[GeorgeS]

Ok that's alot of questions. I'll tackle a few

If you spawn NPC's in game, follow my tutorial at

http://www.wizardportal.shorturl.com/eqemu/spawning_tut/index.html


You can also use the npc editor and then spawn these using the tutorial - it's up to you. I do use my editor to create them and then spawn in game. I would modify spawns with the spawn editor as it can do things you cannot accomplish in-game.

If you don't want npc's getting attacked, then discourage attacks by making the NPC's summon and insta-kill the attacker.

You could also make a perl script that would summon 5 guards when a npc is attacked.

For creating merchants, use my editor. Create/edit/copy a NPC with my editor then change class to merchant (classid=41) then using the merchant editor,
add items to the merchant's sell list.

In the 3 zones that dissallow combat, their flag in zone table (cancombat=0)
Nexus,POK,POT. Just edit your zone field data so cancombat=0

GeorgeS