Loremaster Characters in Battle

[HalifaxDM]

I looked for a while and I could not find the answer but when a Loremaster character becomes involved in a fight (either alongside or against the companions) how do you determine what their parry is?

Do they have access to any resources like hate or hope? If so, how many and how do you determine what kind of Special Abilities they get?

I realize that I can just assign values to things as needed to fit the campaign (and in a pinch I would likely base them on the attribute level) but it would be nice to have some guidelines. It seems a little odd to expect Loremaster characters to never get involved in combat.

[TheMonarchGamer]

While I'm not the most experienced, I'd just recommend stat-ing them out like villains. That's what I've done, at least. I think there's a page that talks about that, but not sure. I believe it's at the end of the Loremaster Section, not in the Shadow section.
-TMG

Edit:
It's page 216. I'd also recommend looking for my post a while back called something like: 'Help Balancing Combat' or something like that.

[Stormcrow]

Since a player-hero's Parry is based on Wits, you can set a Loremaster character's Parry equal to his Attribute.

If for some reason you think his Parry should be more or less than that, just set it arbitrarily.

[HalifaxDM]

Well that is more or less what I have been doing although I just use their attribute level as their parry and such. The problem that I stumble over is converting Loremaster characters to adversaries (or their equivalent for allies).

For example, Valdis from Darkening of Mirkwood. She is statted as a LM character but is most likely to be encountered as an adversary but she doesn't have a Hate score or any special abilities fueled by Hate.

[HalifaxDM]

I'd also recommend looking for my post a while back called something like: 'Help Balancing Combat' or something like that.

This was a pretty useful thread. Thanks.

[TheMonarchGamer]

Cool, glad to help. In my game, I just gave my LM characters monsters abilities that I considered appropriate (or modified them slightly) and a number of hate points (I called them hope for the 'good' npc's) that I thought was appropriate.
-TMG

[HalifaxDM]

Cool, glad to help. In my game, I just gave my LM characters monsters abilities that I considered appropriate (or modified them slightly) and a number of hate points (I called them hope for the 'good' npc's) that I thought was appropriate.
-TMG

Yea that is what I have done. It would be nice to have a bigger selection of abilities to choose from though. I may scour through the adventure books for any that may have been given to adversaries and allies in them.

[Stormcrow]

Don't feel constrained by the rules of the game. If you need an adversary and don't have one, just make something up that sounds right. You don't have to take everything out of a book. You run the game; the game doesn't run you.

Avoid seeking special abilities for every adversary. That can lead to players wondering what the next one's super powers will be. Most people are just people; have them behave appropriately.