Filippo Franco
Today’s review examines The Complete NPC, a D&D5e supplement signed by Daniel Chivers and Marco Bertini and available in digital format from Dungeon Masters Guild priced at $9.95 (about 8€). We are talking about a product focused on Non Player Character, as the title states.
I Expect a Lot of PNG!
More than half of the 74 pages of this work are dedicated to presenting 57 NPCs whose Challenge Rating varies from 0 to 21, so you can almost always have something to “throw on the table”. The NPCs are divided into 10 categories, such as bandits, cavaliers, city dwellers, criminals, guards, and psionics. Each category offers different elements rated for different Challenge Ratings. It is very convenient to have various types of criminals available, even more so all the various types of soldiers, divided broadly by rank or weapon used. There is also an interesting group of eldritch knights called Thunder Knights.
The beginning of the NPC section is opened by a useful table that lists in alphabetical order not only the characters covered in The Complete NPC; but some more generic types, too, taken from various official manuals, showing where to go fishing for more.
This freedom makes it possible to create truly fascinating designs.
But They Won’t Be Only PNG!
The Complete NPC doesn’t stop at a long list. The manual opens with two very complete tables. These speed up the conversion of NPCs from one race to another, humanoid (one table) or monstrous (the other). In practice, each line has a potential conversion with features to add to the original stat-block to create a soldier drider in seconds, or a merfolk pickpocket (beware ladies walking on the docks!).
Another section that presents a handy table is that of mounts. Here, too, there are many entries brought together from various manuals, and the list is rounded-out with a dozen new or in-depth possibilities, from war horses to moose to riding lizards.
Then there is a one-page chapter (prefaced with a full page illustration) that features two creatures: the Vril and the Wemic. Sadly, there are no illustrations showing them. It looks more like filler than anything else. Kind of like ordering ice cream and then taking the bowl home with you. Thanks for the gift, but I only wanted the ice cream. I don’t know what to do with the bowl.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Appendices!
The Complete NPC has two appendices. The first is the icing on the cake, interesting and unexpected. In fact, it is a Challenge Rating 24 NPC combo with a very tantalizing magical item. They can be used together or separately. The magic item is not tied to such high levels, however, and may appeal to many Dungeon Masters.
The second appendix provides directions for a slower and more careful process of merging two stat-blocks, specifically a rakshasa and an archmage. Borrowing some mechanics from D&D3.5, it also also explains a method of creating new non-player characters with a certain density. A method probably best used for designing assets of value, since it takes a little more time.
Review of the Art of The Complete NPC
There is little to say about the layout, really, which maintains the standards set by the products present on the DMSGuild site, emulating the typical settings of classic manuals well. Also the art, even if taken a little here and a little there according to what the copyrights allow, is very pleasant and also abundant. The theme of the NPCs ensures you don’t have to search for images that are too specific. The full page illustrations in particular are very effective.
Final Consideration of the Review of The Complete NPC
Our final opinion of The Complete NPC is that it is a good supplement, created for a very specific purpose, and decisions to purchase should be evaluated on that basis. It is not a “must-have” product, but it is certainly a very useful aid for those Dungeon Masters who need a large number of different NPCs or creatures on hand, perhaps to fill a particularly populated area of your game world – and/or cosmopolitan, thanks to the quick conversion tables.
The manual has allowed me to set some very useful lists aside; among them a group of stat-blocks ripe for use in the future, and a couple of ideas here and there that tickled me, that magical object in particular … So, thanks to the authors for sending us a copy for this review!
Thank you very much. You are right about the Vril and Wemic (they come from earlier versions of DnD and we could not find anything resembling them that was not an IP of WoTC). We looked into art but it was about 80 Euro a pop which would have exploded our art budget. But you are right 🙂 Love the review.
We perfectly understand your reasons and your solution makes so much sense but, as always, we try to give a complete analysis of the product. We really appreciate your words (and your work), thanks! 🙂