)
1500 GP

Feats:
none yet. Thought about skillfocus (worthless) and Imperious Command (to aggressive) but fond nothing really fitting.

What I need to flesh this out further are some good, preferably non-Core, feats, spells and gear which make Harry better at what he does best ... find stuff out. This need not go into the TO realm. Some basic optimization (feat and skill synergy) is fine.

Any tips?

Jackinthegreen

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Re: Making a NPC factotum
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2011, 08:41:12 AM »
Perhaps Obtain Familiar as one of the feats?  If the familiar has ranks in the wanted skills then it can do Aid Another for your Factotum.  Might as well get a +2 on pretty much everything.

The Favored feat from Cityscape might be useful since you intent this guy to be an informant.  Primary Contact might also be useful from there.  You could also just pump Font of Inspiration to up his inspiration points. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606)

According to WotC, it's Factotums.

Sjappo

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Re: Making a NPC factotum
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2011, 10:23:11 AM »
Perhaps Obtain Familiar as one of the feats?  If the familiar has ranks in the wanted skills then it can do Aid Another for your Factotum.  Might as well get a +2 on pretty much everything.

The Favored feat from Cityscape might be useful since you intent this guy to be an informant.  Primary Contact might also be useful from there.  You could also just pump Font of Inspiration to up his inspiration points. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606)

According to WotC, it's Factotums.
Familiar is a nice one. Although it is Core it is to good to pass up for this NPC. Something small and unnoticeable can be an excellent spy as well.

I'm not familiar with Cityscape. The description of the feats on D&D Toolshop sound pretty meh. Something in the range of skillfocus. I'll have to check the books to see how organisations work. Good idea though.

Font of Inspiration is a tough one. We usually don't allow Dragon and Web stuff. This'll open an entire new can of worms which I'm sure I want to remain closed. Plus this NPC will never see actual play. And with only social encounters it is very unlikely that he runs out of IP on a regular basis. Plus Font of Inspiration 3 times is pretty boring. So I think I'll pass on this one.

Keep um coming though!

Shiki

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Re: Making a NPC factotum
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2011, 10:38:24 AM »
From Tome of Magic, Bind Vestige plus Practiced Binder so he can bind Naberius to be FaceMan Like A Boss.
"An ally of truth."

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Kasz

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Re: Making a NPC factotum
« Reply #4 on: October 10, 2011, 11:52:45 AM »
Some general advice of never forgetting to use up your inspiration points... +Int to a skill check is awesome for a face / gatherer type.

Item familar is a great feat, a sentient book that you can mind link to or something is basically a hidden camera. Alternatively some sort of spider, as a spider can hide and gather information, as well as set up webs to act like an alarm system.

Wall of eyes is a spell that conjures a permanent wall... of eyes... metamagiced with invisible spell then it's basically invisible CCTV. Scrolls, Wand, Eternal wand of Invisible Wall of eyes would become a very intricate web of CCTV very quickly...though you might scare the living hell out of anything with true seeing or see invisibility.

Comprehend Languages / Tongues - you cannot overhear rumours in a language you don't understand.

An Enigma machine, for writing coded messages, and perhaps giving a +2 to decipher script for deciphering coded messages.

Hat of disguise - for the rushed getaway / gathering information without being recognised.

jeffrie

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Re: Making a NPC factotum
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2011, 10:02:02 PM »
A non combat informant?

Vecna Blooded +1 LA = complete nondetection

Vow of Poverty?  If you're not in combat, and you're a factotum, how many magic items do you need? Ability boost rock hard on a facto. (just for character fluff?)

Really. Ability boost rock for facto. Max Int.

I always liked Quick Reconnoiter from CA. Free listen and spot every round, and initiative +2.

Here's one, just in case he ever needs to get out of combat = Dazzling Illusion; CM
Benefit: When you cast an illusion spell, you can choose to render all enemies within 30 feet dazzled for 1 round. Blind creatures are immune to this effect.
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Current score: Evil 923,472,810, Good 1."

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kremti

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Re: Making a NPC factotum
« Reply #6 on: October 12, 2011, 03:04:34 PM »
A couple of other things:

Autohypnosys skill + Listen to This skill trick
They let you memorize any text he's seen (Make sure his Autonypnosis goes up to +5, so he can take 10 to hit DC15 memorize check), or anything he's heard.

I adore Coure Eladrin as Improved Familiar from Book of Exalted Deeds.  Unfortunately this doesn't come in online until level 7 but...
They can talk.  Can talk to PCs, not just the NPC.
They are bipedal humanoid.  You can equip them with stuff, including wands and Dorjes.  Then if the NPC master has UMD and UPD...so does Coure, with Cha of 14, it even gets +2 from stats.
They can turn incorporal and invisible...close to a perfect spy...
They can detect evil at will.  Circle of Protection Evil is on all the time.

-K