NPCs

[rob]

Hi all.
I am curious on how PDs handle their NPCs. I have two types of NPCs, the pertinent ones, and the general one time appearance (well maybe a couple of times). The pertinent ones get a 4x6 inch index card which is large enough for stats, skills and a few notes on about the NPC. The general NPCs have a few stats and that's about it. Thoughts?

[ArmySGT.]

Originally Posted by rob

Hi all.
I am curious on how PDs handle their NPCs. I have two types of NPCs, the pertinent ones, and the general one time appearance (well maybe a couple of times). The pertinent ones get a 4x6 inch index card which is large enough for stats, skills and a few notes on about the NPC. The general NPCs have a few stats and that's about it. Thoughts?

Pertinent ones as you call them I keep on an Excel spread sheet. I use a picture of an actual personal and I fully stat them as if a player character. I give them a history, a family, and profession. I also equip them personally and other things like a house or fort if it calls for that. Then I also fill out their motivations whether that is for good or evil. If I have other pertinent NPCs operating in the same town or region then I plan for what their relationship could be (adversarial, good nature, dislike, love interest).

Detail, detail, detail....... You don't know what PCs are going to ask or do.

General NPCs- Note cards or Excel spreadsheet again. I make them generic and fill them out first for the encounter groups in the area. I also make several for each kind of difficulty level (grunt, corporal, sergeant, sergeant major, lieutenant, captain, major, general, prime minister, king)

Obviously I would have a lot of basic grunts... So those typically are stats, a single name (tom, dick, and harry), important piece of equipment and a weapon (jailer = keys and a club) (night watch = oil lamp and a crossbow).

Each after that meets a rising level of responsibility and gets a little more detail. Example five grunts in the night watch merits a corporal. The corporal gets two names (Tom Smith), and probably something that denotes his rank ( chainmail shirt, a pre-War kevlar helmet). Then ten grunts means you get a sergeant, again two names, maybe more equipment and the value of the equipment for the NPC and his community goes up. For example, ten grunts, gets Corporal Smith, and Sergeant Walker. John Walker has been a valuable member of the night watch for ten years and is entrusted with one of the communities precious pre-war hand held radios.

[mmartin798]

I am right there with SGT. I use Excel and OneNote for most of my needs.

Excel holds all my NPC and copies of my players characters, various tools I have made for things like weather, speed/time/distance calculations, and others I am still refining to help resolve combat situation more quickly.

OneNote has all my campaign notes, a log of relevant events, keeps my timeline of events including future ones that may have gotten triggered by the characters with or without their knowledge. It really helps.

Of course this means if my laptop dies, we can't play unless I get another computer ready. And yes, I back up religiously.

[RandyT0001]

I'm trying to avoid re-inventing the wheel so I'll ask if either of you gentlemen would be kind enough to share a blank template of your excel PC's and NPC's workbooks? I have Office 2010 myself.

[rob]

It is not re-inventing the wheel RandyT0001, I guess it's about wanting to share. As for me, I'm really old school, give paper and pencil. I personally find the use of a tablet/iphone/laptop at the gaming table a major distraction but there are times when one needs the info quick. It is just me, really OLD SCHOOL.

[ArmySGT.]

Originally Posted by RandyT0001

I'm trying to avoid re-inventing the wheel so I'll ask if either of you gentlemen would be kind enough to share a blank template of your excel PC's and NPC's workbooks? I have Office 2010 myself.

Tried twice.......... I cut it to four pages even....... exceeds file limit size.

[RandyT0001]

Sent you a PM with my email addy ArmySGT

Thanks

[ArmySGT.]

Originally Posted by RandyT0001

Sent you a PM with my email addy ArmySGT

Thanks

larger Excel 2010 .xslx file sent.

[ArmySGT.]

Don't forget to read the other NPC threads in the forum.

Like this one HERE

[RandyT0001]

Well, I designed a fillable pdf file for PCs and NPCs from my work on an Excel 2010 workbook for PDs to use. I still have to create the cannon fodder form in the book. Probably do that this weekend.

[ArmySGT.]

Originally Posted by rob

It is not re-inventing the wheel RandyT0001, I guess it's about wanting to share. As for me, I'm really old school, give paper and pencil. I personally find the use of a tablet/iphone/laptop at the gaming table a major distraction but there are times when one needs the info quick. It is just me, really OLD SCHOOL.

When you go to using Excel and One Note.... (I use that too) for your GM notes..... and as your PD screen........ You will not know how you lived before.

I can build personalized to hit tables for PCs or NPCs........ Track NPCs and build the NPC with a personalized to hit table......

Need a picture of the NPC..... print it..... Using a map...Oh lord.. For one game we used an actual map of London...... Zoom in, and zoom out.

You have a file full of sound effects......... No one in the party speaks Russian? Awesome play some sound files from a War movie where the Russians are speaking Russian......

With a laptop you can give players PTSD.

Trust me..... migrate you will love it........ bonus your bag is a lot lighter and the table less cluttered.

[RandyT0001]

Here is another fillable form for Minor NPCs, something more than a simple listing of weapons and BPs/SPs for grunts. It allows space for name, group, stats, some skills, action points, movement (pace), encumbrance, some equipment, BPs/SPs, and some armored locations. There is space for two NPCs per page. This is the third type of entry in the MP Excel Workbook, the others are the "Basic" versions listed above.

[rob]

Nice work on the PDF downloads RandyT0001, thank you! These do help out with a bit more on fleshing out the average NPC versus the now you see them, now you don't.

[RandyT0001]

Fillable pdf for six grunt NPCs. Name, number, stats, four skills and %, action points, pace, encumbrance, endurance, BPs/SPs, one weapon, four items, armor line. Little balloon for info.

[ArmySGT.]

Originally Posted by rob

Nice work on the PDF downloads RandyT0001, thank you! These do help out with a bit more on fleshing out the average NPC versus the now you see them, now you don't.

Curious how this went?

At the old school, document protectors and a three ring binder keeps them in an orderly fashion. Divide them up by encounter groups. Village "A", Bandits "2", Trade Caravan "1A"....... However, you like to organize them.

Always make several generic, filled out with stats, weapons, and equipment "Random" encounter. I spring these when someone gets bored and rolls dice for no reason at all......... "Oh! I see you rolled." "What did you get?" "Ah let me see" "Ok, the pencil snap and buzz of a bullet near miss passes over your party and 75 meters away is sudden bright flash and cloud of smoke from a muzzleloading weapon" "Go!".

[rob]

Silly me, I almost missed this posting. I haven't been running a game the last four weeks because a gallbladder attack and subsequent stuck stone in me. Any way, I have used the PDFs that RandyT0001 for NPCs. Like you ArmySgt, I sort of classify them as immediate, semi-immediate and the rare type NPCs. The immediate NPCs are the ones the PCs deal with almost every game day, the semi-immediate ones are the occasional encounters, and the rare are the one time encounters. The sheets are useful from my POV.

[RandyT0001]

I converted a copy of the Minor NPC .xls formatted file into a 2010 Word documet .docx format. It is the "Morrow Project NPC" document. It ends up with one 'more detailed' NPC per page.

I also converted a copy of the Grunt NPC .xls formatted file into a 2010 Word documet .docx format. It is the "Morrow Project Minor NPC" document. It ends up with two 'minimally detailed' NPCs per page.

Hopefully, people that have newer versions of MS Word can download it and use it in their game. The number of lines of single spaced, 12pt, type of descriptive space is noted below the table, just delete the note and start typing additional info.

[ArmySGT.]

Originally Posted by RandyT0001

I converted a copy of the Minor NPC .xls formatted file into a 2010 Word documet .docx format. It is the "Morrow Project NPC" document. It ends up with one 'more detailed' NPC per page.

I also converted a copy of the Grunt NPC .xls formatted file into a 2010 Word documet .docx format. It is the "Morrow Project Minor NPC" document. It ends up with two 'minimally detailed' NPCs per page.

Hopefully, people that have newer versions of MS Word can download it and use it in their game. The number of lines of single spaced, 12pt, type of descriptive space is noted below the table, just delete the note and start typing additional info.

Under the "Save as" options you can choose ".pdf" or "97-2003".

.pdf would be something almost anyone can open, and the earlier edition should be good for anyone that wants to edit their own....

Now, the 2014 edition is in everyones hands so MS Office 2010 should be available at a reasonable price to any that needs to upgrade (and you should).

If not...... Use "Open Office" the buttons are different but, it works mostly the same.