GREAT PC: How to get the most out of NPC's in Roleplaying

[@robin40719]

I asked every npc I came across what their favorite color was and all of them responded with "I'm partial to a nice shade of lavender." only one npc said that their favorite color was green, so we all didn't trust this person. he turned out to be the main villain of the campaign, so now it's a thing in my party to ask an npc what their favorite color is, and if it's not lavender, they have to die.

[@Native_Beats_]

Holy shit! 😂😂😂

[@ninzwinz9451]

hilarious

[@grim3646]

"engage with NPCs". Well fuck me and my 5 charisma lol

[@GreatGMLive]

Doesn't necessarily have to be the best engagement, it's the effort that counts lol

[@demonderpz7937]

well, you don't necessarily have to use charisma-based things such as persuasion, deception, etc. when working with NPCs, all you have to do is have a conversation with them. Just approach and talk with them. Charisma doesn't affect your looks or reactions, it affects your presence and the way you come off to people. For example, if you have a low charisma, most people won't pay attention to you or really respect what you say, however if you have a high charisma, you will come off as more noticeable.

[@goodnyt69]

I have 300 npcs sitting in a notebook waiting to be talked too. Some times its like the land of misfit toys lol. One day........one day

[@GreatGMLive]

+robert goodwin Good grief! Sounds like you should write a novel! Linking the 300 together :)

[@azuraben5128]

Would you be willing to share those...?

[@robertcapostagno2082]

I would love a copy XD

[@TorianTammas]

Robert goodwin - Ny NPC have the tendency to involve the PCs especially when they don't like it. They tend to get in the way in my NPC plans.

[@frankrobinsjr.1719]

Another thing I might add, especially for low level characters, is using the NPCs wisely. If you're doing a job for a local leader, talk with his seneschal about supplies you might need in a specific area. If you're doing a job for local citizenry, ask them if they have some things that might help you, or for information about the land. Odds are, if your character isn't from this area, you'll get stuck somewhere. If you're a cleric, as the local church about help with information, guidance, or supplies. They want their supplicants spending money expanding the church, not paying foreign mercenaries. Handle a problem quickly and efficiently and they will be amenable to help with healing potions or spells. If you're travelling to take care of a problem, are you going by boat, ship, caravan, etc.? Most river boats and ships will have fishing supplies for fresh fish. Talk to the First Mate about its whereabouts and its availability. If he has the party getting fresh fish for the crew, that is one less task he will have to worry about. Are you part of a caravan? Talk with the guide. If the party is willing to do some hunting/scouting, it will help the entire caravan and he may provide additional arrows or other things the party might find that it needs but didn't have the coin to buy. Use what you know about a type of terrain. Does it have special needs? Talk with your party members. Are they familiar with those needs or do they know someone with that information? The first thing anyone wants to tell you is of the dangers of something to make sure you are respectful of their knowledge and the challenges they faced in gaining that knowledge. Be respectful. They have knowledge and skills in an area in which your character is currently ignorant. When you do return to that NPC, if possible, bring him a trophy and tell him what a great help he and his information was. Everyone likes acclaim, especially in front of their neighbors. Buy the NPC a flagon at the local watering hole and tell everyone how helpful this guy was and tell the story gregariously. If the NPC has a mate, don't be afraid to explain in front of her how amazing her mate was in helping you solve this problem. Are you working for the local lord? Take that NPC with you when you report and recognize his help in front of his lord. Any time you go back to that town to work, everyone will know your name and more doors will open for you.

[@GreatGMLive]

Indeed that is a great idea and suggestion in fact some systems and adventures are even set up to run with the GM keeping 'note' of the NPC's gratitude to the players. It's good advice for them to remember that NPC's are characters too (at least in good games) and so can help, hinder and hurt equally as much. Getting involved through helping them, asking them questions and showing that their knowledge helped you through returning to thank them will not only help make the PC's game easier it will become richer as well. Great advice Frank, thanks for sharing :)

[@frankrobinsjr.1719]

Also good for side quests, way stations from farms near the wilds, or just a loft to sleep in while you're in town. Everything I just said leads to all those. Let's face it, helping the locals with minor problems is usually easier and more survivable for lower level characters than running off to conquer the world when you're just starting out.

[@GreatGMLive]

Tell that to Bacon Battalion lol!

[@frankrobinsjr.1719]

Hey, they only had four hours to find information and head out. And, they spent too much time trying to dig information out of someone who should have been talking just to stay alive. Stick a dagger just above Brevor's knee and ask him how many times you'll need to dig answers out of him. He will tell you everything you need to know before he is healed and he will tell you everything he knows without thinking about it too much for fear of a dagger above the other knee. Alignment doesn't mean you put up with foolishness or deception. Would have saved a lot of time that way.

[@GreatGMLive]

I took a dagger above the knee?

[@Dhorannis]

I am mostly a GM in the games of my group but I had a great moment when the player characters just strolled around in a small town. I have a nice folder with tables for random encounters (it has really everything from slave hunters to animals or even god incarnations, though of course extremely rare) and rolled that they were meeting two barbarians. I decided that they were brothers who could not give much information on the case the PCs were investigating but they were nice fellows, invited the PCs on a drink or two and had a few funny tests of strength with the different party members. The party liked these characters so much, that they insisted on seeing them again sometime, even though they were completely random and unplanned characters. Another great moment was when I was part of the players and played a priest of a fertility goddes (the party's medic) and the party went to a rather shady inn. In there, while my character was talking to the barkeeper, he was aproached by a prostitute. After a short chat, he actually went up the stairs and into a certain room with her. It took surprisingly long as the rest of the group thought until finally they came back down. The prostitute seemed strangely relieved and even bought my priest a drink and something to eat. The rest of the party could not believe their eyes. What happened? Actually, he told the prostitute that he was not interested in her services, as he was supposed to live as a good example for everyone else. He was a priest after all. But he mentioned that he could perhaps offer her his services as a healer. Then she led him to another prostitute (a good friend of hers) who caught a serious disease and was hardly able to move out of the bed. My priest simply brought the mercy of his goddess upon the woman and healed the disease. Afterwards, he told her, how to regain her strength again and mentioned that she and her friend should consider finding a less shady job. When the first prostitute asked what she could do to repay my priest, he simply said that it was not him but his goddess who healed her friend and she should thank her instead. But she insisted on at least treating him to a meal and a drink. Both events did nothing when it comes to progress of the adventure. But both told funny and interesting stories. And what both had in comon: they were completely improvised.

[@KrooTon]

These GreatPC videos are just as useful to GM's as they are to players! Thanks for putting such awesome information out there!

[@GreatGMLive]

+Ton Perry Always happy to share and help make others lives just a little bit cooler ;)

[@megaman11011]

Players should never underestimate the potency of even the smallest interactions, as they can compound into amazing role-play and/or tangible rewards. In the campaign I'm in, the trading post we're starting in got attacked by goblins, and a lot of merchants had their carts ransacked/ignited by goblin fire bombers. After the goblins were dealt with, the rest of the party went to looting the goblins (who had very little of value, because goblins) While my character refocused all of his efforts quelling the flames and trying to help the merchants reorder and repair their things. As a result of that, He made contact with a bunch of the regional merchants (though technically he shoulda known most of them in passing because of his background) and got gifted a couple of healing potions and a set of woodworking tools while the other party members got..,I don't actually know as mu power cut out shortly after the hubbub with the caravaneers(we play online) That got a little long winded didn't it? TL;DR because my character emphasized roleplay based actions in an instance, he made off with a few potions and a set of tools he needed that he never would have gotten otherwise.

[@GreatGMLive]

I love this example as it is so clear. Value the game for the human spirit - the narrative right if you will - and the game will reward you.

[@ArawnNox]

Show Respect... yeah, one of my groups lives to mouth off to characters in authority. Its sort of a catharsis for putting up with real life stresses.

[@GreatGMLive]

Yes the table is a place to have fun and not be in your daily life... but 'You will respect my authoriteay' they need to know how to use their Npc's to help them and after if they want to blow off real life stresses once the Npc has been helpful they can disrespect them if they still want to that is.

[@grim3646]

Well, you probably can get away with making a character that's prone to doing that.

[@SinerAthin]

I love it when my players decide to smack talk the local Warlord, General, Noble or even King! It gives the characters a moment of cool... before they usually have to flee the area and certain death at execution by the mere skin of their teeth xD

[@RaventhornSpiritsong]

20 years of playing Magic the Gathering and I can pick out Abduction in the background behind your right ear... totally took my attention away from your advice and had to watch it over.

[@llswarts]

Once again a wonderful and succinct video that just helps to build role-play experience. Thanks a bunch Guy. Ill be working through your vids one by one, they are worth it.

[@ysteintovsland3008]

Another fantastic video! I will definitely be sharing these vids with the rest of my party. 👍😊

[@GreatGMLive]

+Øystein Tovsland Welcome to the table! And that's great to hear! I hope the help out in some way to make your roleplaying experience better!

[@AlexBermann]

Good advice, but I have a bit to nitpick even here: the advice about being honest with NPCs. Sometimes, a few well crafted lies can prevent the escalation of a conflict. Sometimes, a good disguise and some audacious lies can make the enemies help you. For example, if the players see a small hidden hole in the castle defenses, they may still pose as artisans, tell the guard about that weakness in the defenses, voice concern about the safety and ask for advice which parts of the castle are especially save. This effectively distracts some guards who want to guard that breach, it distracts some more guards who seek for further breaches and the players know which areas are guarded the most. Furthermore, there are the wonderful possibilities about information warfare. If you have a villain who resides in a city or at court and keeps up a spotless profile, it can be very effective to smear their reputation. Get into a conversation and ask them if the rumors about that particular person are true. Be shocked about these slanderous rumor. Tell your party members about what you heard a merchant tell you about that person and make sure that people hear it. You also can deceive that enemy by asking questions which imply a plan you don't want to pursue - or by giving off the impression you have a weakness you don't actually have.

[@GreatGMLive]

Ah a truly deceptive player I see :) Yes. There are many instances where deception is correct and the very best choice of action. I do sometimes feel that all too often we leap to deception instead of trust. I fully acknowledge however that that mistrust of NPC's is borne from GM's unscrupulously using NPC's as weapons and leverage in future engagements. So a bit of both is probably the best balance?

[@Viktor16161616]

On the topic of respect. I'm currently running around as a 10th level dwarf fighter that's managed to elevate himself to the significant position of Duke of his homeland. Whilst he''s not the only high ranking nobles of the kingdom he is the only Duke. The others are just nobles in the capitol whilst I hold a duchy. (I know, prior to me making my town the kingdom consisted of only the capitol but that's how the DM made the map). Could you make some recommendations on how I as a high ranking noble should act towards NPCs? I treat the party as equals and don't insist on them using my title and so on. And possibly a tip video for how my gm specifically or any gm should treat a PC in a similar situation. Maybe this is food for another set of videos per chance. ;) Love your videos. I'm set for days for what to watch. :D

[@GreatGMLive]

That's a good suggestion. How to behave as a noble in a peasant world lol. I like it. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@hbrhodes1s]

I'm starting to take notes here :-)

[@cookies23z]

Really enjoying this series :) hopefully I can integrate the tips into my first campaign :)

[@GreatGMLive]

You really are chewing up these videos! Man I hope they help you have a great game! Let us know!

[@cookies23z]

Thank you :) (Didnt expect a quick relpy lol) Im playing my first session tomorrow and will let you know, hope I can retain this stuff for tomorrow XD

[@nikiosko]

Wouldn't it be easier not to prepare every NPC down to medium-sized details and just prepare a few NPC personalities to slap on any first NPC that the players come across that they find interesting, as well as certain backstories appropriate to other important NPCs?

[@rileyackison4495]

It would but a. Gamemasters rarely do the easy thing if they are anything like myself and b. If you happen to come across a group of players who do an outstanding job of interrogating npcs they will pick up on the fact that they are the same person fast.

[@sanablue]

in one of our campaigns we have a bard character who engages with everyone he meets and tries really hard to seduce them and to ask them out on dates. but then he never goes to those dates, he just wants to see if he could woo them. one character in our group thinks this behaviour is kinda mean but the others secretly go to his 'victim's' houses later on and leave them little gifts as an excuse for his rude behaviour. :D

[@jaredforsythe5432]

Love the videos, thank you for your advice. I'd like to mention a newer MMORPG, Shroud of the Avatar, which has added much depth to their NPC's. While it's still fairly limited, you can delve into their backgrounds and chat with them!

[@GreatGMLive]

+kangaxx1981 Sounds interesting, perhaps I will check it out when I tear myself away from Dragon Age 2. Old but still enjoyable now that 3 is out :)

[@AlexBermann]

Now that you mention it: Dragon Age II is a good example of a smart move of NPCs. Hawke quickly builds connections in Kirkwall and the story reuses old characters regularly.

[@GreatGMLive]

Having just replayed them all - gotta say that DA2 was good :)

[@Samuitsuki]

In The Secret World, there is actually a lot of NPS, that you can talk to and get a hint at their backstory.

[@GreatGMLive]

Is that a system?

[@Samuitsuki]

Bacon Battalion RPG It was for the part where you said that MMOs didn't have NCPs, where you could ask about a npc's backstory. The Secret World is a MMORPG.

[@GreatGMLive]

Right, then it must be a very well made MMO, because most of them have a line of dialogue, or even worse... generic dialogue!

[@amberroland2589]

I have a storyline based around six dead people that you can learn about via a bunch of scattered stuff. Its extremely cool.

[@mertoriel3829]

I do my best to talk to NPC's I liked the talking to a general thing because to a War General my character is sarcastic and just not nice, but coming in contact with the Rogue(Spymaster) that I had heard about in legends I became awestruck trying to act like I usually behave( You know save face and all) but anyone could see (with a non nat1 insight) that I was in awe.. I think that was great moments showing some of what I care about :)

[@GreatGMLive]

Lovely example! And good use of characterization.

[@mertoriel3829]

Thank you. Worth mentioning that I play a Thiefling Rogue.

[@JukeboxTheGhoul]

Returning to the Character with thanks... what if it's a medieval-fantasy world where getting back to where you started and back tracking would take days even months. It wouldn't be terribly in character to gallop at charging speed to go back to that one npc? I'm not a player, I've played once online and we only got to one battle (not to say number of battle is the measure of progress, but it's what I can remember. I really want to play DnD but I don't know how to get in to it, the people my age (upper school) are rather unpleasant. Any suggestions to actually joining? I don't know if you reply to year-old videos while you've moved this series to your gamemaster channel.

[@KauanRMKlein]

I have a character who is averse to politeness, and acts rebellious and kinda "edgy", but he's got no scruples in charming people and reading their minds. Probably a bit frustrating for the DM. This is why usually when I play him I let the others do the talking while he does something bizarre in the background, but when I think he's interested in asking questions he usually just forcefully steals the thoughts of the NPCs, which is a lot less fun than if he actually could interact... I keep trying to come up with ways for me to stay in character and interact without ignoring/being ignored, but unless the NPC is really patient and really interesting, like a wise Gold Dragon (who've lived so many years he's already seen everything at least twice, including people like my character) it just doesn't happen...

[@elgatochurro]

Tbh I just have to SHOW this to my players, they've ignored the npc's, and it almost lead to a lvl 1 tpk I have the npc give the quest details and ask the party "you can prepare or buy before you head off"... well done each player had only 25 gp and a health potion is 50 gp... its apparently... too much trouble to buy health potions... and I run a very hard campaign with many enemies who want the odds in their favor... they know this but sadly having two healers and only 60 gp amongst the group and a fort full of potential npcs means that don't breed healing potions, healing/herbalism kits, any advice, any extra rations or anything for both themselves and the people they were gonna rescue... i've been using deus ex machina which I hate to do. Just so their first dungeon was a success and not a tpk they nearly made it out to be...

[@Shashu_the_little_Voidling]

Question. Why do you run two channels instead of keeping everything to one?

[@GreatGMLive]

+Unmei No Niji We ran a poll to see if we should have one channel or two, and the response was that two channels was best as it kept the GM's on one and the players and fans on the other.

[@Shashu_the_little_Voidling]

Bacon Battalion RPG Alright, I guess it kind of makes sense from that perspective. For someone who follows both it seems a bit unnecessary though

[@GreatGMLive]

Well there is nothing stopping us running another poll soon to see if we should merge. Do you use our website to view the videos or just youtube hopping? The website has all the videos under one site - www.greatgamemaster.com - that may help?

[@Shashu_the_little_Voidling]

I tend to just use youtube since I usually already have it open anyway, but I have taken a look at the website two or three times, after hearing the name so often mentioned.

[@GreatGMLive]

What did you think of the site? Not your cup of tea?

[@dm4life579]

Seriously my PCs are a bunch of assholes, they just ignore NPCs and try to find/kill/explore everything on their own, and for me staying true to the NPCs characters they become uncooperative and gets the mission to a halt.

[@GreatGMLive]

Sounds difficult. Maybe though a lesson for your players: Run a game where they can only succeed IF they engage with the NPC's? Teach them the value of NPCs :)

[@dm4life579]

I am linking all your videos to them, hopefully some of them might reconsider in the future.

[@nattemann]

NPC's also seems to fetch quite the price on the black market in a campaign I'm playing in :)

[@GreatGMLive]

Mwahahahaha... I mean.. good business.

[@alexsun1660]

in one of my games... after I was that the players don't care about NPCs... I decided that NPCs will not care about players anymore! Sweat revenge! only one of five players ended up Alive! lol

[@GreatGMLive]

BWAHAHAHAHAHA. Very funny. Did they learn?

[@alexsun1660]

Ah yes... in the next game they would stop by to talk to some unknown peasant to learn every thing he knows and every thing he doesn't know! I had to exile them to some desert so they don't blow my mind with questions!