How to Make Memorable NPCs | 5e D&D | TTRPG | Web DM

[@WebDM]

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[@GavinTheGreyy]

The perfect memorable NPC is Big Hat Logan from Dark Souls. Concept: A wizard with a big hat. Look: big hat. Name: Big Hat.

[@WebDM]

So simple and beautiful

[@nathanielsims1215]

Great video! That actually took out a lot of personal stress I have about making NPCs and feeling like I need to write in a backstory for every single one.

[@WebDM]

Glad to help!

[@MikhailHudon_ZerithFarron]

I'll always remember the Henchmen. The shenanigans those guys got up to were amazing.

[@cameronf5893]

I too will forever remember henchmen. I watch it every time I'm about to make a fantasy dungeon :)

[@FabulousResults]

I think the most important thing you can do for an NPC is give them a very clear goal. They feel more human when they have human wants and needs.

[@Bluecho4]

Very simple NPC ideas: -Teeth Merchant (Trades goods for teeth, rarer the better) -Mentally Fastidious Illithid (won't touch a mind if unfamiliar; "you don't know where it's been"; "speaks" exclusively through specially prepared thrall) -Flower Child Necromancer (upbeat, compassionate, fusses over her zombies' bodies/appearances, doesn't want to hurt anyone) -Dodgy Alcoholic Warlock (drinks to suppress the voice of his eldritch patron) -Skittish Torch-bearer afraid of the dark (never leaves home without candles, torches, back-up torches, flint and steel, etc)

[@WebDM]

Love it

[@TheJoelJenkins]

1:00 I love the way Jim is subtly showing off his awesome mullet

[@WebDM]

It's called hockey hair tyvm

[@draxthemsklonst]

It's too cohesive to be a mullet. There's no "business in the front/party in the rear" dichotomy.

[@farmonious420]

My DM has an awesome a-hole noble NPC that ran the town we were in. His name was Lord Richfat. We eventually overthrew him to run the town. Keep up the great vids. Stay Happy and Healthy.

[@stephenclements6158]

I'm actually playing "trash goblin P.I." right now and have been for several months. :) A friend is running Curse of Strahd, and I decided to play "Burgluk, John Burgluk, P.I." Every time he introduces himself exactly like that, he flashes his badge, his most prized possession. He has cracked several cases already. He's fun, gross, and has a soft spot for animals and little kids. The party has basically survived off his "goblin berries", which are Good Berries (he's a Ranger) that look like shriveled blue berries and taste like burnt oranges that he "finds" by digging around in the ground, whispering sweet nothings to make them come out, and more hijinks. He's a blast and the de facto party leader.

[@WebDM]

That sounds like so much fun

[@thomaswhite3059]

Mad props for being this creative and inventive with a Ranger!

[@stevesmith4600]

I know we're not supposed to talk about him after the Far Verona debacle, but I always loved Adam Koebel's method to NPCs, which was "tagging" them with three key words used to uniquely describe them. This not only helps keep the NPC simple and memorable for the players, but also helps remind the GM how to RP the NPC. A system like Ironsworn (and I'm sure other games have something similar) takes this keyword concept one step further, by placing the keywords in tables, so NPC personalities can be quickly, randomly generated. And yes, there are instances in which some NPCs get additional keywords assigned, but this typically occurs after the NPC has been involved in multiple scenes, and the story / gameplay has uncovered something more about them.

[@thehulkster9434]

People playing RPGs (at least in most of my groups) generally like things that are silly and out of place. The Slaad having a tea party, the half-ogre pirate with a way too small tricorn hat, the gnome acapella group, etc. Or, you can try to connect it to their character in a meaningful way. They are more likely to respond to their long lost brother or childhood friend well than some random guy. Also, it is worthwhile to have them be helpful (not necessarily useful though), If they like the players and show it, the players are more likely to like them.

[@IIxIxIv]

Just what I needed :p time to redo that table of random npcs

[@WebDM]

Do it!! We've also just released our own prototype NPC character sheet on www.patreon.com/webdm to make it easy to remember everything about your key npcs

[@myboy_]

Short and sweet. Great advice!

[@WebDM]

Thank you my boy!

[@mr7shesha001]

Can we please have a trash goblin private investigator comic?

[@WebDM]

Omg well now we have to

[@Bluecho4]

Be the change you want to see in the world.

[@Nochtic]

@@Bluecho4 Don't be the trash you find in the world.

[@myboy_]

@@WebDM trash goblin detective oneshot

[@FugueNation]

I need a Web DM T-Shirt for this

[@somedm3080]

The newest one my players fell for is "sad Firbolg". Pretty basic, but they loved him.

[@NollTheBard]

Trash Goblin Private Investigator... Riz: THAT was ONE time!

[@BNRmatt]

The most memorable NPC in my current game is a Wood Elf Barbarian woman who loves to brawl. It is simple, incongruous, and intriguing. The DM found art for it, which helped cement the concept in my head. I liked her so much my character married her.

[@arcanecontent]

What character were you playing? Asking for reasons of trying to see in me head, how would your character end up marrying such an intriguing, incongruous character. Thanks!

[@BNRmatt]

@@arcanecontent A cocky Wood Elf Ranger. In this world, we decided Wood Elves marry in one year stints (600 years is a long time with one person) and mostly marry, at least at first, based on who has proven themselves worthy and can produce the fittest kids. She impressed the hell out of him, plus I'm an IRL "Amazon chaser," so it made sense.

[@BoredTAK5000]

Trash Goblin is a level 3 Inquisitive Rogue who solves crimes by rummaging through what the criminals throw out

[@nobbynoblittlun]

1:00 lol jim on the left, "oh baby"

[@sluggaboyzWC3]

for an online game i had a kenku magical cloak merchant, from the egyptian esque area, who used smart monkies as salespeople and security. fun times.

[@WebDM]

Love it

[@adammalone2909]

This is actually my key strength as a dm. I still learned a LOT here

[@braveheart6585]

an NPC that my party latched onto has the nickname Swoleblin, he was exactly what it says on the tin.

[@ShukenjaUK]

Anyone who loved the idea of a trash goblin detective: I am imploring you to watch Fantasy High. Riz will be your favourite character.

[@dawnofhavoc11235]

Lard, the Goblin Bard.

[@nonstickpansexual4540]

I made a big australian barb/monk for the players to fight. With tiny glasses and an intelligent dialect. He beat their ass so I hastily made him a double agent secretly on their side. They got into trouble and had to flee the city together. He's now their pet npc and I have written like three pages of backstory for him. This man was just a bullet point two months ago. Tldr: You can't predict an npc becoming a favorite.

[@DeepVeinThrombonus]

My players abducted what was essentially an unnamed military dispatcher for interrogation. For the next few months this poor bastard was dragged all over the continent (and into a few other planes) and when eventually (some would say inevitably) he was caught it the cross fire between a barbarian and a hoard of rats and...retired, they had yet to ask him his name

[@calebcoppola9042]

It sounds like you want to make a goblin version of The Question from DC, and I like that idea.

[@CL30]

I find that the least planned NPCs are the ones my players love best. When I introduce an NPC with a set personality and a specific methodology, my players go meh and promptly forget that NPC exists D:

[@yanderenejoyer]

I have special players then. Their favorite npcs are: - A recurring vilain. She's a tiefling, and has been around since level 1 (they are level 8 now), has manipulated them from levels 1-5 and they are about to fiddle with her plans again. - A librarian. She is super mysterious, powerful and is actually and Arcanoloth shapeshifted into a human. Again, from level 1 she war present, but they broke a promise at level 5 and she vanished, along with the library, from the city and every civilian's mind. They still check every library to find her. - A very old elf wizard, that still looks 28 ish. He tutored party wizard up to level 4, and was abducted by a portal to carceri. They are about to free him actually, because they went on this massive trip to find a way to get someone out from another plane (My world has a kind of dimensional lock on it). So yeah. As I said, special players. They do like the female npcs the most though, which I can understand since they are all men. There is a healthy 50/50 of gender distribution in my npcs, but they like females more anyways. There's like, 3 other important people they like but let's end it here, too much text.

[@michaelwolf8690]

I was going to disagree with incongruous but one of my most remembered characters was a drunkard priests who refused to tell others how to live their lives and was bloody vengeful. I think that the NPCs I've always remembered were ones with remarkable scenes or repeated behavior. I was running a war game and the players left the overly aggressive grenadier guarding some prisoners and when they walked in they found the prisoner naked and Dexter pulling up his pants and all he did was start screaming "IT'S NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!" it didn't matter what really happened, they never forgot that moment. Another example is space game where the players picked up a miner who would constantly complain about another job that robots are doing for people just bitching any time the robot was sent to do anything until they had to scout out a cave full of creepy arachnid creatures and they decided to send the robot in to see if there were any living survivors and everyone looked at the miner and he just paled and said "No... that sounds pretty smart.." everyone remembers that stuff. Catch phrases are another thing that tends to make an NPC. That repetition builds cheap familiarity like having the conservative dwarf that curses by saying "Cheese and crackers we're in a pickle now.." it's a little harmful to immersion but that little breach makes that moment memorable. I believe in tribute names. I think it helps players associate a connotation with an NPC. Dexter mentioned before was a tribute to the eponymous TV character. He wasn't suave or even technically a sociopath but I wanted to convey the idea that there was something wrong under the surface of him. That said I don't believe in putting media characters into games. I was never going to play that NPC as Dexter from the show. I want to make NPCs that pull the players to the idea of that character rather than pushing the character at them.

[@astrobalmer]

Love the recent shorter vids, reminds me of the old days :) monster series, anyone?

[@WolfmanXD]

My most memorable npc is actually one that wasn't even supposed to be anything. She was introduced as the handmaiden to who I was TRYING to set up as the bbeg, quenthel baenre. For whatever reason, my players took an instant and VISCERAL hatred towards her. So now I decided, fuck it, if they hate her that much, she's now my bbeg. And now I just use her to taunt them as much as possible.

[@user-mz2ow4ky7v]

The most loved npc Ive made was an otyuhg in bral’s sewers named zunge. He likes hats and trash Y’all were spot on with trash goblin

[@animistchannel2983]

Short advice? Blatantly steal characters from movies, games, books, plays, tv shows, whatever... then put them in a different role/job than the one you found them in. You can act them as hack as you like to start, because if they become a recurring/favorite, you will intuitively round them out and they will get personalized. Take the 6-Fingered Man or Prince Huperdink from The Princess Bride, and make them shopkeepers. Star Trek officers can be random travelers or town magicians. John Wayne can be a farmer. Dirty Harry Callahan would make a cool ranger guide. Your 5th grade English teacher could be a sailor. Brian Blessed / Hawk King as a priest. Just jumble up any character you know with any job that seems like a fun mix. It doesn't matter if you can do a "good" impression of the original. You aren't trying to do that. You're just spicing up your run. Just throw it all at the wall and see what sticks. If your players sometimes catch on to the gag, they will love it. Bonus... doing this also gives you free distinctive visuals/appearances to work with, and you can mix those up a bit too if you like.

[@Bluecho4]

I basically planted Captain Harlock in my world as a bandit captain.

[@afreestate8466]

My take away from this is that I don't really know what my players are going to latch onto, and my best course of action would be to make diverse, functional characters and the further develop the ones my players randomly latch onto

[@cadenceclearwater4340]

A goblin were-bat called Bott.

[@billstephens396]

Freshness engaged...

[@NerdEagle90]

My upcoming (hopefully) memorable NPC is a Drow Enchanter who owns a magic shop in the capital of Redcasyle. He’s modeled after Jack Harkness from Doctor Who and Gilmore from Critical Role.

[@WebDM]

Awesome!!

[@TheRedVelvetScare]

Great advice abounds!

[@WebDM]

Thank you kindly!

[@AdamZollo]

Take a stereotype. Twist once. Is a typical Dwarf. Loves cute things. A studious old wizard or effeminate male bard. Is 6’5” and kinda brawny. An Everyman Paladin for the people. Has a gambling problem.

[@PeterFendrich]

I also think a big thing is that many DMs are just way too prone to make their bigger NPCs antagonistic... not violent or combative per say, but just not really too friendly. Most likely the random NPC you came up with on the fly is there to solve a particular story beat, and so is actually much more helpful and, surprise surprise, more popular with the players. Again, this isn't every DM or anything, just in my experience, a lot of planned NPCs are just way too unaccommodating

[@WebDM]

Good point!

[@Spectrulus]

Loved this episode! I was looking for the longer 1 hour cut from your last one and couldn't find it, was there an issue uploading the podcast? I would love to see/hear a longer rundown of this conversation too, super helpful.

[@WebDM]

Was not able to upload it in a timely manner, yes, but it's available in podcast form everywhere, including ad-free on patreon.com/webdm

[@aceturri1]

Pruitt I hope you're getting your royalties from Crusader Kings 3

[@brucemoore4926]

Do you guys have any advice for your group has persistent analysis paralysis?

[@WebDM]

Address it directly out of game to try to pinpoint why it's happening. It may be that stakes seem too high, or that you need to give even more info to help them figure it out. Sometimes just implementing a timer can help "I'm gonna go prep in the other room for 10 minutes. When I come back I need your answer" asking them to assign a caller, a player whose job it is to coordinate and announce the party's group actions, can also help. Good luck!

[@DrLipkin]

I recently had an NPC become a bigger hit with my party than anticipated. She's basically just big dick energy with a bad Irish accent, but because I said she's got great arms and was introduced wrestling an owlbear, the party loves her. Long live Bette Planetar. (All the barbarians at this location were named like Roller Girls, with D&D puns.)

[@WebDM]

We love her already

[@Bucketman42]

My own advice: make'em laugh

[@connergeisler4095]

Lemme do that three word descriptions with a couple of my npcs Weasly tree man Disowned noble son Naive noble son Drunkard bum god Cat mafia boss Scamming kobold merchant Insane occult leader Lung cancer karen Grim arcane blacksmith Overbearing eldest son Snobby scheming son Quiet bastard son All I can think of for now.

[@seileurt]

So does heroforge own my character when I use their service? Was that ever explained?

[@allluckyseven]

Guys, I don't know who's been making your thumbnails, but if they used yellow instead of red, the text would be way more readable.

[@UraharaShoten]

Why my mans on the left be lookin’ like a deep fake of himself in this vid? 🤔

[@benjamindlarsen5270]

Tasha's Cauldron, anyone?

[@WebDM]

Next week!

[@czeslawpi]

Trash Goblin = Oscar the Grouch?

[@thepopemichael]

I miss old WebDM where topics were like an hour long. Are you guys running out of things to talk about or is it that you're not engaging with each other as much due to the distance?

[@gavina4921]

They still make hour long episodes about broad concepts and topics. I like the shorter more bite sized episodes cause they're a quick reminder about topics that usually get overshadowed by a larger topic

[@WebDM]

Gavin's got it. We are offering a wider variety of lengths, check out all our videos- some are short and others are the same deep dive you're accustomed to. Plus, our longer episodes are also available in podcast form anywhere you may listen to podcasts. Search for Web DM Talks!

[@quantumlasagna4669]

If anything old web dm was short, then got longer and longer, and now we're returning to it.

[@cloak5857]

Is Jim sick? Very sleepy episode.

[@twilightgardenspresentatio6384]

Maybe I’m too old school but Matt Mercer is not my goal or target audience.

[@totallynotcheng]

I'm pretty sure that's not old school. Your target audience should always be your players and you. Why make a game for Matt Mercer if he isn't playing in your game.