Creating NPC's

[lululu42]

I've been thinking about pitching my own MURPG campaign but i've been holding back since I need to create alot of NPC's. Now I will admit I am lazy so I was wondering if anyone knew of any programs that will randomly generate Hero's so I can use them as NPC's?

Also if any GM's have easy ways of creating NPC's without programs I would like to know them too. ^_^

[malice]

There is the MURPG Character builder, but you still have to have a concept in mind.

[comicfan]

First in the GM section there are premade characters, 40, 50, and I believe 60 stone heroes in that section along with other NPCs for characters to interact with.

Unless it's a character the party will regularly interact with (I mean at least once an issue), or someone the party will fight at some point (When doesn't matter) I never make stats, I simply assign him a specific mood which dictates how he'll interact with the Party: Friendly (Will offer any info without alot of interaction) Indifferent (Will not volunteer info unless asked), or Dislike (Will not offer information, unless interrogated, and will either verbally or physically attack the party). To me giving a character stats is like giving an Extra on a TV show more depth. It's pointless if he's never going to be seen again, or play an important role.

However if it is an important character, I simply ask what s/he should be capable of, and give them actions, stats, and modifiers to accommodate them. Excellent Marksman (No problem high Ranged Combat with Targeting). An inventor (High intelligence, along with Technology and Inventing...usually merged into one action box). Potential Sorcerer Supreme (High Mastery of Magic, and some Magic based actions).

[raynorn]

Well if they are heroic level characters you could simply mine the OC thread and use the ones you like as NPCs.

Feel free to borrow from this thread for NPCs too
murpg.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=ni&action=display&thread=13529

[Jet]

My advice is "stop being a lazy bum and just do them". If you cant make your own NPC's, you arent fit to be a GM, end of the story. Just think about what the game is supposed to be, figure out what kind of NPC's or villains you want to include (be it bank robbers, CEO of a large company, a doctor from a nearby clinic etc.) and if you want to include them in fight, give them detailed stats, otherwise just make some notes to keep yourself from forgetting who is who (for example, what said doctor looks like, where is his clinic, how old is he, does he have an accent etc.).

Dont be afraid to copy others work- I dont think anyone will mind if you borrow their characters from their archives or even redesign a popular character with same stats but with different names. People do that all the time and if it works, why not use them again?

Also- you dont need to create a lot of NPC's. In fact, you can make an interesting game with a bunch of unnamed thugs robbing a jewelry store, with none of the characters with any name, personality or special features. If you dont feel like making an entire universe, dont do it, just keep everything minimal untill you get some ideas.