Based on several runs through Wizardry 7, I have rated the roaming NPCs based on the following tiers. If you think differently, please let me know!Tier 1 - Shritis.
He destroys anyone and everyone in his path who isn't allied with him, including Rodan and Xen. He's clearly the strongest of them all.
Tier 2 - Rodan Lewarx and Xen Xheng.
Rodan tends to eliminate all the lesser beings on Guardia, most especially the two Rattkin and D'Rang. Moreover, I've never seen Xen lose to anyone besides Shritis. Since the Umpani like the Munk and vice versa, and these two never fight, I cannot tell who is the stronger between them.
Tier 3 - King Ulgar and Ratsputin.
These two are killers. Ulgar is a xenophobic king, and tends to start fights with all manner of different races... and usually doesn't get killed until he picks a fight with Rodan or Xen. Ratsputin is king of the "lesser" NPCs, and I've had games where he's eliminated Gruntwrapper, Rhallick, Galiere and Boerigard, all in the same game. What a monster.
Tier 4 - Lt. Gruntwrapper, Tracker Rhallick, D'Rang T'Rang, Lord Galiere, Capt. Boerigard, Jan-Ette and Kymas Turan.
All these guys are in the same Tier because they fight a lot amongst themselves, but the fights usually end in a draw or one or the other party escaping. Tiers 1-3 are usually the killers among the lot.
Tier 5 - Mick the Pick.
No other NPC gets squashed as consistently early as good ol' Mick.
Tier ? - Brother Tshober.
Though about as strong as Mick the Pick, Brother T is invulnerable. If you kill him, his ghost accosts you at the bridge for revenge. It wouldn't make sense, after all, if Shritis killed him and he attacked you out of spite, so I guess he was programmed not to die.
Any corrections, comments?
Chris