How to Be a Better DM: Dungeon Master Tips for the DM Newbie, the Hobbyist and the Forever DM

How to Make Life-Like NPC's with Robert from Dungeons, Dragons & Psychology

Jun 23, 2022

Robert from Dungeons, Dragons & Psychology discusses the necessity of lifelike NPC's and what makes a good villain and ally. They also delve into the challenges of writing a murder mystery adventure and share tips for creating memorable NPCs in tabletop role-playing games.

36:04

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Episode guests

Robert

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Creating memorable NPCs involves giving them quirks, backstories, and distinct speech patterns, making them interesting and engaging for players.

When creating villains, adding complexity and internal struggle by portraying their belief in their cause, even if misguided, makes them more interesting and compelling.

Deep dives

Creating Memorable NPCs

One key aspect of creating memorable NPCs is to make them dynamic. NPCs should have quirks, personality traits, and backstories to make them interesting and engaging. Giving them distinct speech patterns or catchphrases can also help in making them stand out. Additionally, it's important to consider the role an NPC plays in the story - whether they are a quest giver, a source of information, or a comedic relief. Not every NPC needs to feel lifelike, but the important ones should have depth and uniqueness.

Introduction

5min

Faking it as a DM and a Brutal Betrayal Plot Twist

2min

The Player Becomes the Big Bad

2min

Favorite DM Moments and Writing a Murder Mystery Adventure

2min

Creating Lifelike NPCs in Tabletop Role-Playing Games

24min

Creating Memorable NPCs with Quality and Personal Touch

4min

Welcome back to How to Be a Better DM. We have a great episode with Robert from Dungeons, Dragons & Psychology. Get Robert's Book Session 0!

Here are some of the questions we asked Robert:

Is it necessary to make your NPC’s lifelike
What makes a good NPC?
What makes a good villain?
What makes a good ally?
How do you keep track of your NPC’s?

Mentioned in this episode:

Add the Magic of Sound to Your Gameplay

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Monument Studios

Brought to you by Session 0 Studios

Visit session0studios.com for more information.

Join Our Discord

So a little bit of a spoiler alert. We’re building an army. That’s right, we’re building an army of amazing dungeon masters who want to make the world of D&D a better place. If you want to join our army and fight by our side against the evil forces of boredom and bad dming, join our Discord and lend your voice to the cause. Go to Session0studios.com/discord and join for free today.

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How to Be a Better DM: Dungeon Master Tips for the DM Newbie, the Hobbyist and the Forever DM

How to Make Life-Like NPC's with Robert from Dungeons, Dragons & Psychology

Episode guests