Making NPCs likeable

[Rhunder]

I'm trying to put together a few likeable NPCs in a coastal town so that if/when they die, the party actually cares. The problem I have is that adventuring murder hobos rarely likes villagers and are often suspicious of too well described individuals.

What are some NPCs your parties have really cared for and what's something small that could add a lot of charm for NPCs?

[DMThac0]

Murderhobos only care about something if it can give them something. I kill it, it gives me XP. I loot it, I get moneys or magic stuffs. It talked and said a mean thing, I kill it because XP and Loot. That guy who has stronger things than me said kill the thing, I do it because I get money and XP...and it doesn't kill me because it's stronger.

You get the point.

---

The first thing you need to do, with any character that you don't want murdered before exposition is done, is to make sure there's no reason to fight. A bunch of murderhobos heroes walk into the local quest hub town only to find that no one wants to talk to them. That's going to make the heroes wonder what evil there is to smite, and they will seek it out with fervor. As they march through town, you have this NPC you want to introduce them to become available. Whether you have a tavern, mayor's manor, constable, etc., the narration takes the players in that direction. Now this NPC has something the heroes want, they will go that way oblivious to much else.

When the heroes enter into conversation with this NPC you'll have to lay out why the town is so timid. Explain that rumors have spread of the blood thirsty heroes murderhobos that have been seen and how this group fits that description. Use the adventures they've had and spin them into slightly, only slightly more gruesome tales, and take them a bit out of context. "They completely wiped out a colony of Kobolds, leaving nothing alive, just so they could take a trinket they thought the creatures had.". Rather than the fact they were hired to retrieve a religious idol for the town's clergy.

After driving that point home... NPCs are actually a lot simpler to make "friendly" or "memorable" than most people believe.

1) Give them a name
2) Give them a quirk (physical, vocal, social, whatever)
3) Give them a purpose

Done.

One of my NPCs, created with these 3 steps, was so much enjoyed the players forced me to make him a PC in a later adventure.

1) Name: Aerik
2) Quirk: He was always polishing a mug and spoke like he was annoyed at the world.
3) Purpose: Barkeep and (in most games) the guy who gave hints on what the players could/should do next.

[Kaptin Keen]

I dunno ... the most likeable NPC I ever created is propably Ma Gertrude. Who has a little shack in the woods, and an herbal garden, and an extensive collection, and most definitely is not a witch - not a magical bone in her body. No, seriously.

She bakes pie.

She also happens to be a font of knowledge for anything the PC's get stuck on, an occasional quest hub, wise to the world and competent in her own right. Still no magic.

In general, people will be hard pressed to not like NPC's they'd like in real life.

So I don't agree with the functional 'I like them if I can use them' point of view. Inconsequential bringers of pie or ale can be the most memorable of NPC's.

[DMThac0]

So I don't agree with the functional 'I like them if I can use them' point of view. Inconsequential bringers of pie or ale can be the most memorable of NPC's.

I was making the reference from the murderhobo point of view.

When players break from the murderhobo and become RPers and playing the game for more than the next XP nugget, then you can bring them the NPCs that are memorable.

One of my favorite not helpful NPCs, in this case set, are Tik and Tak. They are nothing short of gnomish disasters where ever they go. My players love to hate them, they cringe when the names come up. The moment the nasally voiced siblings start to speak my players all but planar travel to get away.

[Kaptin Keen]

I was making the reference from the murderhobo point of view.


I'm well aware that's not what you're saying. Wasn't trying to imply you're promoting murderhobo'ing.

[Darth Ultron]

In a general sense murderhobo type players won't care much about any NPCs. So you can't expect them to 'really' care. The best you can get is the selfish sort of non caring.

You can add NPCs in the town that aid and help the murderhobos, and then they will ''care'' about the NPCs helping their character. They won't care about the NPC cleric in town that heals them...but they will care that they might loose the NPC cleric that heals them.

Murderhobo types do respect strength, so if you make powerful NPCs they will care a bit about them. The same way they like NPCs with strange and unknown abilities.

And, last but not least, you can always go by greed. They will never care about Bob the Gnome, who has a portable hole. But they will care about the portable hole....

It's much different for role players, but if your players are not going to role play, then it does not matter.

[Rhunder]

snip

This is a great way to make them feel like they left an impression on the world and their actions have consequences. I usually have their consequences happen in the background and ramp up their difficulty in future match ups, but I should bring that forward.

As for the likeable NPCs, the main methods I have found are quirks, gifts, worship, and gratitude. Even if it's just thankful to not being killed. But only a handful of NPCs have ever been mourned, one of which was more of guilt by the PC that accidentally got him killed. With this town being relatively poor(but will soon be making a lot of money) and this particular group exploits being unknown to this town, I wasn't sure how to put some respectable or even just likeable NPCs in the players' path.

[Orc_Lord]

Do you like murderhobo PCs? Are they murderhobos out of choice or ignorance?

I find the quickest way to stop that is to have consequences for their murdering ways. I can get into that if you want...

But to answer your question, you make NPCs likeable the same way real people are likeable. Of the party finds an NPC funny, quirky or cool you are done.

You can create the NPCs with the PCs and even players in mind.

[DMThac0]

This is a great way to make them feel like they left an impression on the world and their actions have consequences. I usually have their consequences happen in the background and ramp up their difficulty in future match ups, but I should bring that forward.

One of the first things I teach new DMs is that the players are ignorant and it's all your fault. You want them to find the subtle clues in your adventure...use a flashing sign or they'll never find it. You want them to realize the intricate plot connections that you spent weeks putting together, have your BBEG tell them, otherwise they'll never catch it. You want them to realize that they are being vigilantes rather than heroes, making subtle changes to the world will not be understood. You have to hit them in the face with it...like a brick...tied to a baseball bat...duct taped to a moving bus.



As for the likeable NPCs, the main methods I have found are quirks, gifts, worship, and gratitude. Even if it's just thankful to not being killed. But only a handful of NPCs have ever been mourned, one of which was more of guilt by the PC that accidentally got him killed. With this town being relatively poor(but will soon be making a lot of money) and this particular group exploits being unknown to this town, I wasn't sure how to put some respectable or even just likeable NPCs in the players' path.

Kaptin Keen and Orc_Lord touch on the other piece to NPC creation that will make things a bit easier. After the first 3 steps figure out how you can realate them to your players and their characters, both. You know the people your friends like and dislike, you can easily mold NPCs to fit those types. You also know what their character respect, want, and respond to, craft your NPCs around those things as well. Those relate-able attitudes and personalities will start to make the NPCs pop, whether they're the rich Baron or the dirt covered pesant.

[Bulhakov]

I think it depends on how much murderhob-ish the players are. Some won't care about an NPCs death unless they lose some vital piece of knowledge or loot.

Usually, if I want an NPC to be liked/cared for I make them somehow relatable (if not related) to the PCs. Make them retired adventurers with a similar background to the players, or distant family members, or just show the positive influence of the NPCs on the local economy/society, especially kids (the smithy teaches orphan apprentices for free, the butcher feeds stray cats, the innkeeper is surprisingly competent at pacifying agressive drunks etc.).

[denthor]

This where alignment enforcement comes into play.

What did they do? What do they believe they are.

Set the NPC as an extreme of....

Then see how they react. Changes may have to be made.

Have community react. Organizations react.

[RazorChain]

Making likable NPC's and making the PC's like your NPC's are two very different things


I don't try to make my PC's like my NPC's, I just throw them against the wall and see what sticks. Often the PC's will like NPC's that you'd never suspect...like Hugo Banzetti, a huge, round mage of house Flambeau, who's full of himself and always goes on how he has the powers of the universe at his fingertips. He's craven and even sold the PC's out under duress. After that the PC's bailed him out of trouble and "keep him around" so to speak. Made as an minor NPC who I never expected would stick around.

[Goaty14]

When the heroes enter into conversation with this NPC you'll have to lay out why the town is so timid. Explain that rumors have spread of the blood thirsty heroes murderhobos that have been seen and how this group fits that description. Use the adventures they've had and spin them into slightly, only slightly more gruesome tales, and take them a bit out of context. "They completely wiped out a colony of Kobolds, leaving nothing alive, just so they could take a trinket they thought the creatures had."

I don't get why you would create the air of "everybody in this town hates you" before attempting to make the PCs like the people in the town. Seems really counterproductive, don'cha think?

[dragoeniex]

Engagement can't be forced, and not knowing where on the sliding scale of dismemberment the party is, it's hard to say what might work for your group specifically. I agree with some of the above; tossing things out to see what sticks might be the way to go.

That said. I can still recommend things to toss that I love seeing or notice my friends liking!



Characters struggling against something are especially memorable to me. A revenant trying to make it through a mountain pass full of undead-hating/killing townspeople- and he can't get through because, despite all the respawns, poor dude is a very determined scholar who died mid-breakthrough and can't fight his way out of a wet paper bag. Keeps dying and resetting to before the pass.

Less supernatural examples might include a would-be wizard incapable of using magic, a librarian who has had to develop extreme measures to discourage book theft by adventurers, a general store worker who is bored by her job and does all tasks in the most inconvenient and over-the-top way possible...

Basically, just people working hard to get past whatever is getting in their way. Can be good for building empathy/relationships, or offer some black comedy if the group decides to do things that make the NPC's life worse.



It can also be fun to have characters who are the embodiment of some emotion or another. Especially if it's mismatched to their surroundings! Perpetually optimistic and sun-loving-despite-the-fact-it-burns drow guide. Dour and pessimistic pastry chef. Cowardly animal trainer/tamer.



Gotta say, it would be fun seeing a followup thread after you find something that works for your hobo-esque buds. Good luck!

[DMThac0]

I don't get why you would create the air of "everybody in this town hates you" before attempting to make the PCs like the people in the town. Seems really counterproductive, don'cha think?

Not "everyone hates you", everyone is intimidated. If you consider the idea that a group of people walk into a store, inn, farmer's market, local park, or any public area, they have a slew of weapons openly displayed, and they have an air about them that they don't fear anyone present. Then you sprinkle on rumors, half truths, and misunderstood stories about killing and slaughter for money contrasted by good works done, saving a town, and rescuing a lost artifact. You can create a really good impression (for the players) that their characters are looked at sideways, they're given a wide berth when walking through town, and that people will approach them timidly.

The idea isn't to make them think that people hate them, the idea is to make them realize that their "kill first, get paid later" approach to the story has an unintended consequence. Where heroes look like vigilantes instead of heroes. Think Batman, Spiderman, Green Arrow, and the number of other comic heroes who are seen as bad guys, but not as bad as the bad guys they take down. You have authorities tracking them down, even though they're cleaning up the worst of the worst.

[EccentricCircle]

Oddly enough, i've found that Sarcasm actually works quite well when you want them to make friends with an NPC.

It might just be the kind of players I usually game with, but if you can get in a few quips and snide comments as an NPC then they tend to warm to them faster. Maybe its because it engages the NPC with the group's usual banter, maybe its because they (and the GM) aren't taking themselves too seriously. I'm not really sure. Nonetheless, give it a try!

[Thrudd]

As has been said, give a character a defining personality trait or behavior quirk, know their motives, and roleplay them consistently. You can't know whether the NPC will be liked, but there's a better chance of that being the case if they are memorable and not too annoying. Don't be invested in whether or not the PCs or the players like an NPC. There's nothing you can really do outside of having good acting skills and making the interactions memorable.

In some sense, the players will like any NPC that has good abilities and helps them in combat. They'll care if they die because it means their party's power has been reduced and there is now one less target for enemies to attack. But I don't think this is really what you're talking about.

[Rhunder]

Alright, so we had the session and since so many of you gave some advice, I wanted to share the outcome.

While many of the NPCs I created for this small town were ignored,(go figure) some stood out and the Players had reason to care enough. Any quirks or interesting backstories were ignored, but the party face created a financial contact that became priority once the town was attacked. I had a child who need to be rescued from the woods that two other PCs seem to express concern about. The final PC has always been the biggest challenge in getting to like, well anybody. He plays mostly for the combat. He typically likes people who revere or fear him. I tried having some clansman of his, who respected him, happen to be in town. He was only wary of them and showed disdain for the helpless villagers.

Well, when the recurring bad guy showed up, the party did intervened as I hoped they would and the point of the town people needing to be liked. The final PC charged in, not to help, but because he geniunely doesn't like the bad guy. Everyone else was saving the PCs they cared about. All in all, it worked even though the quirks I designed and backstories I built never got fleshed out.

A man with 3 missing fingers, a Minotaur with a large back scar and twitching left hand, a massive, powerully built woman running the general store, a whole family wearing a large amount of jewelry in a poor village, etc. Oddities in behaviors throughout town were mostly ignored. Thanks for the help though and at least one NPC was actively seeked out, A little girl who ran up to them and waved before running off and needed rescued before the attack.

[DMThac0]

That's a start, a really good start. The best I can offer now is to keep it up, and don't limit it to towns.

I had a wagon travelling a road that the PCs were on, it stopped, the group talked, didn't offer much in the way of learning about the NPCs. The NPCs sold them some huge healing potions, and moved on. It wasn't until many sessions later, when they used a healing potion and realized it had 12 uses/charges, that they began to question who/what those NPCs were. All they remember is they were older, very tall, and their wagon was almost mechanical.