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The Case For Using Recurring NPCs in Your Game
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| I return, singed, but triumphant. |
We all know what NPCs are. After all, it's right there in the name; non-player character. Any person in the game world who isn't one of the players' avatars falls into this category, from the bartender at the local tavern, to the head of the thieves' guild, to the king who gave them the quest, and the lich lord they're opposing. Everyone not under the direct control of the players is an NPC, and they're all being puppeted by the Game Master.
However, there are a lot of GMs out there who will treat NPCs like tissues; they use them once, and then throw them away. That's why this week I wanted to take a moment to explain why I think recurring NPCs are an important part of a game, and why GMs (and the players) are better-served by a rotating cast of established characters than they are seeing new faces all the time.
Point #1: It Leads To Greater Investment
I mentioned back in Death, and Its Role in RPGs that when you have a game with a high lethality rate, players don't get overly invested in their characters. The same thing happens when you have NPCs who vanish from the narrative once they've walked onstage, said their lines, then walked off again.
This isn't to say that every NPC has to be a long-term commitment. Sometimes people are only there to serve a minor role, or you don't have big plans for them in the story. But when the PCs interact with the same cast of characters repeatedly, they begin building relationships with those characters. Whether it's as comrades, or as long-term antagonists, this can really enhance the game over time, and get your players immersed in the narrative instead if just dismissing NPCs because they know they won't be present long enough for any meaningful interaction.
Also, if your players tend to kill any enemies you put in their path, consider checking out I'm Back!, which is a supplement specifically for explaining villain survival and/or resurrection when we thought for sure they were permanently dealt with.
Point #2: It Emphasizes Consequences For Player Actions
It's been said (by me, in 100 Tips and Tricks For Being a Better Game Master) that a majority of your job as GM is just to watch what your players do, and give them appropriate consequences for the actions they take. Because from small decisions like choosing to show kindness to the beggar on the street, or big decisions like taking their enemies in alive to face justice, are all far more meaningful when the NPCs circle back around as an active part of the narrative.
For example, say the party rogue tosses a coin to the street urchin outside the tavern. You could just leave that as a one-off encounter, and nothing ever comes of it. But maybe word gets around about the rogue's generosity. The gang of boys said urchin belongs to starts coming around more, and the rogue ends up becoming something of a teacher and a patron to them. These NPCs can be used as a way to get information to the party, to introduce new quests, etc., but their continued presence is a direct result of player action, showing them that attempting to build rapport has results in this game.
Alternatively, consider PCs who broke up a cult, killing the cult leader. Are they kind to the followers? Do they take the time to deprogram their hurtful beliefs, or do they just abandon them? If the former, do these ex-cultists become squires and apprentices, helping the party? Do they reintegrate into society, watchful against threats like the cult that swept them up? If ignored does the cult reform, with someone new reaching out to the dark powers that their leader had tried to wield? Whatever happens, it should be tied directly to what the PCs did (or didn't) do.
Point #3: It Makes Things Easier For You As The GM
This point is third on the list, but it's first in my mind as the GM because it falls under the work-smarter-not-harder ethos. Because if you've already put in the time and effort to create NPCs who fill certain roles in the story, and those characters are known quantities who are already on the table, why do that job again, and again, and again instead of utilizing the resource you already have at your fingertips?
Don't be afraid to get creative with this one, either!
For example, let's say you had a tailor who helped the party prepare for their debut at the duke's ball. The wild-haired gnome took every question, no matter how strange, in-stride and formed a budding friendship with some folks in the party. The ball went splendidly, and the PCs now have to seek out a guild of spies that the duke claims are undermining the government, and leaving them vulnerable to outside enemies. And sure, you could just create a whole new set of NPCs for that role... but why not bring back Marselie the masterful tailor as a representative of the Red Thread Society? This adds a new aspect to the character, and it might make the PCs question who's side they're on, and who is lying to them about what's really happening. Is the duke telling the truth? Is the society the tailor belongs to really a bunch of freedom fighters? Or are both sides trying to use them as pawns?
Alternatively, say the PCs are in a tight spot, and you're looking for some narrative reason that will keep the story going, but which won't feel like you just gave them an out. Perhaps they're captured, and locked in the villain's dungeon... but the henchman put in charge of them is a bandit whose life they spared several levels back. He owes them, and makes them a deal. If he unlocks their irons, and leads them to their gear, then they'll get the price taken off his head by the governor who gave them the quest once they've dealt with the warlord who's building a dark army. This both shows that the PCs' previous actions have consequences, and it gives you more tools you can use to further the story without introducing any new elements.
Also, as a final benefit, this strategy can make it look like you had deeper plans than the players were initially aware of... even if you tacked on the secret backstories or surprise appearances of these recurring NPCs based on who the party had the best (or worst) interactions with in the past.
Need Some Extra NPCs in Your Game?
Folks who've been following my work know that over the past few years I've put out a lot of content that revolves around giving Game Masters extra NPCs to draw on should they need names, personalities, and descriptions in a hurry. If you want to have a list of NPCs you can quickly draw on to fit your game, and who might become recurring characters, consider grabbing some of the following:
- 100 NPCs You Might Meet at The Tavern: This was my first Gold metal book from Azukail Games, and you get what's on the cover. Hedge knights, traveling boot makers, wandering merchants, an elven gang lord, and more can all be found between these pages!
- 100 Merchants to Encounter: My second Gold metal winner, this one is meant to spice up the shopping experience, and to make getting gear (particularly rare, unusual, or even illegal items) more than just a numbers game. From strange fey creatures who appear in glades at sunset, to suppliers of assassination supplies who operate toy shops as a front, to Crazy Olaf's hock shop geared toward those looking to offload all their dungeon trash, there's all kinds of options to make shopping an actual experience in here.
- 100 Random Bandits to Meet: Whether you're looking for a dangerous, recurring antagonist like The Maneater or Dreadskull, or you simply want the hoodlums and highwaymen your party encounters to have a little more personality (and something that would justify roping them back into the story later) there's all kinds of rogues and rebels in this supplement. For those in a seagoing campaign, consider checking out 100 Pirates to Encounter, as well as 100 Prisoners For a Fantasy Jail if you're going to be spending any time in lockdown.
- 100 Nobles to Encounter: From dragon-riding warriors, to strange, long-lived lords of the moors, to seat-holders of the dwarven enclaves, the nobles in this supplement could make for powerful friends, or foes, depending on how the party treats them. So whether you need quest givers, schemers, plotters, or patrons, there's a slew of options in this supplement. Or, if you want something with a little more depth to it, consider taking a look at A Baker's Dozen of Noble Families!
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