Crafting Memorable NPCs: My Method for Dynamic Characters

When I'm working a game in a homebrew setting, more than likely, it is going to be a sandbox-type game where the players can go and do whatever they want. I like giving them the autonomy to create their adventure how they see fit. It's wonderfully creative and keeps the players motivated. But it does make it difficult for me. Especially when it comes to Non-Player Characters (NPCs). Or even better, memorable npcs!

Over the years, I’ve tried a variety of methods to stay organized. I’ve created complicated NPCs who have very intense and lengthy backgrounds. I’ve created some that just have a name and a general feeling. Some I’ve ended up liking so much, I’d rather play them as a PC than an NPC. But it's taken me forever to figure out the one that feels right. Welp, I think I finally did it.

My Go-To NPC Creation Tools

Alright, before diving into the system I’ve developed, understand this works for me and could be completely useless for you. If you do pick up some ideas, that's even better. So here we go.

These tools aren't universal solutions, but they streamline my workflow and help maintain consistency in my worldbuilding.

Obsidian

Obsidian is my note-taking tool. I use it in a lot of different ways. As a professor, I take a ton of notes and create lesson plans, and this tool has made my life easy. It's free, but if you want to sync it across devices natively, it costs $5.00 a month, which isn't bad at all. And it uses Markdown which I am an avid fan of. It allows me to write without having to play with my mouse when I want to add titles or bullet lists. Essentially I'm able to get my thoughts down quicker than if I had to continually click on a menu bar to format. I use several plugins for how I want things to look, but that's personal preference.

There are other note-taking apps you could use to keep track of your NPCs. I’ve tested out IA Writer, Typora, Notion, as well as just keeping notes in Google Docs. None of them worked quite how I wanted to, with Obsidian coming the closest. So here I am.

Roll Tables

There are a lot of roll tables out there. You can check out DriveThruRPG for a short list. There are of course times that I have specific things I need an NPC to do and add that information manually. On the other hand, when you have NPCs to build, towns to flesh out, and plot hooks to run, roll tables can be a great starting point and idea creator. I find that I never just use what I find as is but instead prefer to adjust it to fit what has already happened or what I need to happen.

Additionally, there are some specific roll table texts that I adore. The Tome of Worldbuilding, The Nomicon, and Tome of Adventure, all by Matt Finch, are great for ideation and brainstorming. I haven't had them very long, but already I've found that creating my NPCs has become easier as I can pour through the books and grab ideas that might work. Now, these books are not meant to be used while you're actively playing, but for the preparation for your game night. There are some great generators online for during your game, but that's for another article.

Now that we’ve covered the tools, let’s look at how I organize the information.

What the Players Instantly See

We start with the information that the players will be able to discern quickly. I organize the NPC sheet in a two-column format: quick reference on the right and a narrative impression on the left.

On the right-hand side is a general quick look at the character. This is something you'd expect to see in almost any NPC view. Name, looks, titles, deities, that sort of thing. I use it mainly for quick reference when I'm talking about the NPC. I can see the notes there and quickly describe or discuss some of their basic beliefs. I like this quick look view because I don't get bogged down in details. It allows me as the DM to keep the action flowing without having to wade through a paragraph of information for a single word.

On the left-hand side, we find our First Impression. I generally read parts of this upon the first meeting so that the players have a sense of the NPC. It can sometimes be only a sentence and other times a full paragraph as seen in the image below.

Below that I've split the Description and Background. Neither of these are generally long, a paragraph or two at most. It's quick information that can be had easily. The Description is important if the NPC becomes someone the group decides to care about. It might have some finer details and really flesh out what the NPC looks like. The Background may not come out right away, but it's also information that will not be hidden by the NPC. They may talk about bits of it here and there as they converse with the players. It also helps me keep the character grounded in the world. Knowing where they have been is integral to making the character believable.

Finally, the last two columns contain Friends and Family in one and Enemies and Rivals in another. These are simply lists of NPC names that could be developed later. I like giving every NPC some sort of relationship as it adds depth and can at times allow me to incorporate new plot hooks. On the other hand, I may never use them at all. In the end, it's all about options. Now that we've looked at what my players can find out easily, let’s venture into what might be a bit harder to discern.

Secrets and Structure Behind the NPC

The next section includes items that can be a part of the campaign, whether they’re plot hooks or opportunities for the players to learn more. It's taken me some time to figure out how I wanted this to look. I did a vast amount of research looking at how other GMs had developed their NPCs. Some were extensive, with pages of note under various headings. Others were as simple as a name, rough description and general motivation. My system ended up being somewhere in between.

Core Motivations That Drive Them

Everyone has needs, wants and desires. In theatre, these three things can help flesh out a character on stage. They make characters both believable and relatable. This want doesn't have to be world-changing either. In the example below, Daiwen just wants to keep her daughter safe. This motivates everything she does. If she feels the party might help do that, she may seek them out and have them take care of something she has knowledge of. On the other hand, if the party is creating havoc and chaos, she may turn against them and try to rid the town of their antics. Her wants drive her decisions. This in turn makes it super simple for me to roleplay that character.

Inner Struggles and External Conflicts

These can be anything that might be troubling to the NPC. Sometimes I have one item, sometimes a couple, it all depends on the NPC. This character is worried about the rumors of undead running through the forest. This ties into your Want as well. I don't always tie the problem with the want, only because it can offer more opportunities for my players. But in the current campaign it works. Problems can be internal as well, such as "Fighting the feeling of impending doom within her." And sometimes I want to find a problem that doesn't have an evident solution. This can then be brainstormed by the group and allows for a lot of fantastic roleplay.

Useful Knowledge the NPC Holds

The next bit is something that the NPC knows but would be willing to divulge. Sometimes, as with the character earlier, it might tie in to the Wants and Problems. Other times, as above, it is something separate. You'll see here he knows of another NPC’s magical abilities. This has nothing to do with his Wants or Problems but could lead to an alternate adventure or side quest. It's best to come up with something that the NPC would easily share if motivated to do so. Whether it's to help the NPC or harm someone else, it's that small bit of knowledge that could have significant effects on the people around them.

The Secret They’ll Never Share

Finally, you have the Secret. This is something the NPC does not want anyone to find out about. If they do, it could harm them or it could bring devastating effects to the people the NPC knows. It helps me as the GM to think about how I want the character to interact with the players. Are they hiding something? Are they scared? Or are they just trying to centralize power around themselves and take over the entire world? That got dark quickly—but hey, sometimes NPCs have hidden depths. Alright, so we have some motivations, how do we actually present the character?

Bringing Your NPC to Life at the Table

This is about the creation of the character at the table. How do I present them to the players? You can go about this a variety of ways, but I keep it simple. We have Personality, Quirks, Mannerisms, and Vocalisms. The Personality is all about how the character comes across. Are they fun? Are they quiet? Are they manic? This will direct me how to move, talk, and react when the NPC is interacting with the players.

Quirks and Mannerisms are separate for me, but could be combined for others. I view quirks as things that happen oddly or not as often. This character acknowledges everyone she sees. This could be a mannerism, but since I placed it in Quirks, I'm going to develop a way that it seems odd how she goes about it. Like talking about a character in the third person when they speak the first time. "Oh, it's Johnathan, good to see you friend." On the other hand, Mannerisms are habits that they do. This character mutters to herself. So in my sessions, she’ll talk to the characters, then mumble to herself.

Finally, we get to vocalisms. I like doing voices. But if my players come back to an NPC before I've had a chance to listen to past voices of the character, I might be lost. This helps me remember how I talked when I spoke in the character's voice. Notice that all of these are short and easy to read. That's important for me. They need to be quick and glance-worthy.

Tracking Player Interactions

The final piece to the puzzle is a list of previous interactions. In Obsidian, these link back to the Session Notes for that session. These notes give me a quick glance, and then if I want to go deeper I can with just a click. Obsidian’s linking makes this seamless—clicking the session name pulls up all the detailed notes instantly. I break it down, session by session, and try to note the most important bits to the character. Remember, I’m glancing at this during a session, so I just need the information fast so I can continue whatever roleplay is at hand. I used to think I needed to write down everything. I've found that just creates problems, so succinct is the way to go.

Final Thoughts and Your Turn

So that's how I do it now. Quick, easy, but still complex enough for me to have a character worth roleplaying. Remember, the GM should be able to have as much fun as the players. Otherwise, what’s the point of GMing?

So, now, share with me how you go about creating your NPCs. Is it more intense than what I've created? Or is it simpler? Is there anything from this system you think is worthy to use?