5E NPCs and Encounters

Video Tutorials

The following video tutorials were created to compliment the 5e NPCs and Encounters page below.

NPCs - Non-player characters

Non-player characters (NPCs) are available only to the Dungeon Master. Open the list of NPCs in a module or campaign by clicking on the NPCs icon in the right hand menu. From here DMs can create new NPCs, edit existing ones and create encounters.

NPC Sheet Overview

Open

• The NPC sheet duplicates the standard layout of any NPC from the Monster Manual.

• The Main page shows all of the necessary information and statistics to enable the DM to use the NPC in combat via the Combat Tracker.

• The 'other' tab may contain general information and a linked image of the NPC.

• The DM can make saving throws by clicking on the small 's' adjacent to the appropriate ability score

• Similarly the DM can make an ability check by clicking on the small 'c' adjacent to the appropriate ability score.

• Skill checks can be made by mousing over any skills noted on the NPC sheet and double clicking

• The DM can use the sheet to make various attack, damage, and other rolls directly from the actions area of the sheet by mousing over the relevant sections and either double clicking or drag and dropping onto a target.

• All of the information on the sheet can be edited by clicking the 'lock' icon at the top right hand corner to unlock the sheet.

• DM's can also change the token which represents the NPC by dragging a new token and dropping over the existing token in the top right corner (Sheet must be unlocked first).

• At the top right of the sheet is an ID toggle. This can have a value of red (unidentified) or green (identified). Unidentified creatures placed on the Combat Tracker will be seen as 'Unidentified Creature' by players. Below the header a Non-ID Name is available. DMs can add a name here and whatever they choose will be shown to players on the CT in place of 'Unidentified Creature'. For example if a Goblin NPC is selected and a non-ID name of 'Greenskin' is added and the Goblin is toggled as Not Identified (red) then the players will see 'Greenskin' on the CT.

• Next to the token at the top right of the sheet is the ‘speaker’ icon. Clicking this will add this NPC to the NPC Speaker list at the bottom of the chatbox. The DM can then select this and type speech into the chat as this NPC.

Edit an existing NPC

An existing NPC can be edited by first making a copy of the NPC by dragging the existing NPC from the NPC list view and then dropping the copy back into that list. Then unlock the copy by toggling the lock icon at the top right of the sheet. The sheet can now be edited - see the paragraphs below for more details.

Open

Create a New NPC

You can create a new NPC in one of three ways. The first, and easiest, method is to make a copy of an existing NPC and edit that to what you want. This is the best method for making an existing NPC tougher or to give the NPC different weapons or abilities than the ones that exist on the standard NPC from the Monster Manual.

The second more laborious method is to create a new, blank NPC by clicking on the green + button at the button right of the NPC list window. You will then need to fill in all of the details of your NPC.

The third method is to use the NPC importer. This method is best for when you have an NPC which exists somewhere other than in Fantasy Grounds. Perhaps it’s on a website, a PDF,  or some other source that you can copy from. The use of the NPC importer is beyond the scope of this article but see this video which explains how to import NPCs easily.

The fields for an NPC are described below:

• Name: Add a name for the NPC where it says <New Personality>

• ID Toggle: The ID button can be toggled to green (NPC is identified) or red (NPC is unidentified). If the NPC is unidentified then, when placed on the Combat Tracker, the players will see ‘Unidentified Creature’, unless a Non-ID name has been added. Identified creatures are shown as their true name.

• Token: Add a token for the NPC by dragging one from the tokens bag and dropping it on the blank token icon. A token can be replaced by dragging and dropping the new token over the existing one.

• Non-ID Name: Add a name here for when the NPC is unidentified. This name will appear on the Combat Tracker if the ID toggle is red. If this section is left blank then the NPC will appear on the Combat Tracker as ‘Unidentified Creature’ if the ID toggle is red.

• Size: Fantasy Grounds uses the creature’s size to determine the size of the token on a map. Acceptable values are Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, Huge and Gargantuan. For creatures of size medium or smaller Fantasy Grounds will place a token which covers one square on the map. For Large creatures it will place a token which takes up four squares and for larger creatures 9 squares. Size is also used in certain effects.

• Type: Enter the creature type. Anything can be added here but only those types which are listed in the Monster Manual will be recognized by Fantasy Grounds for certain effects which can be applied to only certain creature types. See the effects article for acceptable creature types.

• Alignment: Type in the creature’s alignment. Any of the nine acceptable alignments as detailed in the Player’s Handbook can be entered here. This can be abbreviated to the initials of the alignment - for example Lawful Good or LG. Fantasy Grounds recognizes and can use this alignment in some effects. Alignments outside of the accepted list will be ignored.

• Armor Class: Enter the armor class in the first box and use the second box for any additional information. For example 13 (16 with Mage Armor).

• Hit Points: Enter the average hit points in the first box and in the second add the dice string along with any modifiers for the hit point calculation. Fantasy Grounds will use the first box by default but the DM can set options for random or maximum hit points and then the contents of the second box will be used. For example 16 (3d8 +3).

• Speed: The creature’s speed in feet. If the creature has various speeds list them separated by a comma. For example 30 ft., fly 50 ft., burrow 20 ft.

• Statistics: Enter the creatures' statistics by clicking in the box and typing in a new value. Bonuses will automatically be calculated.

• Saving Throws: Where the creature gets any saving throw bonuses add these here separated by a comma. Use the abbreviated form of the ability score. For example Dex +3, Con +2, Wis +1. These values will be used rather than the ability score bonus when the DM makes a save using the small ‘s’ button next to the ability score. Leave blank if none.

• Skills. If the creature has any bonuses to skills list these here separated by a comma. The full name of the skill should be used. For example Perception +7, Stealth +5. Leave blank if none.

• Damage Vulnerabilities, Resistances and Immunities: List any damage types separated by a comma. Use the full name of the damage type using lower case. For example acid, fire, slashing. See below for more details. Leave blank if none.

• Condition Immunities: List any condition immunities separated by a comma. Use the full word all in lowercase. For example charmed, frightened, poisoned. Leave blank if none. If a creature is subject to an effect for which it has immunity the effect will fail to be applied.

• Senses: Enter the senses with a range (if appropriate). If more than one separate with a comma. For example blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 120 ft. Leave blank if none.

• Languages: Enter any languages separated by a comma. For example Common, Draconic, Elvish.

• Challenge and XP: Add the Challenge rating and XP in these boxes.

• Traits: To add a trait click the edit button and then click the green +. Give the trait a name and then type in a description. Traits can be deleted by clicking the edit button and then double clicking the red button next to the trait to be deleted. Text can be edited in the normal way and can be copied by pressing CTRL+A to select all and the CTRL+C to copy. See details below for Spellcasting NPCs and for details of certain traits that Fantasy Grounds uses to create effects for NPCs.

• Actions: To add an action click the edit button and then click the green +. Give the action a name and then type in a description. Actions can be deleted by clicking the edit button and then double clicking the red button next to the action to be deleted. Text can be edited in the normal way and can be copied by pressing CTRL+A to select all and the CTRL+C to copy. See details below for more information on the wording to be used so that NPC actions create appropriate effects.

• Reactions, Legendary Actions and Lair Actions: These are all created, edited and deleted in the same way as actions above.

• Innate Spells and Spells: This area of the sheet will list the NPC spells that they have available if they are a spellcasting NPC. See below for more information on Spellcasters.

NPC Traits

There are as many traits as there are NPCs but some are special in that Fantasy Grounds recognizes these and creates effects on the Combat Tracker to make combat run more smoothly. These are all detailed below. In order for these to work properly the wording of the traits must be precisely the same.

Damage Vulnerabilities, Resistances and Immunities

As noted above in the NPC sheet many NPC’s can have resistances to certain damage types. This is usually just handled by typing in the various damages types into the appropriate section of the NPC sheet. Sometimes however creatures might be resistant to certain damage types but only from non magical weapons or those made with special metals. Fantasy Grounds can handle this kind of situation using the pling (!) character to exclude that type from the list of damage types when the character is placed on the Combat Tracker. In order to create these effects properly then the wording in the following examples should be used in the appropriate Damage Resistances or Immunities box.

• Exclude Magic Weapons [Damage Resistances/Immunities] bludgeoning, slashing and piercing from nonmagical weapons

• Exclude Magic Weapons and Other Damage Types [Damage Resistances/Immunities] bludgeoning, slashing and piercing from nonmagical weapons that aren’t [silvered/adamantine/cold-forged iron]

• Exclude Other Types [Damage Resistances/Immunities] piercing from weapon attacks that aren’t [silvered/adamantine/cold-forged iron]

Regeneration

There are various possibilities for creatures that regenerate. In the following examples the trait name should always be ‘Regeneration’ and the wording of the trait used will depend on the type of regeneration the creature is desired to have.

• Regeneration The <creature name> regains x hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.

• Regeneration with prevention The <creature name> regains x hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point. If the <creature name> takes <type> damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the creature’s next turn