Gamer Tips 5-25-05

You'll notice that the date on the title is quite a bit earlier than the day I'm posting this. That's because as usual - I'm being a slacker.

Here's the tips article from the May 26th game.

Feedback is appreciated, as are suggestions for the title of the section :).

Gaming Tips: For the GM and Player
For this episode’s in-game tip I’d like to talk about: NPCs.

Non-Player Characters – they are those voices in your head that fill up your game world, the thoughtful filled out character sheets provided by the game publisher in player guides, gm manuals and – for you White Wolf fans – splat books.

They are the villains that your party must fight – cause goodness knows if they don’t have someone to fight they *will* kill each other.

NPCs supply good information that hooks the players if their backgrounds aren’t complete yet.

NPCs supply *mis*information that sounds like *good* information that leads them on that distracting goose chase because you’re not *quite* ready for them to be at point E when you’ve barely fleshed out point C.

NPCs are the friendly townsfolk that take the party’s gold/cash/credits, and can also throw them in jail if the party gets out of line.

They’re there to be saved, they’re there to fight, they’re there to love, they’re there to explain to your party the plot point that you’ve dancing in the middle of a table in a pink tutu singing Glaring Plot Points are Here Again because the party’s looking over a bit to the left going “I wonder what’s in that Gazebo?”

NPCs are the nemesis that hides in the shadows and throw endless reams of hired thugs and goons at your party – because as we GMs all know – thugs and goons have MUCH easier character sheets.

Because – let’s face it – NPCs are – most of all – a pain in the ass to make. Its one thing to pull out a nifty piece of artwork you found on DeviantArt or Elfwood and go “This is who you see.” And you have a name for them even, Eldena, or Ehlanna, Erica or Ezekiel – and you really have to make a note to yourself to think of another name that DOESN’T begin with E dammit. Anyway…, and you have a few key stats – you figure – you’ll fill out the character sheet later. If they become important (you fool – you named them – of COURSE they’ll become important!)

You’ve even got a few ideas of how this NPC fits in to the world – a little bit.

But they always ask that question: So – what’s their favorite color? Do they have any family? Is she free next Saturday night? That’s where quick thinking on a GM’s part (and a decent glare) can come in quite handy.

Just remember – when coming up with things on the fly for an NPC – take a second to jot down details you have to pull out of some other orifice than your notebook. Because someone else might be taking notes – and 8 months from now when you talk about their brother (because you had an epiphany two weeks ago that this NPC needs a brother for an awesome PLOT POINT) someone speaks up and says “But my character did an extended genealogy search and she doesn’t have a brother”.

As GM you of course have the prerogative to say “well, actually it’s this way.” I have a knocker NPC in my game went from 15 to 17, to 16 and I think he’s almost 18 now . Trust me – write it down. I haven’t compiled all my notes yet and I’m almost afraid to because of all the idiosyncrasies and secrets that have been divulged – but its necessary – after all – how are you going to keep their lives straight when I’m sure your own is hard enough to keep track of – at least I know mine is :).

So – to address these issues:

If you take NPCs from the books – be sure to either have the books handy – or copy the sheet – either by hand (if you’re going to make changes) or if you happen to have a scanner handy – that works too.

If you don’t make a full character sheet – know what abilities are going to come into play. If you have to make a roll for an NPC using a stat that you’ve not thought of first – think (briefly) about the character and pick something – then WRITE IT DOWN. Yes, you’re the GM, no – the players don’t know what the character sheet looks like – but if this NPC turns into a long-term NPC – trust me – they will notice if all of a sudden Bob the Sidhe doesn’t have Sovereign to control your enemies, but he did JUST fine putting their asses under Protocol when you first met.

So, have the stats in front of you – and if your players ask for their life story – have your NPC act within their personality (however much or little they have) to an intrusive question like that.

Now, the characters may not do that – they may just try to pry for more and more information – don’t let them rattle you – just because their characters ask a question does NOT mean they are entitled to an answer. Or that the answer has to be true. NPCs can lie – what is a bad precedent is for the GM to give one answer and then come back later and SAY the NPC lied if it doesn’t make sense for them to have done so. It’s one thing to change your mind and say mea culpa – they’ll respect you more for it.

It rattles the players’ confidence in you and you don’t look like you’re interested in the story if you’re always changing backgrounds of NPCs.

Be careful what you divulge – either know what you’re going to say, be enough in the NPCs head to know how to improvise, and if you have to improvise – jot it down for future reference. It will make your world more cohesive, and your NPCs more believable.

This is not the last word on NPCs – I have more to say on them – but since I should be a member of Ramblers Anonymous (still waiting for everyone to shut up for the first meeting to come to order) I’m going to end this piece here.

Feedback is very welcome either on the forums, or to Mark, or to my new AGC address…as soon as I make it.

Signing off – Carol.