Class features for NPCs
If someone turns your own weapons against you, dramatic scenes unfold. In Dungeons & Dragons the PC’s strongest weapons are their class features. A paladin’s smite, a rogue’s sneak attack, a wizard’s fireball. As DMs, we can give class features to NPCs to create a sense of danger and uncertainty for the players. They know how powerful their class features are. Turn their own weapons against them by giving class features to NPCs.
However, creating a D&D 5th-edition character sheet is time consuming. Time that is, most likely, better spent on other preparation activities. In addition, we don’t want our NPCs to be too predictable. If a rogue PC fights a rogue NPC, they likely know every trick in the book, and the combat quickly becomes stale. How do we create the drama of turning the PCs against them, without it consuming too much time, and without combats becoming too predictable?
Class feature hacks: let NPCs break the rules
Instead of building a whole character sheet for an NPC, give them one class feature, and then hack it. Let the NPC break the rules. Use a single class feature, like the rogue’s sneak attack for a roguish NPC, but then tweak it or add a related but novel feature, like letting a successful sneak attack paralyze the target.
Here’s a list of examples, one for each class, using a single class feature and then “hacking it.”
| Class | Class Feature | Class Feature Hack |
|---|---|---|
| Artificer | Infuse Item | Wears infused magical +1 armor which deals 4 (1d8) lightning damage to any enemy who hits the artificer with a melee attack. |
| Barbarian | Rage | Makes attacks with advantage but attacks against them have advantage. Each hit of a reckless attack knocks the target prone. |
| Bard | Cutting Words | Uses a reaction to reduce an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check by 1d6. In addition, deal 7 (2d6) psychic damage to the target. |
| Cleric | Spirit Guardians | Casts the spirit guardians spell. On a failed save, targets are also blinded until the start of the NPC’s next turn. |
| Druid | Wild Shape | Transforms into a beast with any kind of speed (swimming, climbing, flying). Changes the beast form as a bonus action on each of the NPC’s turns, retaining any damage taken. |
| Fighter | Action Surge | Takes an additional action. Doubles the NPC’s movement speed, and move without provoking opportunity attacks until the end of the turn. |
| Monk | Flurry of Blows | Makes two extra melee weapon attacks as a bonus action. Each of these can force the target to make a Strength save, knocking them prone or pushing them 10 feet on a failed save. |
| Paladin | Divine Smite | Adds 2d8 radiant damage to an attack. The attack can be melee or ranged. |
| Ranger | Sharpshooter | Takes a -5 penalty to a ranged weapon attack but gain +10 damage on a hit. On a hit, turns invisible until the start of the NPC’s next turn. |
| Rogue | Sneak Attack | Once per turn, deals an extra 10 (3d6) damage. The target must make a Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed until the end of their next turn. |
| Sorcerer | Quickened Spell | Casts two spells in one round, using action and bonus action. |
| Warlock | Eldritch Blast | Casts the eldritch blast spell. Gains temporary HP equal to the damage dealt. |
| Wizard | Fireball | Casts fireball On a failed save, targets are stunned until the end of their next turn. |
NPC Class Feature Hacks
Using these NPC Class Feature Hacks
To quickly create an NPC with these class feature hacks, choose an existing base stat block and add the hack. For example, for a fighter NPC, we choose the thug statblock, and simply note that this thug may use Action Surge once per encounter, and that they can move double their speed without provoking attacks of opportunity on the turn that they use Action Surge. As another example, we can use the mage statblock and let them cast eldritch blast with the class feature hack above to create a warlock NPC.
There are many more class features to be “hacked” for our NPCs. Turn the PCs weapons against them, and create drama by letting NPCs break the rules for class features which players know and love.