What is the best way to generate NPCs?

[mortal]

From allies/contacts/rivals/enemies to crew and troopers?

I recognize there are tables to roll for background as well as skils per experience levels but short of rolling up an npc through character generation what do y'all do?

and what about characteristics, go with 7 each and tweak per experience table?

Is there a standard format to store the information?

 

[Condottiere]

Details develop through prolonged contact.

If it's just an encounter, notable skills and/or characteristics.

Basically, a footnote.

If the character starts to orbit around the party, you can start adding more details, give him his own sheet.

 

[MasterGwydion]

For random NPCs, I keep a file cabinet of several hundred that I have written up over the years. Most are just a single page with random stats and a few skills. About 100 or so are about 3 pages and include open-ended backstories. Then there are the ex-PCs that are usually between 10 and 20 pages.

Then I just reach into the file cabinet whenever I need random NPC #5

 

[NOLATrav]

If you have the Traveller Companion, there’s quick-build rules for player characters, which I’ve been using for NPCs for a while now. Just a few little tweaks and good to go.

 

[MonsterX]

Depends on what kind of NPC.

Most of the time, it is just a "clerk", "waiter", "taxi driver", and for those I don't have any stats, maybe a physical description. If it is Guard #2 who they might have combat with or contested die rolls, they get two to four relevant skills at lvl 1 or 0. I might decide their stats, if they are handpicked for the job, or do a random 6 X 2d6. If I want a random ship's crew, or something, and there's going to be an extended interaction with them as individuals, I'll use Traveller Tools to quickly make up a set of people. Villains are generally custom made.

Though for any of the above, I might use someone from my files, if there is a chance of an interaction. If the interaction doesn't happen, the NPC goes back in the file for possible later use.

I like to generate Traveller characters sometimes, just for fun. I keep these in the files and they get used when I want a more fleshed out character. The file is an Excel spreadsheet. This has their stats block, skills, gender, race, age, job, and some notes about their history, other notes.

 

[rinku]

Mostly I just invent the details as needed, but as I also like to generate characters for fun I have been known to insert a few from the pregenerated pile.

It's worth remembering that the players will never know the actual stats of the vast majority of NPCs (probably only crew members and other ones they've spent a long time around). It's usually enough to think in terms of qualities and experience levels. So THAT random cop is dumb (INT mod -1) but strong (STR mod +1). Unless it comes to combat you don't need to assign actual stat values. Unless you enjoy fleshing out every NPC, in which case you should do it.

For me, Map Only As Really Necessary applies to people just as much as places.

I have been using AI chats to help a little, though I managed to break the Google one when I tried to train it to actually roll one up. It got sulky when I kept pointing out mistakes it had made and it refused to keep going. But it works great for churning out colour text and names and such.

 

[Saladman]

... crew and troopers?

In 2e, I'm still using the two page spread of sample NPCs from the 1e core book. It's unfortunate that was dropped in later editions (though the thinking might have been it was covered by 1001 Characters, so didn't need repeated in core).

More recently I realized I could use the background and career blocks from the Companion package-based char-gen system as stand alone NPCs. I don't add them together, I use either a career element or a background element alone as a reasonable NPC that won't outshine rolled PCs.

From allies/contacts/rivals/enemies ...

Often I just make them up. I assume characters that are professionals but not outstanding will have a main skill like Pilot or Medic at 2, supporting skills at 1, ancillary skills at 0. If also assume a +1 to career-appropriate skills from an appropriate best stat, I'll sometimes skip stats and just write down final skill rolls with a range from +3 to +0.

If I do need stats I no longer assume 777777, but I'll give a 10 in an appropriate best stat and 4 in a weak stat. Non-combat characters like mega-corp execs are likely to have physical stats of, say, 664 not 777.

This all follows a lot of rolling random characters in notebooks, so I feel making them up comes out broadly similar to rolling for me. It might be less useful advice if you haven't yet rolled a lot of characters.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

I don't add them together, I use either a career element or a background element alone as a reasonable NPC that won't outshine rolled PCs.

To avoid not outshining the PCs you could use a copy of the PCs that is earlier in their career. See if they recognize the copying. Your pilot might meet his 1st term younger self who is only pilot 0, might even idolize his "older self" who has become a hot shot pilot.

 

[MasterGwydion]

To avoid not outshining the PCs you could use a copy of the PCs that is earlier in their career. See if they recognize the copying. Your pilot might meet his 1st term younger self who is only pilot 0, might even idolize his "older self" who has become a hot shot pilot.

Damn! That is brilliant! Now I feel dumb for not thinking of that years ago! Now I kind of wish My players played older characters. lol

 

[Condottiere]

Time loop.

 

[rinku]

Little do either of them know about the cloning conspiracy...

 

[Sigtrygg]

777777 terms 1d, skill levels terms x2
or
667788 arranged depending on NPC
physical 887 for blue collar
physical 667 white collar

roll 2d 2 well below average, replace the 8s with 7s, 3,4 below average replace one 8 with a 7, 10,11 above average replace a 6 with an 8, 12 well above average, replace the 6s with 8s

 

[mortal]

Here is what I came up with last night based on the “npc” section in the 2022 2e rules.

1. Determine primary skill and level
2. Experience: primary skill 0 = green, 1 = average, 2 = experienced,3 = elite
3. Determine combatant v non-combatant and attendant non primary skills.
4. Non primary skills are level 0 for green experience and 1 for average, experienced, and elites
5. From list of non primary skill boost one skill to level 2 for experienced and boost 2 skills to level 2 for elite.
6. Terms served = primary skill level
7. Additional terms served = D6 - primary skills level; values zero or less means no additional terms served.
8. Additional skills: roll a D6 per additional term served on the appropriate career assignment column.
9. Characteristics: 2D6 per;
10. Personal development : average experience gets 1 roll on the appropriate career’s personal development column , 2 rolls for experienced, and 3 rolls for elite.
11. Determine age: specie starting age + # terms + 2D6
12. Roll for quirk.

 

[Fluffy Bunny Feet]

Little do either of them know about the cloning conspiracy...

Shhh!