![]() Is the NPC friendly and helpful? Or is he gullible, cynical, pessimistic, sarcastic, lazy, or hot-tempered? Such personality traits govern how the NPC reacts to most situations, commands, or requests. Personality: This element describes an NPC’s basic outlook on life, and typically one or two descriptive notes to this purpose are all that are needed. The vast majority of NPCs met in a campaign likely have quite mundane goals, such as “move to a new town,” “romance the local starlet,” or “work for weekly pay.” While many such goals frequently prove beneath a party’s notice, the more interesting and unusual objectives typically come to light along with the extraordinary character who possesses them. ![]() By the same note, not every motivation needs to be dramatic either. ![]() Motivations need not be elaborately detailed for most characters one line such as “family murdered by orcs” or “obsessed with gaining knowledge” is often sufficient. ![]() A normally timid scholar might take greater risks to recover a rare tome than to rescue a princess. An NPC who is out to avenge her murdered family members will be more motivated-and therefore braver- in situations where that goal is at stake. Knowing an NPC’s motivation is the best way to have her behave in a logical and coherent manner in the game. Motivation: With any character, regardless of the storytelling medium, it’s vital to know what is at stake for that individual. Fantasy literature features innumerable examples of such traits used as plot devices, and whether meaningful or random, a unique description of an NPC is among the primary elements that help a character standout in the players’ minds. In the past, it was a common belief in some cultures that evil people are somehow marked, but also that a hero is born with a distinctive sign on the body or receives it during her initiation or adventures. Such traits can lead to identification (like Odysseus’s leg scar) or provoke some kind of reaction in a monster. In folktales and myths, a typical example is the “mark of the hero,” which allows others to know her true identity. For GMs wishing to delve past the superficial, some traits might even prove portentous. Some of an NPC’s physical traits dictate rules aspects (race, blindness, a limp, and so on), others can be merely cosmetic, and still others might reveal clues in a well-planned plot. A detailed description can do much to determine whether an NPC is memorable but might also suggest deeper elements. This might be nothing more than reference to the color of an NPC’s hair and noting her age, or it might be a detailed account of her beauty or ugliness. Thus, GM should consider the following character aspects as they design their NPCs.Īppearance: Every NPC worth describing has an appearance, something that sets the character apart and distinguishes her from the faceless masses as a unique individual. As such, an NPC who appears but once probably only deserves a few notes or a moment’s improvisation to convey the most basic traits, while a major character benefits from greater details, which might be revealed or evolve as the PCs interact with him. ![]() These aspects answer three questions fundamental to every NPC, from shopkeeps to kings: how do they look, what do they do, and how do they do it? How much effort the GM puts into detailing and refining the answers to these questions relates proportionately to the NPC’s importance to a story and his time spent interacting with the PCs. While not every NPC needs to be a unique masterpiece of imagination, every character the PCs interact with-those important enough to have a speaking role-should have at least three core elements: appearance, motivation, and personality. Once a GM knows what role his NPC needs to fulfill, the character’s details can begin taking shape. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |