Minor NPCs

Basics:

The Mechwarrior Third Edition book lists four levels of basic NPCs to act as models for the gamemaster. If you break down their statistics you'll notice the following quantities of attribute points and skill points.

Attributes Skills
Bystander 38 23
Thug 44 56
Soldier 50 92
Elite 59 157

This should help with comparing the average joe with the average PC. You can tell at a glance that most PCs are equal to the average "soldier" listed, while an "elite" is much better all around than the starting PCs. Most of the people that the PC will interact with on a daily basis are of the "bystander" mold.

Templates:

The following templates take the basic molds from the book and tailor them slightly to various roles within the battletech universe. Having these printed on notecards or something is extremely useful when you need a skill or an attribute check with an NPC that you've had to create on the fly. Items in italics are either considered optional to the character or up to the gamemaster's judgement to fill in (even more than usual). Lastly, the NPCs listed are rated 1 - 4, based on which of the above "levels" they most closely fit.

Astech Tech Senior Tech
Bartender Bouncer Comstar Acolyte
Comstar Adept Comstar Demi Precentor Comstar Precentor
Doctor Surgeon Driver
Farmer Factory Worker Infantry Grunt
Infantry Sergeant Lawyer Manager
Mechwarrior Regular Merchant Minor Noble
Pawn Broker Pick Pocket Police Officer
Programmer Sales Clerk Secretary
Security Guard Scientist Ship Crew
Spy Student Teacher
Bureaucrat Street Tough Pirate Infantry
Reporter . .

Astech 1
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 4
Int 5 Wil 4
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 4 . .
Career/Tech +3 Tech/primary +2
Tech/others +1 . .
Equipment: basic tool kit, coveralls

Tech 2
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 6 Ref 5
Int 6 Wil 5
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Tech +4 Tech/primary +4
Tech/others +2 Perception +2
Equipment: basic tool kit, coveralls

Senior Tech 3
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 6 Ref 5
Int 6 Wil 6
Cha 5 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Tech +5 Tech/primary +6
Tech/others +4 Perception +4
Brawling +2 Scrounge +3
Equipment: deluxe tool kit, coveralls

Bartender 2
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 5
Int 5 Wil 5
Cha 6 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Bartender +4 Streetwise +4
Brawling +2 Perception +2
Equipment: apron, sawed-off shotgun

Bouncer 2
Str 6 Bod 6
Dex 4 Ref 6
Int 4 Wil 5
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Brawling +4 Streetwise +4
Blade +2 Perception +2
Equipment: leather vest, brass knuckles

Comstar Acolyte 1
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 4 Ref 4
Int 5 Wil 5
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 4 . .
Career/Comstar +3 Tech/primary +1
Interest/Words of Blake +1 . .
Equipment: hooded robes or jumpsuit

Comstar Adept 2
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 5
Int 6 Wil 6
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Comstar +4 Tech/primary +3
Comms/HPG +2 Perception +2
Interest/Words of Blake +2 . .
Equipment: hooded robes or jumpsuit

Comstar Demi Precentor 3
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 6 Ref 5
Int 6 Wil 6
Cha 5 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Comstar +5 Tech/primary +5
Comms/HPG +4 Perception +4
Protocol +2 Interest/Words of Blake +3
Equipment: hooded robes or jumpsuit, noteputer

Comstar Precentor 4
Str 5 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 5
Int 6 Wil 7
Cha 6 Soc 5
Edg 6 . .
Career/Comstar +6 Bureaucracy +4
Tech/primary +5 Protocol +4
Comms/HPG +4 Leadership +3
Perception +2 Interest/Words of Blake +4
Equipment: hooded robes or jumpsuit, noteputer

Doctor 2
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 6 Ref 5
Int 6 Wil 6
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Doctor +4 Medtech +4
First Aid +2 Perception +2
Equipment: advanced medical kit, lab coat

Surgeon 3
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 7 Ref 5
Int 7 Wil 6
Cha 4 Soc 4
Edg 5 . .
Career/Doctor +5 Medtech +6
Surgery +4 Perception +4
First Aid +3 . .
Equipment: field surgery kit, lab coat

Driver 1
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 4
Int 4 Wil 4
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 4 . .
Career/Driver +3 Streetwise +2
Fast Talk +1 Pilot/Wheeled +2
Equipment: cap, coat

Farmer 1
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 4 Ref 4
Int 4 Wil 4
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 4 . .
Career/Farmer +3 Rifle +2
Riding or Pilot/Wheeled +1 . .
Equipment: sturdy clothes

Factory Worker 1
Str 4 Bod 4
Dex 5 Ref 4
Int 4 Wil 4
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 4 . .
Career/Factory Worker +3 Pilot/Wheeled +2
Streetwise +1 . .
Equipment: jumpsuit

Infantry Grunt 2
Str 5 Bod 6
Dex 5 Ref 6
Int 4 Wil 5
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 4 . .
Career/Soldier +4 Rifle +4
Martial Arts/Military +1 Tactics/Infantry +1
Nav/Ground +1 First Aid +1
Support Weapons +1 . .
Equipment: assault rifle, uniform, helmet, grenades, personal comm, bayonette, rucksack w/basic survival kit

Infantry Sergeant 3
Str 6 Bod 6
Dex 5 Ref 6
Int 5 Wil 6
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 4 . .
Career/Soldier +5 Rifle +5
Martial Arts/Military +2 Tactics/Infantry +4
Nav/Ground +2 First Aid +1
Support Weapons +2 Leadership +2
Equipment: assault rifle, uniform, helmet, grenades, personal comm, bayonette, rucksack w/basic survival kit

Lawyer 2
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 5
Int 6 Wil 6
Cha 5 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Lawyer +4 Law +4
Negotiation +2 Perception +2
Fast Talk +2 Bureaucracy +2
Equipment: suit, briefcase

Manager 2
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 5
Int 5 Wil 5
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Manager +4 Administration +4
Bureaucracy +2 Perception +2
Equipment: work clothes, clipboard

Mechwarrior Regular 3
Str 5 Bod 5
Dex 6 Ref 6
Int 5 Wil 6
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 4 . .
Career/Soldier +4 Gunnery/Mech/All +3
Piloting/Mech +2 Tactics/Mech +2
Nav/Ground +1 Sensor Ops +1
Martial Arts/Military +1 First Aid +1
Pistol +1 Leadership +1
Equipment: shorts, cooling vest and neurohelmet or uniform, autopistol

Merchant 2
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 5
Int 6 Wil 5
Cha 4 Soc 4
Edg 5 . .
Career/Merchant +4 Negotiation +4
Administration +2 Perception +2
Equipment: work clothes, noteputer

Minor Noble 4
Str 5 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 5
Int 6 Wil 7
Cha 6 Soc 5
Edg 6 . .
Administration +5 Bureaucracy +6
Negotiation +4 Protocol +4
Seduction +4 Leadership +3
Perception +2 . .
Equipment: fine clothes, jewelry

Pawnbroker 2
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 5
Int 5 Wil 5
Cha 5 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Pawnbroker +3 Negotiation +4
Appraisal +2 Perception +1
Fast Talk +2 Pistol +1
Equipment: rumpled clothes, revolver

Pickpocket 1
Str 4 Bod 4
Dex 6 Ref 4
Int 5 Wil 4
Cha 4 Soc 2
Edg 5 . .
Streetwise +3 Stealth +2
Blade +1 Scrounge +1
Equipment: leather jacket, switchblade

Police Officer 2
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 5
Int 5 Wil 5
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Police +4 Streetwise +4
Martial Arts/Military +1 Pistol +2
Law +2 Perception +2
Intimidation +1 . .
Equipment: pistol, handcuffs, baton, flak vest, personal communicator, uniform

Programmer 2
Str 4 Bod 4
Dex 5 Ref 5
Int 6 Wil 4
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Programmer +4 Computers +4
Perception +1
Equipment: rumpled clothes, noteputer

Sales Clerk 1
Str 4 Bod 4
Dex 5 Ref 4
Int 4 Wil 4
Cha 5 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Sales +3 Negotiation +2
Fast Talk +1 Interest/product +1
Equipment: work clothes, name tag

Secretary 1
Str 4 Bod 4
Dex 5 Ref 4
Int 4 Wil 4
Cha 5 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Secretary +3 Bureaucracy +2
Computers +1 . .
Equipment: work clothes, name tag, noteputer

Security Guard 2
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 5
Int 5 Wil 5
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Guard +4 Perception +4
Martial Arts/Military +1 Pistol +2
Intimidation +1 . .
Equipment: pistol, handcuffs, baton, flak vest, personal communicator, uniform

Scientist 3
Str 4 Bod 4
Dex 5 Ref 5
Int 7 Wil 6
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Scientist +5 Academics/primary +6
Academics/others +4 Perception +4
Bureaucracy +2 . .
Equipment: noteputer, lab coat

Ship Crew 1
Str 5 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 4
Int 4 Wil 4
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 4 . .
Career/Crew +3 Zero-G Ops +2
Tech or Gunnery +1 . .
Equipment: coveralls

Spy 3
Str 5 Bod 5
Dex 6 Ref 6
Int 7 Wil 6
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Spy +5 Stealth +6
Disguise +3 Perception +4
Escape Artist +2 Pistol +2
Fast Talk +2 Security Systems +2
Acting +1 Computers +1
Equipment:Disguise Kit, Lockpicking kit, Hold-out Pistol, Micro-Comm, Micro-Camera

Student 1
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 4
Int 5 Wil 4
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 4 . .
Academics +2 Streetwise +2
Perception +1 . .
Equipment: rumpled clothes, books

Teacher 2
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 5
Int 6 Wil 5
Cha 4 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Teacher +4 Academics +4
Training +2 Perception +2
Equipment: rumpled clothes, books

Bureaucrat 1
Str 3 Bod 4
Dex 5 Ref 4
Int 5 Wil 4
Cha 3 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Bureaucracy +3 Negotiation +2
Administration +2 Perception +1
Equipment: Official clothes, notepad

Street Tough 1
Str 5 Bod 5
Dex 4 Ref 5
Int 3 Wil 5
Cha 3 Soc 2
Edg 5 . .
Brawling +3 Streetwise +2
Blades +1 . .
Equipment: Gang colors, brass knuckles or knife

Pirate Infantry 2
Str 5 Bod 6
Dex 5 Ref 6
Int 4 Wil 5
Cha 3 Soc 1
Edg 5 . .
Career/Pirate +2 SMG +4
Brawling +2 Tactics/Infantry +1
Equipment: SMG, grenades, personal comm, knife, rucksack w/basic survival kit

Reporter 2
Str 4 Bod 5
Dex 5 Ref 4
Int 4 Wil 6
Cha 5 Soc 3
Edg 5 . .
Career/Reporter +4 Acting +4
Interrogation +1 Seduction +1
Fast Talk +3 Perception +1
Comms/Conventional +1 . .
Equipment:Stylish or Durable clothing, Still Camera or Vid Camera, Notepad, Pocket Recorder

More templates will continue to be added. Send suggestions and comments!

By Jeremey M. Davis

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