How do YOU determine # of FATE points for NPC enemies?

[JesterPoet]

So I've always kind of assigned FATE points to enemies by whim, but I'm wondering how the rest of you determine how many points an enemy should have.  If an enemy already starts with negative refresh, how do you figure out how many points to give them?

[Deadmanwalking]

If they have Refresh, they start with that many (plus maybe a few more as per this system). If at negatives, I either give them none, or give them a Compel involving their life or plan for each FP I give 'em.

For example, a main villain with a Trouble Aspect of 'Hubris On An Epic Scale' and a -2 total Refresh, I might start with 2 FP but 4 pre-game Compels based on that very thing (having killed an informant who had concealed something they needed, for example)...which can likely be exploited by the PCs. I might leave a couple of these undefined so PCs can make Declarations about them (in which case the NPC gets no FP for those Declarations being tagged for effect...they came pre-paid).

That example is basically what was going on with Grevane in Dead Beat, by the way.

This isn't quite the official way to do it, but it usually works out pretty well.

[Lavecki121]

I give all Npc characters a pool of fate points per session. the total number is equal to either one or two points for every PC, depending on how long a session will be.

[JDK002]

I give all Npc characters a pool of fate points per session. the total number is equal to either one or two points for every PC, depending on how long a session will be.

Generally I do this.  Though I do the mat different, I usually go with the total unspent refresh level of all players combined.  Though typically I have important antagonist npcs have their own seperate pools, and they gain FP either by direct compel or when the players cause a significant set back for the character.

Sometimes the model I use will differ slightly based on the kind of scenario I'm running.

[Lavecki121]

I also let my PC`s compel NPC`s and if the NPC accepts it then that gets added to the pool.

[JesterPoet]

Very interesting.  Thanks guys!

[InFerrumVeritas]

I start every session with a pool of fate points equal to our game's refresh level.  Named NPCs have fate points calculated based off of that refresh level.  Recurring villains have +2FP and 1 for every consequence the PCs have ever inflicted.

[Auspice]

I come from a different school of thought.  I actually tend to NOT give any NPCs Fate points but to occasionally throw one out there in extreme circumstances.  Going with the flow of the story is something that takes a long time to get used to (learning how to balance difficulty with enjoyment of the players) but is an important skill.

I'm like this with all aspects of NPCS, though.  Sometimes when I think an attack was interesting enough, I might simply decide that it's fatal (or instantly works in the case of a sleep spell or something).  On other occasions, I will add to a skill, roll, etc. of an NPC when I feel it makes sense.  You have to be careful with this, though, so it doesn't feel like BS to the players.  If they feel like their efforts mean nothing because I will simply add more and more, the flow of the story has been interrupted.

[Aminar]

I suppose were I to give them FP I would base it off of the games refresh rate and give them appropriate amounts. 
However only named characters should really be able to use them and only if they aren't past the point of no refresh left.  Conceptually FP represent free will, something most of the enemies in the game don't have.  Although given some things from CD I can see some characters...  Now I'm thinking on spoilery grounds....  Off to the spoilers section.

[admiralducksauce]

My last game, I used the Fate Core guidelines of a "GM pool" of 1 FP per player per scene and it seemed to work out pretty well. I'll keep doing that until it stops working.

[Aminar]

My last game, I used the Fate Core guidelines of a "GM pool" of 1 FP per player per scene and it seemed to work out pretty well. I'll keep doing that until it stops working.

Ooh.  I hadn't gotten to that bit yet.  I like the GM Pool better than working out by character(barring exceptions akin to A Marcone/Kincaid style character.)  Among other things, because I never used them my last party had a long adjustment period to FP...

[Crion]

Before reading the FateCore book, I went by 1 FP for each player, plus a number equal to the highest number of Fate Points a player starts with (unspent refresh) for the session. For example, at my table, I would get 7 Fate Points: I have four players and one of my players starts with 3 Fate Points.

This has worked out so far, as my players do a great deal of roleplaying and I reward them with points, usually from outside of this pool for their own self-compels.

I was contemplating using the per-scene option from FateCore with my own version, and give the PCs their Fate Points for self or GM compels from that pool.

[admiralducksauce]

Before reading the FateCore book, I went by 1 FP for each player, plus a number equal to the highest number of Fate Points a player starts with (unspent refresh) for the session. For example, at my table, I would get 7 Fate Points: I have four players and one of my players starts with 3 Fate Points.

This has worked out so far, as my players do a great deal of roleplaying and I reward them with points, usually from outside of this pool for their own self-compels.

I was contemplating using the per-scene option from FateCore with my own version, and give the PCs their Fate Points for self or GM compels from that pool.

Was your original system for the session or per scene?

[Crion]

Was your original system for the session or per scene?

Originally it was just for the session. I didn't really need more than that due to the aforementioned self-compels and the more RP than rolling my group tends to do.

That, and the games normally only run 3-6 hours depending on the week, so. . .

[fantazero]

Is your NPC Human? Then he gets say 5 Fate Points
Fae? Zero Fate Points
White Court? 2 Fate Points
Black Court? 0 Fate Points
Red Court? 1 Fate Point (Maybe)
Denarian? 2 Fate Points

It's about Free will, the Undead, Fae's ect don't have Free Will. White Court Vampires and Red Court do to some extent.

I was in a game once where the GM kept tagging Aspects from his unlimited Fate Point Pool when they didn't apply and when a Black Court Vampire shouldn't have any.

It got so bad, we had to reign him in and start House Ruling stuff