Non-Player Character

**Non-Player Character** is a general type of character or creature in Fallout: New Orleans.

## Characteristics

A non-player character—normally abbreviated to NPC—is any character controlled by the gamemaster. The Gamemaster decides on an NPC’s motives, their nature, and the actions they take. There are two main categories of NPC: creatures and characters.

A creature is a simpler kind of NPC, normally used to represent mutated animals, feral creatures, and similar bestial foes. Everything from mole rats and radroaches to feral ghouls and deathclaws are creatures. Creatures use a simplified set of statistics.

A character is an intelligent being, little different from a player character. They have a full set of S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes and derived statistics.

### Level

Like player characters, all NPCs have a level. This is a rough indicator of how hardy and dangerous a creature or character is overall, and how much of a challenge they are to overcome

### Type

All NPCs fall into one of several categories:

* Normal NPCs are the default, following the normal rules as laid out in this chapter. 
* Mighty creatures are more potent versions of a common type of creature, which are more dangerous than their level alone would indicate. They’re somewhat rare, and they tend to be encountered as leaders if that type of creature is found in groups. 
* Legendary creatures are strange, mutated versions of common creatures, which adapt quickly when hurt. They’re exceedingly rare and tend to be much more potent than other creatures of their level. 
* Notable characters are significant individuals, often the leaders of small groups of survivors or raiders, or the lieutenants to a more powerful leader in large groups. They tend to have better skills and better gear than others of their level, and often a special rule or two. 
* Major characters are the most important and influential people in the wastelands, with control over large groups of people or even major factions. They have better attributes and skills than others of their level and keep the best items for themselves. Major characters are always unique individuals with their own specific names and capabilities, comparable to player characters in many ways.

### Keywords

NPCs often have an additional keyword or two that notes something specific about them. This has no direct effect on the rules, but other rules may refer to these keywords, and they can serve as a useful reminder of an NPC’s underlying nature or allegiance. Common keywords include:

* Human
* Raider
* Brotherhood
* Ghoul
* Super Mutant
* Robot
* Mutated
* Mammal
* Lizard
* Insect

## Defeating or Overcoming NPCs

Enemy NPCs reduced to 0 health points are dead unless the attacker chooses otherwise. Major characters start dying in the same way as PCs, and the Gamemaster must start making **END + Survival** test.

Enemy NPCs are overcome if the threat they pose is conclusively avoided, such as sneaking past a group of foes to get at what they’re guarding (and getting back out again) or persuading them not to fight. Enemies are not overcome if the PCs only avoid them for a short time—sneaking past a Mister Gutsy on guard duty doesn’t earn any XP if it catches the PCs later.

When an Enemy NPC is defeated or overcome, each PC receives the total XP for the scene based on the combined XP values of the NPCs present.

The experience an NPC grants is determined by the NPC’s level and type, as detailed in the XP by NPC Level table.

* Mighty creatures are worth double the amount of XP for their level. 
* Legendary creatures are worth triple the amount of XP for their level. 
* Notable characters are worth double the amount of XP for their level.
* Major characters are worth triple the amount of XP for their level.