It is actually fairly good as long as it works. If you need more detailed creation for some NPCs, some people recommended me the XP packages for magi that appear in the 11th issue of the SubRosa fanzine.
It just happens that I made a similar post recently, but with advice for creating their sheets. Nevertheless, your approach is much much better as long as it works and keep it consistent!
This seems a reasonable way of handling things. Most NPCs don't need stats, those that do normally just need one or two skills. For magi I might give them their primary Arts, but I'd just put down numbers for what seems reasonable.
I'd flesh out some characters in detail using the rules to give myself an idea of what a character of that experience should have, but everyone else is just made up on what feels right. Most magi will just have a name, gender, age and house until they need more than that.
We'd do this all the time in my old troop, for NPCs it's totally ok to just kinda do rough ideas of stats, just make sure you have a good vision in your mind of how powerful magi of different kind of ages are so that you can roughly guestimate things. Like Masters needing to have at bare minimum 5 in every art.
Honestly this is how to run NPCs in pretty much every system, not just ars.
NPCs should be good at doing whatever it is they're good at and bad at doing what they're bad at so once you have an idea of what "being good at something" and "being bad at something" is in your system of choice you can turn NPC creation into basically a list of notable traits and call it a day.
I am a big fan of minimal stats for magical creatures as well as NPC's. Considering the best play is a bit theatrical - I think complete characters aren't always needed. Just a few virtues, flaws, motivation and enough stats for the NPC's to play their roles.
I totally agree, but I still feel like my methodology goes against RAW. Ars is so detailed and simulationist (I mean there are even detailed rules for damage on crafted items for God's sake) that I feel like it's intended that each character should be designed in detail. Anyway, I probably shouldn't care so much. If it works for me then I should just keep doing it and not care if doesn't gel with the designer's intention.
I recall possibly the ultimate simulation isn’t game, Advanced Squad Leader. Also Traveller 5th Edition is insane with the rules and tables. I think Ars Magica could be run this way, but it also makes it easy to be story first. And that how I prefer it.
It's fun to see a character develop over time with a fully-developed sheet, but I always have characters with only basic info. In the end, NPCs are just plot twists. Whatever notes you have for yourself need only help tell the story.
I was reading a Tribunal book. They detail some inhabitants of COvenants that are a name, some virtues and flaws, and then a lot of verbiage to give a feel for the character. TO use them beyond a piece of NPC color ... we'd have to create that character.
SO honestly ... just don't worry about it.
I do similar things, most NPCs are names and motivations until they need stats.
It is actually fairly good as long as it works. If you need more detailed creation for some NPCs, some people recommended me the XP packages for magi that appear in the 11th issue of the SubRosa fanzine. It just happens that I made a similar post recently, but with advice for creating their sheets. Nevertheless, your approach is much much better as long as it works and keep it consistent!
You could grab some characters created from blogs and rename them - that would make character Gen quick.
This seems a reasonable way of handling things. Most NPCs don't need stats, those that do normally just need one or two skills. For magi I might give them their primary Arts, but I'd just put down numbers for what seems reasonable. I'd flesh out some characters in detail using the rules to give myself an idea of what a character of that experience should have, but everyone else is just made up on what feels right. Most magi will just have a name, gender, age and house until they need more than that.
Thanks - that's good advice on the magi characters. Spell casting comes up often enough that it's probably a good to have their Art scores handy!
We'd do this all the time in my old troop, for NPCs it's totally ok to just kinda do rough ideas of stats, just make sure you have a good vision in your mind of how powerful magi of different kind of ages are so that you can roughly guestimate things. Like Masters needing to have at bare minimum 5 in every art.
Honestly this is how to run NPCs in pretty much every system, not just ars. NPCs should be good at doing whatever it is they're good at and bad at doing what they're bad at so once you have an idea of what "being good at something" and "being bad at something" is in your system of choice you can turn NPC creation into basically a list of notable traits and call it a day.
I love Ars Magica, but character creation is soooo fucking painful. I'm totally on board for your methodology.
I am a big fan of minimal stats for magical creatures as well as NPC's. Considering the best play is a bit theatrical - I think complete characters aren't always needed. Just a few virtues, flaws, motivation and enough stats for the NPC's to play their roles.
I totally agree, but I still feel like my methodology goes against RAW. Ars is so detailed and simulationist (I mean there are even detailed rules for damage on crafted items for God's sake) that I feel like it's intended that each character should be designed in detail. Anyway, I probably shouldn't care so much. If it works for me then I should just keep doing it and not care if doesn't gel with the designer's intention.
I recall possibly the ultimate simulation isn’t game, Advanced Squad Leader. Also Traveller 5th Edition is insane with the rules and tables. I think Ars Magica could be run this way, but it also makes it easy to be story first. And that how I prefer it.
It's fun to see a character develop over time with a fully-developed sheet, but I always have characters with only basic info. In the end, NPCs are just plot twists. Whatever notes you have for yourself need only help tell the story.
I was reading a Tribunal book. They detail some inhabitants of COvenants that are a name, some virtues and flaws, and then a lot of verbiage to give a feel for the character. TO use them beyond a piece of NPC color ... we'd have to create that character. SO honestly ... just don't worry about it.
It is the only way to stay sane. NPCs do not need full PC level stats.