NPC Creation Made Easy

[@michaelwest4325]

To be fair, I combed old modules for NPCs, give each a 3x5 card, use names appropriate to your setting. The twist is to create obvious and hidden relationships or links between them, some are family or guild or such. My more intricate was the Assassin's Guild, it was a mystery to unravel and allowed these NPCs to be a web of intrigue, danger and even usefulness as the NPCs were quite diverse and could appear anywhere as anyone, anyone might be part of it. I expanded the idea to a cult that was edging into everywhere.

[@DDHomebrew]

I'm always thinking of ways to link NPCs through their relationships. If they live in the same town or even city there's a good chance they know each other or have mutual acquaintances. Or at least it makes sense!

[@BanditsKeep]

You had better hope that the players don’t Latch in to the “talks in limericks” NPC 😂 that’s a heck of a lot of work. Knowing my players they totally would, just to watch me struggle to come up with new limericks 😂

[@DDHomebrew]

There was an old dragon that roared, especially when he was bored. The sound was so loud, it roused up a crowd, who slay him to listen no more!

[@Marcus-ki1en]

How to be a Great GM has a simple but elegant system of OGAS to give you a quick outline for NPCs, Most of the time, my players were never too interested in details on the NPCs, only what they could do for the party. The only ones ever interested in details were players that had some "Theater of the Mind" experience.

[@DDHomebrew]

I've seen a few of those systems: I will check out How to be a Great GM's: he knows what he's talking about when it comes to world building! And you're right: it's often to our own benefit as GM's that we develop details on NPC's, since it allows to come up with interesting and consistent reactions to player actions.

[@Marcus-ki1en]

I have done the same as you, bare bones info (hence the OGAS) and then more detail as the players show interest or meet them. Keep decent notes and viola - full character for next time.@@DDHomebrew

[@chrisragner3882]

Again great stories! This old gamer learns new tricks. I too give just enough to introduce NPCs. I build more on their stories as the PCs grow to know them, like you have shared. Great stories and showing how easy it is to build an immersive world.

[@DDHomebrew]

Glad you like them!

[@EruditeDM]

Zodie, baby! Hell, that was all of us young teens in the 1970s. Skateboards, garish clothes, and Zeppelin, man. Yeah!

[@DDHomebrew]

Those were the days my friend!

[@raff3486]

This is a good video, definitely what I was looking for recently. I haven't done this before, but will definitely try. Also you having an afro; thats sick bro, I'm sure you could rock it even now if possible! ;)

[@DDHomebrew]

I've burned all of the pictures of me from that period: I had really long hair and it grows strait out!

[@neutronjack7399]

I have a list of about 300 male and female Irish names, (with pronunciations). When I need a name, I'll grab one from the list. I have some adventures written out to work as one-shots. I have stat blocs for the NPCs because players are as likely to attack the quest giver as the Big Bad Evil Guy. I just copy a generic stat bloc from the Monster Manual or Monsters of the Multiverse, with a little modification. The Sergeant of the Guard has the same stat bloc as a Blackguard from MotM. By the way, the Blackguard's spells would be really handy for a cop.

[@DDHomebrew]

I have used the exact same technique: a standard stat block for various types. The players never know the difference in that they are all the same!

[@teathomas]

The only problem I have with this method, which I have to use pretty frequently whether I like it or not because my party loves going places I haven’t prepped, the only problem is that I will name and describe people on the spot, but I will forget some details after the session. I can’t easily take notes during game and I have a player who takes exquisite notes (bless him, bless him!) Occasionally I’m okay with asking him what he wrote about them, but I really avoid doing that very often because I feel like it would break buy-in if it’s obvious I’m improvising too much and just forgetting it all! I am considering recording our session audio so I can go back and take notes later.

[@DDHomebrew]

This is a great note and one that I am notorious for doing! In this video I describe an NPC whose name I forgot so I called him "Fred" on session and that became his name! And since his daughter was the introduction to Fred she became Pebbles as in the Flintstones. Everyone chuckled, but I told myself to keep better notes!

[@krispalermo8133]

As I posted over the years on other videos, have your players run a quick game of minor PC in a location as a short mini game. Then have their main PC go through that location and interact with their n/pcs. One player was nervous all to get cause HE Knew that/his npc was going to hustle his current PC hard out of his coin. Meta gaming can still be fun in ways. No one likes to pc a town guard a few times to get attach to that given character, only to get randomly killed as a plot device. But hey it is a horror campaign. Along with running a short game where they are locals getting killed by monster, then their main PC save the day, or die trying. Start the story off from the victims point of view like a tv series of X-flies, Charm, Supernatural, Dresden Files, John Constine, etc.

[@DDHomebrew]

TV shows can beca great source of information on NPC's and all sorts of situations. And the fictional paradox, where we identify emotionally to people we know are purely fictional, is jet fuel to RPG games!

[@RIVERSRPGChannel]

I have NPC‘s that I end up calling Bob, because I never developed them past being a blacksmith or something.

[@DDHomebrew]

I have done that for years: Clyde and Derwood are two favorites, along with Gladys and Zelda. Not sure why, but they always get a laugh!

[@jn3Storyteller]

I gotta tell you, I like your advice more with every video.

[@DDHomebrew]

I'm just glad I can help.

[@krispalermo8133]

My second gaming shop years ago, after around ten months there, most of the players though I was get too nice of a guy from my lay back behavior so they said I wasn't capable of PCing an under handed PC. So I create a rogue3/bard2 character. Bluff skill +11 ranks Any time I did something, I said it was what my PC would do, so just relax, I'm in character. After three hours pressing their buttons and playing on their nerves to piss off both the PCs and their players, my PC .. robed .. 3/4th of their treasure and shaved the dwarf's beard. Now after Everyone was really piss off with Me, I said don't take it personal it is just a game .. It wasn't me taking all of you for a ride, it was my character. Losts of F-U ! glares. Then I finish with that They Now have a N/PC they really want Revenge on. So your PCs now have a campaign drive. They spent the next hour playing MtG, magic the gathering card game, talking about All the revenge they are going to have on that n/PC of mine. In one game when they reach caster level, they polymorph a cow into the next large size it could go up to, polymorph the con artist PC into the size of a gnome and shove that PC up the cow's .. well you get the point. Historically such people had their tongue pulled out with red hot pinchers. But in a magic setting, cow treatment could be a form of social punishment since you had Rub a dub dub, three men in a Tub. Death by sitting in your own cesspool to die from rot infection.

[@DDHomebrew]

I can't say I would do this to any group, but it did teach something about how the fame could be played!

[@krispalermo8133]

@@DDHomebrew On one hand they realized how nice I was over the long run. They knew I could be a d*ck, but chose not to. Afterwards they vouch for me on my .. good .. behavior. First rule on being a con artist traveling trickster, donate all your stolen wealth to charity, and given the good will credit to the people you rob. British prison system back in the day where they charge people as a tourist attraction. They had this one guy was so good at escaping you would think they break his hands & feet, but he was just so dam charismatic and entertaining they prolong his hanging date till he died from the seasonal flu. . He stay in prison for close to four years coming in an out of his cell as he pleased, he just like hanging out with the guards. It was said he broke out of jail during a city riot, he calmed down the mob, had them laughing for a few hours and everyone went home without any problems. Afterwards the town council shook their heads and told him to go back to his room so they can keep a better eye on him. He was double jointed with lose bones so slipping out of binding was a game for him. He had to wrap his feet to keep them from rolling out of place.

[@DDHomebrew]

Sounds like a good NPC!@@krispalermo8133

[@role4success]

God is in his holy temple!

[@DDHomebrew]

That guy scared the crap out of me!

[@sgtbigballs666]

A tempus cleric? Nice haha You havent done a recap of the game youre running in awhile, sounds like youre still playing, at least

[@DDHomebrew]

I am running. Unfortunately those recaps get very few views!

[@sgtbigballs666]

@@DDHomebrew well thats a bummer, I always enjoyed them, as well as your other content 🤔

[@DDHomebrew]

@@sgtbigballs666 when I have super low views my other videos suffer as well. And they take time. It's too bad, because the last few sessions have been pretty crazy!

[@sgtbigballs666]

@@DDHomebrew that's unfortunate that other people aren't interested

[@DDHomebrew]

@@sgtbigballs666 I get it though.