Training NPCs

"What can you do for me?"

Play any level-based tabletop game for long and you'll most likely meet someone who eventually asks, "Hey, we've met/collected/saved some people who are just kind of sitting around doing useless NPC crap, can I try and teach them some stuff?" Unfortunately, in PTU, the RAW answer is "No, sorry." And that's terrible. Since we're already playing as Pokemon Trainers or some vague analogue, there's no reason we shouldn't be able to train human beings as well. However, don't confuse this with Pokemon training - this is a way for PCs to give NPCs class levels for their own needs. The only resource you need is simply time. This can be a good way to fill in party gaps or give them access to things they normally wouldn't otherwise - the best example is teaching an NPC to be a Mentor so none of the players waste their class slots on it and can focus on beating things to death, but you could just as easily train someone to serve as a bodyguard, of sorts. Just remember that while the PCs are the stars of the show, most NPCs have their own lives outside the purview of players. Probably.

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Level 0 Characters

Everybody has to start somewhere, and you don't get class levels just for being born (usually). To the left is a basic character sheet for a random level 0 villager who's just going about town minding their own business:
Level 0 characters are considered noncombatants and shouldn't be anywhere near a fight, because they will most likely get pasted. There are some key differences between level 0 and level 1 characters.

• Level 0 characters have 5 HP and 1 in every other stat.
• Level 0 characters have 3 Pathetic skills and 1 Novice skill. They do not have any Adept skills until becoming level 1, at which point their Novice skill becomes Adept and they may choose another Novice skill.
• Level 0 characters have one Edge instead of four. The GM may choose what, if any, Edges the NPC has.
• Level 0 characters do not have any Features.
• Level 0 characters only have 1 Action Point instead of 5.

Generic Level 0 NPC Sheet

Name: Rando the NPC
Skills: Novice Pokemon Education
Pathetic Athletics
Pathetic Perception
Pathetic General Education
Edge: Breeder
Overland: 4
Power: 4

HIT POINTS: 25
HP: 5
ATK: 1
DEF: 1
SPATK: 1
SPDEF: 1
SPEED: 1
Weight Class: 4

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NPC Progression

To train a single NPC, one player character must spend X weeks with them, serving as a master to their apprenticeship. X is equal to the level that the NPC will become once training is complete, and it is impossible to skip levels through training. For example, a level 0 NPC merely has to train for 1 week to become level 1, while a level 48 NPC has to train for 49 weeks to become level 49. You cannot train someone who will be equal to your level once training is done - this means that 49th level NPCs must gain their final level on their own, and a PC must be at least level 3 in order to train anyone. Training time does not have to be contiguous - a PC could spend 3 days training an NPC, and then another 4 days later to finish their training to become level 1, but be warned: this may be difficult to keep track of, depending on how much "out of character" time your game features. It is recommended to do training in week-long chunks in between adventures.

Class Restrictions

Naturally, it would be illogical for a group of purely support Trainers to have the knowledge to train other human beings in physical combat, or for a group of humans to turn an NPC into a Vampire after a week of training. However, the majority of restrictions are simple:

• A PC cannot train an NPC in a class that they do not have the corresponding Skill for at Novice Rank.
  (ie. Novice Command for Ace Trainer or Novice Combat AND Intimidate for Berserker)
• NPCs are limited in how many Class Features they can be taught based on the Skill Rank of their teacher (see right).
• NPCs must have any prerequisite Edges to be taught a class.
  (ie. Any kind of Elementalist must have the corresponding Elemental Connection Edge)
• NPCs do not need any prerequisite Features to be taught a class, and automatically learn any corresponding Training Features when learning a class such as Duelist or Rider, as per level 1 PCs.
• NPCs must satisfy any other prerequisites in order to be taught a class.
  (ie. A Stat Ace must be an Ace Trainer first, Type Aces need Pokemon of their chosen type, etc.)
• When deciding which Class Feature the NPC will be taught, the PC must satisfy the Skill Rank requirement of that Feature.
  (ie. An NPC could not be taught Top Percentage unless the PC's Command Rank is Expert or higher.)
• Homebrew classes are left to the GM's discretion as to if they are allowed. NPCs cannot be trained in any Advanced Classes.

NPC Training Progression

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Skill Rank	Class Feature Maximum
Novice	2 Class Features
Adept	4 Class Features
Expert	6 Class Features
Master	8 Class Features

NOTE: NPCs who regularly practice their craft beyond level 0 are assumed to gain 1 TXP every X weeks, where X is equal to the NPC's next level.