Npc Section Of The Dmg



Damage Resistance (DR) is a derived statistic in the SPECIAL character system. Any damage taken is reduced by a percentage based either completely or in part in this number, depending on the game. Damage Resistance can be increased by wearing armor, or by taking certain chems or perks, depending on the game. 1 Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout Tactics 2 Fallout 3 2.1 All add-on combinations 2.2 The. Hi here!:) Here's another (useless) guide about somes fun and useful commands you may already have learned before!:) BUT I remind you that I'm french so there would be some mistakes.

  1. Npc Section Of The Dmg Download
  2. Npc Section Of The Dmg File
  3. Npc Section Of The Dmg Free
  4. Npc Section Of The Dmg Reader
  • 2Player's View
  • 3DM View

Introduction

At its simplest the Combat Tracker does what it's name suggests which is to track certain aspects of combat such as number of turns and which character or NPC's turn it is. However it performs a number of other functions, not all of which are all related to combat, making it one of the most complex parts of the Fantasy Grounds software. There are two 'versions' of the Combat Tracker, the one that the player sees and the one that the Gamesmaster uses. Since the former is the simplest it seems logical to start there.

Player's View

  • The Combat Tracker is set up in columns from left to right being; creature token, creature name, Initiative, Hit Points, Temporary Hit Points, Wounds, Status.
  • NPC's may have a number after their name if there are more than one of the same type and depending on the option selected by the DM.
  • Creatures appear on the Combat Tracker in initiative order starting with the highest at the top.
  • The actor whose turn it is will have a coloured border around their whole entry and an icon will be shown on the left hand edge of the window.
  • Hit points are the total Hit Points that the creature has. This will only be shown for Player Characters.
  • Temporary Hit Points and Wounds are shown only for player characters.
  • For NPC's an entry will be shown next to their initiative value giving an indication of their state of health. How detailed this entry is and what colour text is used will depend on which settings the DM has chosen.
  • The icons listed down the right hand column are Red = enemy, Green = ally and Yellow = neutral.
  • The Combat Tracker will also show effects which are currently on any Player Characters and which have been placed on NPC's during the combat. Any innate abilities or effects such as immunities, resistances etc which are present on NPC's will not be shown on the player's combat tracker.
  • The round tracking box is shown on the lower right hand corner of the Combat Tracker and will increment once all creatures have completed a turn.
  • The player clicks on the 'next actor' button in the lower left hand corner to end her turn.
  • Nothing in the Combat Tracker is editable by the players.

Players View - Combat

  • A player can select a target in the combat tracker by holding down the CTRL key and clicking on the target.
  • Multiple targets can be selected by holding down the CTRL key and clicking on each target in turn.
  • Targets can be deselected by holding down CTRL and clicking on an already selected target.
  • Players can make attack rolls by selecting a target as above and then double clicking their attack dice on the actions tab in their character sheets or by dragging the dice into the chat box.
  • Attack rolls can also be made by dragging the attack dice and dropping them on the target in the Combat Tracker. This works whether the creature has been targeted as above or not.
  • Damage rolls can be made in the same way, either by targeting and double clicking or dragging to the chat box from the character sheet or by dragging and dropping onto the target in the Combat Tracker.
  • If an attack roll indicated critical damage this will automatically be applied to the damage roll.
  • Spells can be cast by selecting the target and then clicking on the effect icon in the character's action tab. This applies to all castings, either attack rolls, damage rolls, healing or application of effects. All such rolls can also be made by dragging the effect onto the target in the Combat Tracker.
  • If the player selects multiple targets any subsequent cast or attack will apply to all of the targets.
  • If a cast requires that the target make a saving throw each creature targeted will make the save using the Difficulty Class specified in the caster's character sheet.
  • Any creatures who pass the saving throw will be automatically untargeted before any damage is applied.
  • Half damage on a successful save, resistances and immunities to any damage will all be applied automatically by Fantasy Grounds.
  • For example if a wizard character selects targets and casts fireball; each of the creatures targeted will make a saving throw. Those that fail will be marked for full damage and those that succeed will be marked to take only half damage. Any damage to creatures who are resistant to fire damage will automatically reduce the damage appropriately.
  • It is recommended for a number of reasons that players get into the habit of selecting targets by CTRL clicking before attacking or casting spells.

Npc Section Of The Dmg Download

DM View

The Dungeon Master's view of the Combat Tracker contains a great deal more information that the Player's View, so we'll break it down into smaller chunks.

DM View - Basics

  • The DM can edit any and all information which appears on the Combat Tracker, including names, hit points, wounds, effects, attack and damage rolls and everything else.
  • In order for Fantasy Grounds to properly automate combats and other interactions the player characters and NPCs must be placed on the combat tracker properly.
  • PCs can be dragged from the character portraits at the top left hand corner, or from the Character selection window (PCs tab) onto the Combat Tracker.
  • Individual PCs and NPCs can be deleted from the Combat Tracker by right clicking on the CT entry and selecting delete item.
  • NPCs can be dragged onto the Combat Tracker from the NPCs tab, or they can be populated via the 'Add encounter to Combat Tracker' button from an encounter.
  • Additional NPC's can be dragged into the Combat Tracker during a combat, either directly from the NPC tab or from another encounter.
  • A new, blank NPC can be created by right clicking on the CT and selecting 'Create Item'. (It is not recommended that new NPCs be created this way)
  • The icons down the right hand side of the Combat Tracker allow the DM to open the NPC or PC sheet of the creature.
  • The DM can also drag this icon for an NPC and drop it onto a blank part of the Combat Tracker to create an exact duplicate of the NPC. This can be used to great effect for example when certain NPCs such as Ochre Jellies split in two when hit by certain damage types.
  • Unlike the Player view the DM sees the correct hit points, wounds etc for all NPCs.
  • When an NPC's turn comes around on the Combat Tracker the 'Offense' window for that NPC will open as if the icon had been selected. This facilitates combat for the DM. See below for more details on this.
  • The DM can target a creature by holding down CTRL and clicking on the creature's token on the left hand side of the Combat Tracker.
  • Multiple targets can be selected by holding down CTRL and clicking on each icon in turn.
  • Deselect targets by holding CTRL and clicking on an already selected target.
  • The arrangement of the Combat Tracker is essentially the same as the Player's view. However the DM has the following additional buttons and menus:
    • NPC portraits on the left have a small 'ID' button indicating whether this creature is identified or not. If this icon is red the NPC will show on the player's combat tracker as 'Unidentified Creature'. This button can be toggled between red (unidentified) and green (identified)by clicking on it. Toggling one creature will automatically change the status of all creatures that are currently on the CT that are the same as the one being toggled.
    • A global toggle to make all NPCs visible or Invisible to the players at the top left hand corner of the Combat Tracker.
    • An individual Visible/Invisible toggle for each NPC on the Combat Tracker.
    • An Initiative marker token which can be dragged to the left hand side beside any PC or NPC name to give that creature initiative. This should be dragged to the first person on the Tracker after initiative is rolled and before combat starts.
    • A menu which is discussed in more detail below.
    • A set of Global and individual icons which open up further information on the player characters and NPCs. These, too are discussed in more detail below.
Npc

DM View - Menu

Clicking on the menu brings up several options which allow the DM to control the following aspects of the Combat Tracker and Game mechanics.

Close Window
  • Closes the Combat Tracker
Effects
  • Clear All effects: Clears all of the effects on all of the creatures currently on the Combat Tracker. This will clear all long term and short term effects from every creature on the Tracker. NOTE: It will also clear effects from PCs and NPCs which should not actually be cleared - for example damage immunities or Dwarven poison resistance.
  • Clear Expiring Effects: This will clear all short term effects from every NPC and PC on the Combat Tracker. Short term means effects which normally have a duration measured in rounds or minutes. For example a Wizard's Mage Armor spell which lasts 8 hours will not be removed but an effect which lasts for 10 rounds or minutes will. NOTE: If you enter an effect which should last a number of hours or days, but you enter the time in terms of rounds then this will be taken as an expiring effect and be removed. So if you entered the mage armor duration as 2880 rounds rather than 8 hours then it will be removed.
Initiative
  • Roll all Initiatives: Allows the DM to roll initiative for every creature on the Combat Tracker. This will be rarely used since PCs would normally roll their own initiative. However the option exists should the DM want to do this.
  • Roll NPC Initiatives: Allows the DM to roll initiative for all NPCs on the Combat Tracker.
  • Roll PC Initiatives: Allows the DM to roll initiative for all PCs on the Combat Tracker.
  • Clear all Initiatives: As it's name suggests clears all initiatives.
  • NOTE: The DM has an option to auto-roll NPC initiative when the NPC is entered on to the Combat Tracker.
Rest
  • Long Rest: All PCs who are currently on the Combat Tracker will take a long rest. All players will gain the benefits of a long rest (e.g. all wounds will be removed, spend Hit Dice will be regained etc) as detailed in the Player's Handbook. In addition any other Class specific abilities which have been expended (spell slots, Ki ponts etc) will also be returned.
  • Short Rest: All PCs will take a short rest. As with a Long Rest any specific ability uses which have been expended will be recovered automatically, if they can be recovered after such a rest.
Delete from Tracker
  • The two options here are to delete all non allies (which would include neutral creatures) or delete only enemies. In both cases the selected categories will be deleted from the Combat Tracker.

DM View - Toggles

As mentioned above there are 5 global and individual toggles each of which open up a new section in the Combat Tracker to enable DMs to run combats and edit aspects of characters and NPCs 'on the fly'. Each of these is discussed in more detail below. It is not considered necessary or even desirable to have the Global toggle on for any of the 5 additional boxes since this takes up a good deal of additional space on the Combat Tracker.

Targets
  • This section shows the currently selected target(s) of the NPC or PC. The target(s) are shown as tokens and mousing over a token will reveal the target's name.
  • The small icon to the extreme right of this section can be used to clear all of the targets from the individual PC or NPC.
  • Individual targets can be removed by clicking on the target's token.
  • The second small icon on the right can be used to select targets by dragging and dropping the icon onto the targets.


Attributes
  • As it's name suggests this brings up the creatures attributes.
  • The DM can double click on these to make any ability check.
  • The DM can also edit any of the attributes by selecting any of the boxes and typing in a new value.

Npc Section Of The Dmg File

Size/Reach
  • The Size/Reach box can be used to edit the size and reach of any creature. This can be useful if the creature is subjected to a spell or effect which alters these factors.
  • The edits are done by simply typing a new value into the appropriate box.
  • If the Size is increased or decreased the red (NPC) or green (PC) square that is usually seen around a creature on a map, will expand or contract to take account of the change.
  • The creature's token will not automatically change to take up more or less space on the map, but the token's size can be altered by holding down CTRL and moving the middle mouse button up or down.
  • If the size is altered the gray square indicating a creature's reach which surrounds a creature when moused over will change to reflect the new value.
Offense
  • If the DM selects the offence icon for a PC then a limited box opens up.
  • On the left is a check box to record whether a reaction has been used during this turn. Click to check or uncheck.
  • The next box is for initiative and is rollable but otherwise is for information only as is the AC and Spd information in the same box.
  • If this box is opened either by the DM clicking on the toggle or more frequently because it's the NPCs turn on the Combat Tracker then a great deal more information is available, effectively allowing the DM to use the creature in combat without requiring the NPC's sheet to be open.
  • If the creature has any traits they will be listed here along with an icon which can be clicked to get more information on the trait.
  • Actions and, if present, Legendary Actions will also be listed here - see combat below for more details.
Effects
  • Open this toggle to obtain a list of all effects currently present on the creature.
  • A new effect can be created by right clicking and selecting 'Add Effect'.
  • The 3 small buttons on the right of the effect allow the DM to control certain aspects of the effect
    • ACTIVE: Toggle whether the effect is active or inactive or whether to skip use of the effect this turn.
    • VSBL: Toggle whether the effect is visible to only the GM or to players as well. NOTE: If an effect is created in the effects panel and is set to invisible then, when placed on the PC, the effect will automatically be set to GM Only. Thus effects can be placed on the PC without the player knowing that an effect has been placed on their character. This is useful for curses and such like which the player would not be aware of.
    • ALL: Applies the effect to all future rolls, only the next roll, only the next action or once for each part of the effect.
  • The 'Duration' box shows the number of rounds that the effect has left to run. If this box shows zero the effect will remain until the DM clears the effect from the creature. (This would be the normal state for permanent effects such as a creatures immunities or resistances, or for effects that last for periods measured in hours or days rather than rounds or minutes). This value can be adjusted by the DM.
  • The 'Initiative to adjust on' box shows when the duration will be decremented. This box will show zero if the effect was placed on he creature when there was no initiative rolled. Again this would be the normal entry here for effects which are permanent or last for a long time. This value can be manually adjusted by the DM.
  • These two boxes can be used to precisely control when an effect ends on a creature.
    • EXAMPLE
    • A wizard character casts a spell on an ally and the effects of the spell last until the end of the wizards next turn. If the Wizard has an initiative of 10 then the spell will end at the start of the wizard's turn, since this is when Fantasy Grounds adjusts the duration by default. However by adjusting the 'initiative to adjust on' to 9.9 the spell will remain until the end of the Wizard's turn.
  • The 'target' icon can be used to drag the effect onto one or more new targets. This is used to apply 'effect targeting' to a creature. For example if a PC were to cast a spell that gave her an advantage on her next attack against a specific creature only she could apply the effect to herself then use the target to drag the effect onto that specific creature.
  • The DM can end an effect on any creature by clicking twice on the red button to the right of the effect.
  • Where an effects was applied by a third party a note will appear under the effect line saying who applied the effect.
  • Similarly if the effect is a targeted effect a note will appear stating the target(s).

DM View - Combat

  • When an NPC populates the Combat Tracker Fantasy Grounds will automatically list the creatures traits, attacks and special abilities in the Offense Box of the Combat Tracker.
  • When an NPC's turn comes around on the Combat Tracker the 'Offense' part of the Combat Tracker for that NPC automatically opens.
  • Once target(s) have been selected the DM can make attack rolls by double clicking on any ATK: entry in the offense section.
  • Damage rolls are made by double clicking on any DMG: section of the offense box.
  • All attack and damage rolls can also be made by dragging the appropriate ATK: or DMG: dice into the chat box provided a target has been selected.
  • Attack and Damage rolls can also be made by dragging the ATK: or DMG: dice and dropping onto a creature either in the Combat Tracker or onto it's token on a map.
  • Saving throws can be forced on a creature by double clicking the SAVEVS: section or drag/dropping the dice into the chat box if a target has been selected.
  • Saving throws can also be forced on a non-targeted creature by drag/dropping directly onto the creature in the Combat Tracker or onto the token on a map.
  • Effects can be placed on a targeted creature by double clicking on any EFF: part of the offense box or by drag/dropping onto the creature in the Combat Tracker or onto it's token on a map.
  • Innate spells and if the NPC is a caster, spells will also be listed here, together with syntax enabling them to be automatically cast if appropriate.
  • Each spell or innate ability will have an icon that can be clicked for access to a description of the spell.
  • All, attacks, damages, saving throws and effects can be rolled or applied in the same way as attack, damage and other rolls in the actions section.

DM View Action Entry Example

The action entries are auto created by Fantasy Grounds from the standard wording taken directly from the creature record in the base 5E RPG material. For example, the two actions seen in the graphic below are created from the base descriptions of:

Bite

Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. If the poison damage reduces the target to 0 hit points, the target is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and is paralyzed while poisoned in this way.

Web (Recharge 5-6).

Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 30/60 ft., one creature. Hit: The target is restrained by webbing. As an action, the restrained target can make a DC 12 Strength check, bursting the webbing on a success. The webbing can also be attacked and destroyed (AC 10; hp 5; vulnerability to fire damage; immunity to bludgeoning, poison, and psychic damage).


Syntax

As mentioned above, the entry is created by FG parsing the normal description text of the action when the NPC is added to the combat tracker. The syntax used is similar to, yet different from, effects. The following lists the current ruleset (5E v3.1.3) supported parameters:

  • [M] or [R] sets the range type of the action: Melee or Ranged
  • [ATK: XX] sets the attack roll bonus (and indicates an attack roll)
  • [DMG: XX] for a damage roll/application - can be a die string (e.g. 1d6) or a fixed number.
  • [SAVEVS: <ability> <target> (H)] for a save - (H) indicates half on save
  • [HEAL: XX] for doing healing
  • [R: X] for a recharge number against a d6 roll ([USED] is added once a damage roll has been made and indicates this action has been used and will be removed when the recharge number is automatically rolled on the beginning of the creature's turn).
  • [EFF] Indicates there is an effect that can be applied.
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In yesterday’s post, I discussed non-player characters who are likely to be found enforcing the local law; today I’ll talk about the ones likely to be found breaking it, starting with bandits. The bandit stat block isn’t the ideal template for your typical back-alley burglar or pickpocket—oddly, the fifth-edition Monster Manual omits that archetype altogether. At the end of this article, I’ll provide a homebrew stat block you can use for that type of NPC. Rather, the MM bandit is more like a highwayman (on land) or a pirate (at sea), and his or her primary motivation is loot.

The bandit’s physical abilities are all modestly above average, with Dexterity and Constitution in the lead: bandits are scrappy fighters who rely on their numbers. They wield “scimitars,” for reasons I can only guess at—maybe this is the closest thing 5E Dungeons & Dragons has to a cutlass? Maybe because it treats shortswords as primarily stabbing weapons and thinks bandits ought to carry slashing weapons instead? I dunno. The weapon properties are the same, and the damage is the same except for the type, and if there’s any kind of armor or enchantment that resists slashing damage but not piercing damage or vice versa, I haven’t found it yet. In any event, you can let the flavor of the setting determine whether your bandits are carrying scimitars, cutlasses, arming swords, dirks, gladii or whatever—they all do 1d6 + 1.

Bandits initiate combat by surrounding their targets in numbers large enough to encourage prompt surrender, and they count on their targets’ surrendering readily. Thus, any encounter with a group of bandits must be at least a Medium-difficulty encounter and really should be at least Hard (see page 82 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide); otherwise the bandits would have moved on in search of easier prey already. They surround their targets at a range of 40 to 80 feet, light crossbows at the ready, and issue their demands. (They have neither Intimidation nor Persuasion skill—they rely on their weapons and their numbers to do the convincing for them.) If the player characters refuse, they hold their positions, Attacking at range, until the PCs come to them, at which point they switch to their blades.

Npc

A bandit who takes any wound at all will Dodge (not Disengage) and relocate to the side of the nearest fellow bandit, in the hope that two might be able to beat an enemy that one alone can’t. It takes only a moderate wound (reducing the bandit to 7 hp or fewer) to give a bandit the idea that these folks aren’t the pushovers they’re supposed to be; if half or more of a group of bandits are moderately wounded, they’ll Disengage (action) and retreat. Any single bandit who’s seriously wounded (reduced to 4 hp or fewer) runs away using the Dash action, potentially incurring one or more opportunity attacks. On the flip side, if combat goes poorly for the PCs and they surrender, the bandits will happily rob them of their valuables and bid them adieu . . . although if there’s a PC of Noble background in the party, they may take that PC captive and hold him or her for ransom!

The bandit captain is distinguished from an ordinary bandit by higher physical abilities (this time, Dexterity and Strength take the lead over Constitution), high Intelligence and Charisma, proficiency in Athletics and Deception, a Multiattack action and a Parry reaction. A bandit captain will go beyond issuing a simple “stand and deliver” demand—he or she will engage in actual negotiation. For instance, if the PCs look like it would be a challenge to make them give up all their valuables, the bandit captain might suggest that for the modest price of 10 gold pieces per PC, neither side has to go to the trouble of seeing who really is tougher. Of course, the bandit captain also has no compunction against lying through his or her teeth.

The bandit captain lacks proficiency in Insight and thus has no particular talent for reading PCs’ motivations, but he or she can make some educated guesses based on appearances and fabricate a story accordingly. If the PCs are predominantly Folk Heroes and Outlanders, the bandit captain may claim that his or her band of brigands are righteous rebels resisting a tyrannical aristocracy. If the PCs are softhearted Acolytes or gullible Nobles, the bandit captain may say that poverty has driven them to banditry out of necessity. If the PCs are mostly Charlatans, Criminals or Urchins, the bandit captain may drop all pretense and say it’s all in the game, yo—or even recruit the PCs to join their outlaw band! These stories may be true, false or some of both, but it doesn’t matter one way or the other: all the bandit captain is interested in is getting loot out of the PCs by the easiest means possible. And if the PCs balk, “Well, then, I guess we’re going to have to do this the hard way.”

The bandit captain as described in the MM carries no ranged weapon except for a throwable dagger, and since he or she can dual-wield it along with a scimitar (cutlass, arming sword, dirk, gladius), there’s no good reason for him or her to throw it, especially when surrounded by bandits with light crossbows that do more damage. Plus, the bandit captain’s leading abilities are Dexterity and Strength, meaning he or she is going to go for swift strikes and big damage. That means the Multiattack action with two scimitar/sword attacks and one dagger attack. Finally, the bandit captain can Parry one melee attack per turn, and like the knight, he or she can judge which of multiple melee opponents poses the greatest danger and therefore most needs to be parried.

The bandit captain has a generous number of hit points (10 hit dice, compared with an ordinary bandit’s 2) and doesn’t mind being the focus of more than one PC’s attacks: if double- or triple-teamed, he or she will Dodge (action) and Parry (reaction) and let his or her bandit crossbowmen take potshots at the PCs from afar. The bandit captain isn’t particularly afraid of magic, either, having proficiency bonuses on Dexterity and Wisdom saving throws—two of the “big three.” However, if given an opportunity to attack with advantage, the bandit captain will seize it, even if he or she would otherwise be Dodging. (For instance, if the bandit captain is being attacked by both a fighter and a barbarian and the barbarian uses Reckless Attack, the bandit captain will take the opening and Attack the barbarian.)

Like bandits, bandit captains value their lives highly. If moderately wounded (reduced to 45 hp or fewer), they’ll keep fighting but also reopen negotiations during combat: “Surely [stab] we can come [stab] to some mutually satisfactory [stab] arrangement?” If seriously wounded (reduced to 26 hp or fewer), they’ll drop their weapons, surrender on the spot and agree to whatever terms keep them breathing.

Assassins, in the 5E MM, are spectacularly dangerous, primarily for one reason: the poison damage they inflict with their weapon attacks. Based on its damage and its effects, the assassin appears to use wyvern poison (see Poisons, DMG 257–58). At 1,200 gp per dose, this is pricey stuff. It stands to reason, therefore, that assassins don’t use this poison all the time—only when they’re on a mission to murder a particular target. If you eliminate the poison damage from the assassin’s weapon attacks, he or she becomes a CR 4 enemy, rather than CR 8.

Click here to reveal spoiler from Hoard of the Dragon Queen.

In the episode “No Room at the Inn” in chapter 4 of Hoard of the Dragon Queen, the party encounters a group of four assassins, disguised as nobles, who’ve taken over a roadside inn. As written in the MM, these assassins constitute an impossibly Deadly encounter for PCs at level 4, which is what the adventure assumes at this point. However, these assassins are on their way to Waterdeep and aren’t planning on killing anyone that night, so it makes no sense for them to have expensive poison on their blades. The encounter is still potentially Deadly if the assassins are CR 4, but no longer impossibly so. If even CR 4 assassins are too much for your PCs, other bloggers have recommended using the veteran stat block instead.

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An assassin makes for a tactically fascinating—but slightly complicated—opponent. Its high Dexterity and Constitution but average Strength make it a scrappy fighter. Its ultra-high Stealth skill, along with its Assassinate and Sneak Attack features, makes it an ambush attacker. Normally, creatures with lower Strength try to compensate with numbers, but assassins typically work alone, or at least in very small groups, so while they could stick around and fight, maybe, they don’t want to. Consequently, that first strike is everything.

Npc Section Of The Dmg Free

Here’s how it all comes together:

  • Assassinate: “During its first turn, the assassin has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit the assassin scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit.” Therefore, assassins will not attack at all if they can’t do so with surprise. If they’re discovered before they attack—unlikely, given their +9* Stealth modifier, but possible—assassins beat feet.
  • Sneak Attack: “The assassin deals an extra 13 (4d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll.” Advantage comes from the Assassinate feature.
  • Multiattack: “The assassin makes two shortsword attacks.” Since these attacks both occur during the assassin’s first turn, the assassin gets advantage on both of them, and they’re both crits if they hit. However, Sneak Attack can be used only once per turn, so it applies only to the first successful weapon attack.

* There are a lot of errors in the assassin’s stat block. See the MM errata for a complete list.

Suppose an assassin is hiding in the rafters, waiting to kill Lord Milan of Lombard. Lord Milan passes beneath the assassin. His passive Perception of 10 isn’t enough for him beat the assassin’s Stealth roll of 21. The assassin drops to the floor (Acrobatics proficiency!) and uses the Multiattack action, with surprise, thus rolling with advantage both times. The first attack roll is a hit—therefore a crit, because of Assassinate—and also a Sneak Attack, for 2d6 + 3 weapon damage, plus 4d68d6 Sneak Attack damage, plus 7d614d67d6 poison damage (halved if Lord Milan makes his saving throw). Her second attack roll is also a critical hit but not a Sneak Attack, and it does 2d6 + 3 weapon damage plus another 7d6 14d67d6 poison damage (again, halved on a successful save). Altogether, the maximum possible damage is 22d6 + 6, or 83 hp40d6 + 6, or 146 hp26d6 + 6, or 91 hp on average. Criminy.

That should be enough to remove a target from play. If it’s not, the assassin skedaddles, using the rest of his or her move that turn to get as far away as possible. Note that while the 5E Player’s Handbook specifies that climbing uses 2 feet of movement speed for every 1 foot scaled, it makes no mention of how much movement is consumed by dropping—suggesting that it may in fact consume no movement at all. So after a maneuver like the one described above, or one in which the assassin is hiding in the shadows or behind a drapery and waits for the target to move within reach of his or her weapon, the assassin may still have all of his or her movement available! If the assassin uses an Acrobatic maneuver to escape, such as climbing out a window, or a Stealth maneuver, such as vanishing into a crowd, the chances of escape are improved further, since would-be pursuers might not have the skill to give chase.

I can’t stress this enough: The assassin does not stick around and keep fighting. If that initial strike isn’t enough to finish off the target, too bad. The assassin will try again later, when the right conditions present themselves again. Not now.

Npc Section Of The Dmg Reader

As written, the assassin also carries a light crossbow, so there’s an alternative scenario to the initial attack, which is that the assassin shoots from a place of hiding. Multiattack doesn’t apply to crossbows because of their reloading time, so in this instance, that first attack is everything. The assassin makes the attack roll with advantage, gets a crit on a successful roll, applies the Sneak Attack bonus and the poison damage, for a potential total of 2d8 + 11d615d6 + 3 damage, or an average of 50.564.5 hp. If at all possible, the assassin makes this attack from the maximum normal range of the light crossbow, which is 80 feet. This gives the assassin just enough distance to be able to take a second shot if needed, which will no longer include the bonuses from Assassinate, which applies only to the assassin’s first turn, or Sneak Attack, since the first shot will have given the assassin’s position away. But there’s still that poison damage, so the assassin can do another 1d8 + 7d6 + 3 damage, or 32 hp on average, before skedaddling. That makes this method of assassination approximately as effective as the melee-based method described above.

Any encounter with an assassin is likely to be followed immediately by a chase, so get familiar with the Chases section of the DMG (pages 252–55). It’s worth it!

Next: Religious NPCs, friendly and unfriendly.

Cutpurse

Medium humanoid (any race), any non-lawful, non-good alignment

Armor Class 13 (leather armor)
Hit Points 13 (3d8)
Speed 30 ft

Str 10 (0) Dex 14 (+2) Con 10 (0) Int 10 (0) Wis 12 (+1) Cha 10 (0)

Skills Acrobatics +4, Deception +2, Perception +3, Sleight of Hand +6, Thieves’ Tools +6
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages any one language (usually Common), Thieves’ Cant
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Cunning Action.As a bonus action, the cutpurse can Dash, Disengage, Hide or Use an Object; make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check; or disarm a trap or open a lock using thieves’ tools.

Second-Story Work. The cutpurse can climb at a normal movement rate and can make a running long jump of up to 12 ft.

Actions

Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft or range 20/60 ft, one creature. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.

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