Hired NPCs

NPC 3D renders.

Hired NPCs are able to be utilized for specific functions.

Node-related NPCs

• Higher tier node NPCs (such as NPC guards) may be available when certain service buildings (such as the barracks) is upgraded by the mayor, or when the node achieves certain relics, or specific node policies are enacted.
• Mercenary NPCs can also be hired ahead of certain events.

Player-hired NPCs

• NPCs that exist on freeholds may be available when certain freehold buildings are upgraded relating to artisan progression.
  • There will be different costs associated with hiring higher tier NPC assistants.
• NPCs hired by players are able to be customized via the character creator. Node-related NPCs are not able to be customized.

Those are specific types of NPCs that have specific functions; and for example, on the freehold, we've always talked about in the past having certain NPCs that are capable of rotating crops or planting and/or watering, doing certain process-oriented functions that are available to the user to acquire. We still have those plans. Those plans will follow a similar pet system functionality, core system functionality, where they'll have actions that can be dictated by the user. – Steven Sharif

Q: How advanced is it going to be? How advanced is going to be the system of hiring and customizing?

A: Relatively advanced. I think there's a few paths that you can take when it comes to training up those types of NPC aids. What things that they can do. I think there's going to be different tiers and costs associated with higher level assistance on the freehold. But the same is true for mercenaries that nodes can hire, or castles can place with regards to sieges and/or wars and/or events. Like you have a very base functioning level of mercenaries with set of equipment and skill rotations and behavior trees that are possible at a fundamental level. And then as you upgrade the node's barracks, as you might upgrade- you might achieve certain Relics that you gain or enact certain policies that allow you to dial up the stats of those mercenaries. The same thing is true for the NPCs that can exist on freeholds, except those might be more predicated to service buildings that relate to artisanship. And that might be one of the reasons why it's beneficial to own a freehold in one particular node versus another- is based off of what amenities are now available to your freehold as a result of that node selection. – Steven Sharif

List of hired NPCs

• Farmhands
• Mercenary NPCs
• NPC guards
• Player stall NPCs
• Tavern NPCs

Farmhand NPCs

Based on node type and progression, players will be able to hire NPCs to work as farmhands on their freehold farms. Players will be able to command these farmhands in-game as well as potentially offline via an application (mobile app) or web interface.

• Crop rotation management.
• Plant or harvest specific crops.

Mercenary NPCs

Mercenary gear set. 3D model by Jan-Allen Cauton.

Mercenary NPCs can be hired to participate in node and castle sieges.

• Varying tiers of mercenary NPCs may be unlocked based on the investment made in their progression. Highest tier NPC mercenaries are referred to as heros.
  • Mayors are able to allocate treasury funding to hire mercenary NPCs to defend their node during sieges.
  • Nodes can invest in upgrade paths that give a greater selection of roles and quality (gear level) of NPC mercenaries used for caravan defense.
  • NPC mercenaries can be hired to participate in castle sieges based on the allocation made by the governing castle and how successful they have been defending their castle nodes.
  • These mechanics are subject to change based on testing and priorities.

• Neither player or NPC mercenaries are present node wars.

• Players can assign mercenary NPCs, but won't micromanage them, in a similar manner to pets.

There are mercenary NPCs that can be assigned to players. We've discussed about that before and those will follow generically... a pet system even adopted majority of the pet system with the added bonus of objective based points of interest that you can assign them to. But we don't want to inundate the field with these mercenaries they'll be few and far between. They'll be assigned specifically like let's say for example as the mayor of a node during a siege you'll be able to assign these two specific players that are citizens within your node and then they'll have those they'll spawn during the during the node siege; or vice versa and the castle siege guild leaders can assign mercenaries that are available based on the progress of those subsidiary nodes around the castle siege whether or not you have those available to your defense or your attack. – Steven Sharif

NPC guards

Guard uniform.

NPC guards will kill corrupted players on sight.

• NPC guards are capable of being killed, but they have high skill levels, damage mitigation, and power levels.

Guards are capable of being killed. However, that is a very tall barrier to surpass; meaning that their skill level is relatively high. Their damage mitigation, their output, and power: those things are very difficult to overcome. But they can be killed; and again you can upgrade guards through policies, through upgrades within the barracks structures; and you can even place mercenaries and guards ahead of certain events. – Steven Sharif

• Mayors of nodes can unlock higher tier NPC guards through policies or by upgrading their barracks service building.

Some of the following information has not been recently confirmed by the developers and may not be on the current development roadmap.

• NPC guards may be available for hire to defend freeholds after a successful node siege. NPC guards that permanently exist on a freehold are not a planned feature.

Tavern NPCs

The way that the tavern NPCs are going to work is you'll have patrons of either in-node taverns that will have the ability to list items as part of that NPC's merchant store and those items will mainly be around food and drink; and those types of craftable things that are relevant to these taverns; and those items will grant buffs based on proximity. And then additionally players can build taverns on their freeholds- we've discussed this in the past- they will list their craftable foods and drinks and whatnot with their NPC at that tavern as well; and players who interact with that can purchase them- have a drink at the tavern, eat some food at the tavern; and that'll give them a buff for a period of time as long as they remain proximity of that freehold. – Steven Sharif

Tavern NPCs ("bartenders") are merchants that are present in Taverns in nodes and on freeholds.

• Tavern NPCs sell food, drinks, and other crafted items that have been made for that tavern. Consuming these items will grant buffs for a period of time, providing the character remains in proximity to the tavern.

You're going to probably want to sell items to other players more than necessarily tavern merchants but they'll be there as well. – Jeffrey Bard

Player stall NPCs

Attendant NPCs may assigned to occupy a player stall while that player is not online.

• Player stall NPCs may be an "image" of the player.

See also

• NPCs
• NPC types