NPCs and Consequences

[devonapple]

The rules recommend that nameless NPCs not ever take consequences: taking out a Stress track should be enough to wipe them out.

But what about nameless NPC Monsters with Toughness powers and such? It seems like they should - how far do you usually go with these? Should I just not be making "nameless" -8 Refresh monsters?

[MijRai]

What kind are they? If it were a ghoul, I'd say no. Same for Red lackeys, goblins, and such. But for a White, a more powerful Red, a Goblin noble, Uberghoul, etc? I might give them consequences to represent how tough they are.

[devonapple]

What kind are they? If it were a ghoul, I'd say no. Same for Red lackeys, goblins, and such. But for a White, a more powerful Red, a Goblin noble, Uberghoul, etc? I might give them consequences to represent how tough they are.

My concern is that several advantages of the supernatural Recovery and Toughness powers have to do with shrugging off or minimizing consequences, and if the creatures with those powers aren't using those advantages by racking up consequences and then making them go away, I worry that I am running them as too much of a pushover.

Those powers *do* provide other advantages, like Armor and added Stress Boxes. And perhaps they could be used to "heal" away any appropriate wound-related Aspects placed on them by a Maneuver, as if they were 2- or 4-point Consequences. But I want to make sure that I am running them as an appropriate challenge.

[sinker]

It's really all about pacing isn't it? If you feel that the PCs are breezing through combat then there's no reason not to give some nameless baddie consequences. Really early on I through a group of lycanthropes at a party of PCs and for the same reason I gave them mild consequences. The fight dragged a bit (partly because the party split during the fight) but it wasn't terrible. I haven't done it since though.

[devonapple]

Our first combat was against nameless Triad thugs, and I was giving them consequences (wrong time to do that).

This was a combat with these, which are running about -6. In truth, I threw too many at the players, but through very wise tactics, restricting enemy movement, and combining Zone-wide attacks, they came out on top.

[bibliophile20]

My concern is that several advantages of the supernatural Recovery and Toughness powers have to do with shrugging off or minimizing consequences, and if the creatures with those powers aren't using those advantages by racking up consequences and then making them go away, I worry that I am running them as too much of a pushover.

Those powers *do* provide other advantages, like Armor and added Stress Boxes. And perhaps they could be used to "heal" away any appropriate wound-related Aspects placed on them by a Maneuver, as if they were 2- or 4-point Consequences. But I want to make sure that I am running them as an appropriate challenge.

I made that mistake already; ran a bunch of freshly turned BCV without consequences.  It was a slaughter; five vampires wiped out in as many exchanges (and some glorious teamwork on my PCs part that I don't begrudge them; for at least one of those kills, consequences wouldn't have made a difference, although it made for an awesome case of overkill; a natural +4 on the dice for the PC, a +3 Weapons skill, a Weapon:2, a trio of tagged Maneuvers and Aspects, against... a natural roll of Mediocre for the vamp.)

[jadecourtflunky]

I tend to give nameless npcs concequences, but only minor ones to drag out the fights a bit when the pcs are winning. Instead of "you punch him in the face and he falls down" It becomes "you punch him in the face, breaking his nose, and he clutches it in pain." The player then tags it and takes him out next turn, but he took another turn on the guy instead of moving on and taking out another guy, thereby making the fight a bit longer and more challenging.

[JesterOC]

Instead of taking them out, have your NPC's ask for a concession, that way they are out of the fight, but not destroyed, and can come back in later scenes, if the PC's don't take the concession, let them take the consequence and keep fighting. That way if the PC's are out for blood, they will find out how tough these bad boys are, and if they just want to accomplish their goals, they don't have to slog through all of their consequences.