15 Traits All Good NPCs Have

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Creating a memorable NPC in D&D and other tabletop RPGs is a snap if you implement these 15 tips!
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14 авг 2023

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Комментарии : 106

@theDMLair 10 месяцев назад

🧙 The Secret Art of Game Mastery! Get decades of GM experience at your fingertips! - www.kickstarter.com/projects/thedmlair/the-secret-art-of-game-mastery?ref=77qgbg 🏪 Shop the store! Get back issues of Lair Magazine, Lairs & Legends, Into the Fey, map packs, 5e adventures, and more! - the-dm-lair.myshopify.com/

@unidentifiableuser9596 10 месяцев назад

If you become a patron can you go back and see old issues of Lair magazine or only the new ones every month? Love what you do!

@Calebgoblin 10 месяцев назад

Colville advice: if the players ask for the name of an NPC that you weren't expecting and weren't prepared for, just say "give me a minute, let me check" and flip through notes until you either find a spare name or you come up with one. What this communicates to your players is that there is indeed an answer, the world is still 'real' and helping uphold the suspension of disbelief.

@Tusitala1967 10 месяцев назад

verisimiLIEtude

@xavierp7658 10 месяцев назад

I always have 3-4 names prior to every session to assign to any NPCs the players ask about

@aronlinde1723 10 месяцев назад

@@xavierp7658I keep the Fantasy Random Name Generator open on my laptop behind the screen.

@PresidentMystry 10 месяцев назад

@@xavierp7658same lol

@luisaymerich9675 10 месяцев назад

One way to chose names quickly and easily can be to start the name with the same letters in the occupation: Shawn Shopkeeper Blake Blacksmith Sherri Sherrif Harvey Herbalist Sergei Sage Gary Guard

@soninhodev7851 10 месяцев назад

0:36 wants and desires 1:08 fears 1:35 likes and dislikes 2:10 "its so you can roleplay them better" 2:35 ad spot 4:00 quirks 5:05 unique voice 4:45 verbal affectations 5:53 place in a hiearchy 7:40 something the npc does 8:43 simple names > complicated names a.e. lord dracula > count stra'ad 10:37 mirror the pcs 11:15 refference irl actors 12:00 one npc at a time 13:00 the limit as pacience aproaches zero, of a very long conversation, is equal to... 13:48 refference other npcs 14:10 dont force it

@joebogart7093 10 месяцев назад

Thanks. Good video but a cliff notes list for quick reference

@GeraldKatz 10 месяцев назад

When I ran Dragonheist the players called Broxley, the halfing innkeeper guildmember "Broccoli". When I played Lost Mine Of Phandever, after we rescued Sildar we couldn't remember his name, only that we rescued him from the goblins when we needed to talk about him. We called him "Dinner" because the goblins were going to eat him.

@PresidentMystry 10 месяцев назад

Infamous npc in one of my groups was Stephan Medani. There were three things that made him infamous with the group: His appearance, his attitude, and his voice/laugh. They loved him because of how much they hated him. He had a hitched pitched, annoying voice and a weird laugh, as well as he dressed almost like a noble mime (mime makeup and noble garb). And he always had this cocky look on his face. He was almost cartoonish. Two years later and my group still will mention his name or do his laugh. And they love to tell other people about him. Sadly that campaign was cut short so we will never know what they would have done to Stephan.

@michaelcohen8259 10 месяцев назад

What I find fascinating...and gratifying...is that my NPCs seem to be memorable. I'm not good at mechanics, but I do seem to be able to bring characters to life. For example, I have a gnome artificer named Gimbles Timbers Stumbleduck (everyone calls him "Ducky"). I was told verbatim how much my players love him. I even had an almost throwaway character become memorable just because of the way he treated the half-orc fighter. He had to explain that it was not the fighter's race but what he was wearing that was bothering him: I gave him a catastrophic fear of metal. The players were intrigued. Finally, I created a nasty, arrogant creep nicknamed "Talon". As I hoped, while he was needed for a mission, the party despised him and played it accordingly. I seem to be almost automatically following your tips, Luke, so I can say they work.

@Amikas117 10 месяцев назад

I absolutely agree with NPCs that the players hate can be just as interesting as ones they love. Sir Pelliton was a relatively minor villain in my campaign, but he will be forever remembered for basically calling the goblin figther in the party the party's pokemeon.

@Tusitala1967 10 месяцев назад

I always run Black Jay from Village of Hommlet as Clint Eastwood. Powerful wizards sometimes end up as Patrick Stewart or Sean Connery. Efete nobles? Rex Harrison. Then my younger players started asking me why Lord Cullingmore sounded like Stewie. Sometimes I use Barry White for Jawas and small Fey creatures like Brownies.

@xavierp7658 10 месяцев назад

My dwarves have a bad Nordic accent. My dwarves are also very Viking inspired. That’s why I have NPCs with names like Skoal Wintergreen

@CJ-hh3gx 10 месяцев назад

One of my Player's favorite NPC's is a Gnome Archmage who regularly alludes to being a former adventurer. She has mused about casting Meteor Swarm on an enemy compound and laughing a little . She also made them muffins. Another is a Dragonborn Potion Maker who is a Clockwork Soul Sorcerer. Whenever he thinks hard, gears appear behind his head like the inner workings of a clock. They also like to gather herbs for him to augment costs.

@darcyw156 10 месяцев назад

Thanks Luke, it's always good to bring more depth to NPC's.

@jarvisebon3273 10 месяцев назад

Great points!! And I literally cheered when Gary the Intern made an entrance into the video. 🤣 I completely understand the Players adoring the weak and pathetic NPC thing, happens all the time in my games. I guess they see innocence through incompetence and want to protect? 🤷😂

@semulationjune 10 месяцев назад

well this video came at the perfect time in my DMing career, cause im in the process of preparing a bunch of NPCs for a game ill be hosting soon. Thanks for collecting all this advice and explaining it in an intuitive way.

@rootfish2671 10 месяцев назад

I only flesh out notable and recurring NPCs. Seems like a waste of time to flesh out a background character the parry will meet once like the guy who puts the horseshoes on horses

@semulationjune 10 месяцев назад

@@rootfish2671 I do the same thing, but for the specific kind of situation that these players have decided to start the campaign in, i need a collection of NPCs names and their most basic information like occupation race and gender, other than that there is only a couple that will be actually given a background because they will actually be interacting with regularly. Thanks for the advice though, if i havent been running games for almost a decade now i probably would have needed to hear it.

@matthewlantz1677 10 месяцев назад

Luke! This was released 8 hours ago and I needed it 24 hours ago! Don't you know this channel is how I keep my campaign together?!

@tuxxle8830 6 месяцев назад

My players got introduced to Kurik, the major NPC going along on the party’s adventures, when he used disguise self to pretend to be a police chief the players needed to meet, and tricked the players into working on his farm because he’s so lazy. When the players found out, he just gave up, and one of the players was affiliated with this chief so instead of getting arrested for impersonating an official of law, Kurik agreed to help the players in their investigation and stay basically handcuffed to them until he finished. This gave players immediate characterization for Kurik as being a bit of a lazy scumbag, but also got to see his desires and an aspect of him beneath those flaws that was a kindhearted soft spoken man on the path to redemption. He’s also a sorcerer, a class not often played as a charlatan.

@TheAwsomeKing77 10 месяцев назад

Figured I’d try to answer these about some of my Npcs Number one: Sam the sandwich loving kobold would like to Make the biggest sandwich in the world Number two: Sylvia silvarn the daughter of the rulers of the Elven empire reads being forced to back home Number three: chrelt the number one employee at the draconic sentiments tavern( owned by a pc btw) loves to cook Number 4 l: Sylvia tends to almost always be eating some kind of sweets or junk food Number 5: Chrelt generally uses simpler words Number 6: I don’t know how to describe any of the voices do sorry Number 7: Sam was a low ranking member of the kobold guard before the players recruited him for the tavern Number 8: Sylvia is again often eating stuff when the party interacts with her Number 9: Sam is pretty easy I’d say Number 10: Kasana hates that one of the pcs was chosen for a special thing over her Number 11: unfortunately due to the nature of my group and myself I don’t think this would work for us Number 12: this happened by accident but kasa showed up after the party finished talking to rocksa Number 13: I got nothing for this Number 14 their are a few Npcs backed in some way but blue silvertongue family an ekven crime family Number 15 while i probably have examples for this the Npcs that have caught on are more memorable

@morrigankasa570 10 месяцев назад

I unfortunately don't have a group to play with:( But, I have created 6 different lvl 1 characters in case I found a group. Anyhow, last year I was potentially going to be a GM for D&D at my local library. Though, no one signed up to play:( Anyway, I created some "House Rules" and 3 NPCs. The first NPC is an ancient Elven Druid Woman inspired by a combination of "Granny from Beverly Hillbillies" & the song "These Old Bones by Dolly Parton". She dresses in a faded elegant dress with hair braided around her head in a sort of crown. She is a Master of Alchemy & "Herbal/Old Wives Remedies" and can somewhat divine the future by rolling "Bone Dice" she also makes some powerful Moonshine:) The second NPC is her Great-Granddaughter inspired by "Elle May from Beverly Hillbillies" combined with "Drusilla from Buffy the Vampire Slayer". Who is a Ranger and Apprentice Alchemist/Diviner. The third NPC is a Bard/Fighter inspired by "Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer" as well as the stereotypical old Folk/Country Singer. He is married to the Ranger and plays the Banjo beautifully. All 3 are "High Elves" and they are basically "Traveling Gypsies" with a Caravan/Wagon pulled by 2 Horses and also have a small pack of very loyal Dogs. You could meet them randomly on almost any road & trade with them.

@michaelmullenfiddler 10 месяцев назад

Resonate. Not resignate. I'm here for ya dude.

@Lord_Godd 10 месяцев назад

I grew up with a Jherefthfthfthfth. Great guy, had a wicked pog collection. Jherefthfthfthfth MacDonald Jr. Named after his Dad.

@orokusaki1243 10 месяцев назад

When the PCs blow off the NPC..have that NPC stalk them, like Pennywise or the guy trying to ask about your car's extended warranty! 🤣

@rootfish2671 10 месяцев назад

Had a homeless befger constantly follow the PC'a around and ask for copper coins. Turns out he's a spy for the local thieves guild and he was keeping tabs on local adventurers who they saw as competition for taking the treasure our of Dungeons

@orokusaki1243 10 месяцев назад

@@rootfish2671 lol perfect!

@vincent-antoinesoucy1872 10 месяцев назад

I think that all those are fine advices, but I'd say it's quite alot of questionning for 1 NPCs, and lets face it, players will likely not care about your director of bio-engeenering but adopt Janitor Joe as their best friend, so just taking a few sec to design NPC and flesh out those that player like is most likely a better use of your time. I use the DNA method myself, Distinct (1-2 specific appreance details, language tic or quirks) Need (what does the NPC need/want) Agenda (1-2 things the character doing in the world ex: guard the city, explore a grotto, develop interest in fine art in the city). I really feel it regroup most of the point and you have to ask yourself 3 questions, takes about 30 seconds.

@rootfish2671 10 месяцев назад

I only spend time fleshing put notable NPCs in an adventure. Background characters get assigned a name from a list I'm my campaign notes if the quest8on is asked

@goranfrka 10 месяцев назад

nice topic selection ! good one Luke

@diddly-squat9332 10 месяцев назад

I'll also say that if a Master doesn't have enough experience with NPCs, or tried something that didn't work, the Players can help him building the character. For example: On a campaign I had, many years ago, in our Guild there was an NPC that didn't have anything particular, but since I didn't remember his name, when he spoke to us (the players) I answered with "Wait, who are you?" and he paused and awkwardly explained who he was and we started a back and forth were I was pretending to not know him at all and he kept trying to convince me that he was always in the guild, and since that exchange, every other player started treating him like someone we didn't know, and was so funny because every time he spoke one of us was like "Wait, who's this guy?" or we were talking about him with made-up names, pretending not to remember his, and from me not remembering an NPC name we created this recurring gag that lasted the entire campaign, and he became one of our favorite ones because it would make us laugh every time.

@princesskanuta3495 10 месяцев назад

Great video!! Thank you.

@jeebay5188 10 месяцев назад

I’ve used npc’s knowing others often. Had a PC randomly ask if there was a coffee shop. Made one up and sent them there, an Npc in that city would have frequented the place so hn they entered and dinged the bell a female clerk called out npc’s name and told them to hang on as they were getting the last of their order ready. They continued going back until they finally met the other person.

@timbomb374 10 месяцев назад

For some reason iv'e always just used regular names for characters. I have enough trouble with regular names lol. Although Jhonanonalonathan is one of my favourites I've used

@Desmaenor 10 месяцев назад

Luke, I really think that players (at least mine) have a malicious pleasure at screwing up with the names I come up with. I think, however, that I hadn 't figured out that "easy" could be an option. I think I just want them to be "genuine"... Thanks for that great work you do!!!

@krikorajemian8524 10 месяцев назад

I often use the "casting" method of developing NPCs. My favorites to play are the high priest who shpeaksh like Sean Connery, the kobold king who sounds like Wallace Shawn (mix of his Princess Bride and Star Trek Deep Space Nine characters), and the fire giant king who sounds like Brian Blessed AND SHOUTS EVERYTHING HE SAYS!

@andrewtomlinson5237 10 месяцев назад

I've been doing this for many years and as you get better at it you can get really specific. I have a little coding system that lets me put a shorthand note in the corner of an NPC sheet that means I can slip back into it quickly. You have to pay attention though or it can get confusing pretty quickly if the Wizards Guild Master suddenly swaps voices with the annoying dock official two cities over... (because I misread my shorthand for "Italian" and slipped into "Irish"...)

@johngillan4475 10 месяцев назад

Thank you for your information video

@BRDoriginal 10 месяцев назад

In session 2 of my campaign I had a young farmer couple. The previous session had the old out of their prime adventuring party leave town to track a bandit lord leaving the party to handle the couples issue instead. My players had some great interaction with them and I dont know how I did it.

@rootfish2671 10 месяцев назад

Had a npc cat familiar named Scrambles the DeathDealer

@RobKinneySouthpaw 10 месяцев назад

I have a forest gnome transmuter NPC with pink frizzy hair named Finch Tanglefern. She's usually in the middle of doing something really weird that she thinks will impress the wood elf court when players meet her. Or running animated objects for an archery tournament. People do seem to like her.

@Maker_Den 10 месяцев назад

Love your channel. Also loved Spackstory

@jonathanschmitt5762 10 месяцев назад

10:14 Ah, yes, Catnip Everdeen.

@Xaqaria 10 месяцев назад

I know there's a lot of decisiveness around AI, but if you have ChatGPT, try adding this to your Custom Instructions: When asking about an NPC, provide detailed descriptions Fantasy Race, gender, easy to say Name, Physical Appearance, Mannerisms, Speech Patterns, Background/History, Goals, wants, needs, mundane fears, occupational fears, Motivations, Flaws, Skills and Abilities, Relationships, Alignment/Values, Secrets, Role in the World, Unique Traits, visual or audible quirks, verbal affectations, a unique voice, caste or place social hierarchy, a current activity, an idle activity, and limits before the NPC will want to move on. Cast a real world actor to play them and why they were selected. Adjust the average slightly towards unique, weird, idiosyncratic, or memorable traits. 10% of the time include a somewhat absurd trait.

@Xaqaria 10 месяцев назад

*Me* Street urchin NPC in town *ChatGPT* Certainly! Here's a detailed description of the street urchin NPC in a table format: | Feature | Description | |--------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Fantasy Race** | Human | | **Gender** | Male | | **Name** | Tilly "Ratsbane" Scruff | | **Physical Appearance** | Scruffy hair, dirt-smeared face, bright blue eyes that shine with mischief, thin build, ragged clothing | | **Mannerisms** | Quick, darting movements, suspicious glances, a sly grin | | **Speech Patterns** | Rapid, stuttering speech with a mix of street slang | | **Background/History** | Orphaned at a young age, grew up on the streets, part of a gang of urchins | | **Goals** | Survival, finding a better life | | **Wants** | Warmth, food, a true friend | | **Needs** | Basic necessities like shelter and safety | | **Mundane Fears** | Dogs, being alone in the dark | | **Occupational Fears** | Getting caught by the city guard | | **Motivations** | A dream of escaping the streets and becoming a renowned adventurer | | **Flaws** | Naïve, overly trusting of fellow street urchins, steals occasionally | | **Skills and Abilities** | Agile, expert in pickpocketing, street-smart | | **Relationships** | Close to a few other street urchins, wary of adults | | **Alignment/Values** | Chaotic Neutral, values freedom above all | | **Secrets** | Knows hidden passages throughout the city | | **Role in the World** | A street-savvy urchin who can guide or mislead, depending on his whim | | **Unique Traits** | Has a pet rat named Whiskers that follows him everywhere | | **Visual/Audible Quirks** | Whistles a unique, haunting tune when idle | | **Verbal Affectations** | Calls everyone "Guv'nor" | | **Unique Voice** | High-pitched, crackling voice | | **Caste/Social Hierarchy** | Lowest rung, considered an outcast by many | | **Current Activity** | Plotting a minor heist with his gang | | **Idle Activity** | Playing with his pet rat | | **Limits Before Moving On** | Will flee if he feels threatened or cornered | | **Actor to Play Them** | Tom Holland, for his ability to portray youthful innocence mixed with street-smart savvy | | **Absurd Trait** | Insists that his pet rat, Whiskers, is actually an ancient philosopher reincarnated and often seeks life advice from him, engaging in one-sided conversations with it. | Tilly "Ratsbane" Scruff's existence on the streets and connection with his pet rat brings a blend of survival instinct and whimsical charm that would make him a memorable character in any fantasy setting.

@nasaiserano510 10 месяцев назад

Haven’t play dnd in years I would love to get back into the adventuring

@Alresu 7 месяцев назад

Casting the NPCs is something I do but do not tell my players anymore. They do not trust the archmage played by John Glover because they know him from evilish roles.^^

@homebrewisthebestbrew5270 10 месяцев назад

9:46 A few of my players would do this--to mock and insult powerful NPCs best left alone. The kinds of NPCs with the power to disappear entire parties, not just the offender. Like calling the highest priest of the Overlord of the Dark Gods "Little Dimwit." 11:16 This is an old habit of mine. Many dragons in my world can assume human form, and in one particular case, it looked like a grizzled Clint Eastwood. A perfect match for the dragon's temperament. Another was a love interest for a PC (played by my IRL wife), so I gave Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn (in terms of age and personality). She was VERY happy.

@markmaneely5743 10 месяцев назад

When I first started GM'ing, I was guilty of creating obnoxious NPCs that I shoved down the players' throats. Eventually, they reached a point where they just decided to kill off nearly any NPC that they had to interact with. After a break, I tried a different tactic: I had important NPCs try to ignore the PCs. It's a tactic I use with cats. Funnily enough, it worked (both with cats and the players). I've varied it up since then, but having the NPCs be indifferent to the PCs is one of my favorite go-tos.

@starshinewindlord2716 10 месяцев назад

I had some ruling noble type have a favorite cinnamon buns shop.

@joeyderrico8134 10 месяцев назад

I'm half Scottish and that's my Scottish Burr sounds like that so Its cool and not insulting.. Gary the Intern should get a promotion ad become a full time employee and transformed into "Gary the Entry Level Employee"

@shallendor 10 месяцев назад

I cast Levitate on my thumb for Luke! : )

@sleepinggiant4062 10 месяцев назад

When my players ask me, "How do you spell that?" My answer is always "Phonetically". Speaking of pop culture, have you watched Tropic Thunder yet?

@Tusitala1967 10 месяцев назад

What if they can't read Phonetian?

@Ilandria. 10 месяцев назад

We're 60 sessions/2 years into the campaign and my players can't remember "Andes" (the most prominent figure of the region they're in) yet. I get so many variations of the name that are so much more complex than the name actually is. At least they remember Raisin though, a particularly loud and is-this-bravery-or-stupidity embodying Lizardfolk.

@rootfish2671 10 месяцев назад

Name doesn't stand out or sound unique enough to re lmember

@Dex11421 10 месяцев назад

I have a oathbreaker paladin called krusk. And my players call him krusty.

@the.amarok 9 месяцев назад

00:37 1. Wants and Desires 01:07 2. Fears 01:37 3. Likes and Dislikes 04:00 4. Quirks 04:43 5. Verbal affectations 05:03 6. A unique voice 05:52 7. A place in the social hierarchy 07:38 8. Something they are doing 08:41 9. Names that are easy to say and remember 10:35 10. Reflections of the PCs 11:16 11. Cast them 11:58 12. One at a time 12:57 13. Limits 13:44 14. Reference other NPCs 14:09 15. Don't force it Love your contend, but please use chapters. They make it so much easier to come back and check some stuff later

@kristophercook3965 10 месяцев назад

My players ask how to spell "Fred." Like, three times. So, there's that...

@EitherProductions 10 месяцев назад

One extra note that affects all of these: know your players. There are several of these options, such as Reference other NPCs, that work for some tables, but for mine, it won't. Even if we play two weeks in a row, about 75-80% of the previous session will be forgotten by the subsequent session, so minor things like an NPC picking up horseshoes while the party is at the blacksmith would be a wasted effort, no matter how much "I," as the DM, think it's important. Though I've gotten a little better, I'm still pretty far away from actually understanding what/who my players will respond to.

@rootfish2671 10 месяцев назад

Spending all that time on background npcs seems insane to me

@martinnussbaum3435 10 месяцев назад

I would have renamed Puddinpop Greenfeet to Fungusfoot.

@clairemack2750 10 месяцев назад

I dunno, that Scottish accent is better than I could do XD I do agree with variation on the voices, though. It helps! I run online games, too, and it helps to mix up how you TYPE them speaking, as well. Things they say often or excitement levels, even extra apostrophes.

@rootfish2671 10 месяцев назад

What do you mean how you type? As in typing their unique speech patterns?

@clairemack2750 10 месяцев назад

@@rootfish2671 Yep, mimicking the flow of accents as they're heard.

@rootfish2671 10 месяцев назад

@@clairemack2750 ah I see as in typing it in phonetically

@clairemack2750 10 месяцев назад

@@rootfish2671 oh yes, that's a good way to say it too! You're spot on.

@blackop013 10 месяцев назад

I can confirm in the loving of weak and adorable characters. In my last campaign I introduced a truly pathetic goblin named Moop who had no self respect, esteem, or hygiene. By the end of the session one of my players had announced that if Moop died they would quit the campaign. And the others didn't object in any way.

@arcanumcoto 10 месяцев назад

Honestly though ir's always been successful for me to make character sheets for NPCs, albeit with some rulebreaking because well...

@fhuber7507 10 месяцев назад

Karan of Karanistan. The most self-entitled witch ever. We have our BBEG

@randomusernameCallin 10 месяцев назад

You can not control who the PC will like. You can spend time give a character wants, quirks, and all other the aspects. Yet the player loved the kobold that you made him surrender so he can provide player information because the players missed the planned way for them to get the information. Now you have a DM PC kobold because the player says so. You can control who they need to work with.

@badmojo0777 10 месяцев назад

bad Scottish accent but an EXCELLENT DWARF ACCENT :D

@Angels_Did_Say 10 месяцев назад

Dwarves should be Texan!!! ⭐

@rootfish2671 10 месяцев назад

Gully Dwarves maybe

@chrisragner3882 10 месяцев назад

One of my players continues to mispronounce the name of a NPC. I say it is because the PC is a Dwarf and that happens to be how he pronounces it! 😂. When they roll an insight check I share a mannerism that gives them the idea, like the NPC makes a nervous shift in how they stand.

@timbomb374 10 месяцев назад

I like the idea of having a character that has nothing really to do with the party but keeps ending up in trouble because of them.

@RIVERSRPGChannel 10 месяцев назад

I have a bard NPC named Donnie like Donnie Iris. The players. Remember that Good tips

@ericsmith1508 10 месяцев назад

The absolute best method, guaranteed to work without fail, if you want your players to remember and engage with an NPC is to really, honestly, truly have absolutely no intention whatsoever of your players remembering or engaging with the NPC! Every group of players will ALWAYS form an attachment to the random NPC that you pulled out of nowhere at the table in the heat of the moment and expected never to be seen again! Or one that had no name and was supposed to be killed! For instance, in my Monday night game, there is a Gazer in my wife's character's backpack that the party were supposed to kill. They had already killed 3 others!! But the last one? I mean, why kill the last one? Instead, we should talk to it and maybe take it with us! Sure. Makes perfect sense. And now, if I go too long without telling them something that "Blinky" is doing, they'll ask me what "Blinky" is up to at the moment. I often have him float out of the backpack to chase small rodents or cats. It's really funny when the druid Wildshapes into a cat to scout ahead! 😁 So yeah, the best way to get your players to care about an NPC is for you to care absolutely NOTHING about that NPC at the time it introduced! 😂

@badmojo0777 10 месяцев назад

Its also worht noting the your ide aof a great NPC might not be what your players idea of a great NPOC is.. sometime our DM would reveal much later that our favortie NPC was mad eup on the spot and wasnt even meant to be important but WE as the players gravtited to them for whatever reaosn so the DM improvised and ROLLED with it

@rootfish2671 10 месяцев назад

I had a throwaway npc in a dungeon, it was an intelligent giant snail named Phil that an evil wizard was running experiments on. Didn't expect the party to adopt Phil as their mascot.

@orokusaki1243 10 месяцев назад

9. Names that are easy to say and remember: There's a reason why common names exist, they're just *that* common! Take advantage of that fact. John Smith (english) Johann Schmidt (german) Glup Shitto (star wars)

@Wolvesofthenight 10 месяцев назад

Pet names happen all the time! 😂

@cornerpage6634 10 месяцев назад

What is the go-to accent that UKers use for their diabolically evil characters?

@rootfish2671 10 месяцев назад

American

@sitnamkrad 10 месяцев назад

I never really understood the idea of "bad accent" in fantasy games. First of all an accent is already speaking the original language, but different. So a "bad accent" isn't anything but speaking the original accent, but different. Second, the original accent doesn't even exist in most games. There is no Scotland in the worlds of D&D. Dwarves speak with a dwarven accent which is a fantasy accent heavily inspired by Scottish.

@rootfish2671 10 месяцев назад

But there are bad impressions of celebrities people use for NPCs which drives me up the wall

@starshinewindlord2716 10 месяцев назад

even if they're interacting in a crowded area some nps is gonna be, ummmmm, camera focus, and others are a little bit wallpaper. you can describe a teeny bit of them for flavor. it doesn't mean players might not latch on to someone else, mind. examples: the tavern owner at center of town is a good chef. another tavern in what is really a decent size town is not only the best brewmeister, he's the only brewmeister, all the beer in town's made by him. the bar regulars know each other. the wife of the center-of-town tavernkeep isn't just a random wife, she's a priestess of the waters, which is why this town in the middle of nowhere has good beer and is such a nice place to live. give yourself reasonable excuses to pass players the same info about the region from completely different npcs.

@IvanBarsch 10 месяцев назад

Bacon IS delicious.

@user-cx7kg6ok9b 10 месяцев назад

Actually, given the names of Tolkien's dwarfs, they should all be speaking with scandinavian/east european accents. Never could figure why people associate dwarfs with scottish or irish accents.

@thomaswills551 10 месяцев назад

Much better Scottish accent then I can do.

@blunk778 10 месяцев назад

Dwarves sound better when theyre from brooklyn

@spooderous 10 месяцев назад

@starshinewindlord2716 10 месяцев назад

people have nicknames or shortnames to be easily said in context. your throwaway npc named miko because mike sounded too boring even for that, could be short for some "finer" name, or just someone's firstname of more than one, should your players Adopt them or become regulars at their bar.

@starshinewindlord2716 10 месяцев назад

wants and desires any "potential adventure" npc has something they want but a reason to not just go get it. they can equally be a quest giver or become a replacement pc if someone dies. i'm careful not to fill them in too much fears for the simpler NPCs this is mostly just the rumor mill of what bothers the town, but likes and dislikes a pet peeve as a quirk can be fun "its so you can roleplay them better" more role than play but a bit, yes. ad spot yay, books. um wut? oh :) quirks one eye or hand gesture tops. unique voice hi mid or low. pauses more or less. speaks fast or slow. verbal affectations scottish vs scotch nah. All my dwarves say "aye" or "nay" instead o' yes and no. All my halfings say "heya" or "nup". And a few other pairings. That's it. no attempt at accenting otherwise or i get exhausted. place in a hiearchy thusly wants or desires. they HAVE a place. do they like it or not? sounds simple, fills the character up. something the npc does nervous habits. simple names > complicated names a.e. lord dracula > count stra'ad strahd is one syllable, i dunno about this example. but my "secret sauce" is the less I expect the npc to be adopted the shorter their name is. In any case it won't be unpro..pur.. nuncibbl.. able to be said by their business partners or heralds. otherwise their nickname will be short in its stead. mirror the pcs but not enough to outshine them. even if they're an expert or mentor. they can even have heard of the pcs refference irl actors or RL reference something/somebody the players do know. Maybe the weaponsmaster is Shad and wears red leather... and Ivvers is his friend from back when they adventured together (you've heard of shadiversity right?) one npc at a time i think of this more as "one camera at a time" but focus, yes. the limit as pacience aproaches zero, of a very long conversation, is equal to... hahaha refference other npcs dont force it I feel like these are the same thing - don't Try Too Hard TM, the world's a world, let them explore it.