Comments on: NPCs you love to hate http://www.dungeonmastering.com/tools-resources/npcs-you-love-to-hate The D&D Blog Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:54:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Adventure Prep, Session 2 : Critical Hits http://www.dungeonmastering.com/tools-resources/npcs-you-love-to-hate#comment-10018 Adventure Prep, Session 2 : Critical Hits Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:38:10 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/characters/npcs-you-love-to-hate#comment-10018 [...] on the different faces of Evil, I thought this scene would be a nice occasion to test my DM challenge of making [...] [...] on the different faces of Evil, I thought this scene would be a nice occasion to test my DM challenge of making [...]

]]> By: Ravyn http://www.dungeonmastering.com/tools-resources/npcs-you-love-to-hate#comment-6249 Ravyn Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:41:45 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/characters/npcs-you-love-to-hate#comment-6249 Then there's my most successful villain. Absurd vocabulary? Check. Tendency to behave like he's in complete control of the situation regardless of circumstances, usually talking down to the PCs in the process? Check. Psychological trauma inflicted on PCs and NPCs alike? Check. But what was really odd was after they killed him. (Yes, after. He's been dead for upwards of fifty sessions now.) I reintroduced him a while later, as a remnant of himself in the mind of his next incarnation. Since the group happens to like his next incarnation, and haven't yet realized the extent to which he messes with things, they let him live. Scarier still, they like him. All of the players who've met him enjoy talking to him even when he's winning the verbal sparring matches they get into (which is almost always), and the PCs' reactions to him range from grudging admiration to almost wanting to emulate him. Apparently whatever I did, I did right. Then there’s my most successful villain.

Absurd vocabulary? Check. Tendency to behave like he’s in complete control of the situation regardless of circumstances, usually talking down to the PCs in the process? Check. Psychological trauma inflicted on PCs and NPCs alike? Check.

But what was really odd was after they killed him. (Yes, after. He’s been dead for upwards of fifty sessions now.) I reintroduced him a while later, as a remnant of himself in the mind of his next incarnation. Since the group happens to like his next incarnation, and haven’t yet realized the extent to which he messes with things, they let him live. Scarier still, they like him. All of the players who’ve met him enjoy talking to him even when he’s winning the verbal sparring matches they get into (which is almost always), and the PCs’ reactions to him range from grudging admiration to almost wanting to emulate him.

Apparently whatever I did, I did right.

]]> By: raabrashi http://www.dungeonmastering.com/tools-resources/npcs-you-love-to-hate#comment-3168 raabrashi Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:33:28 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/characters/npcs-you-love-to-hate#comment-3168 One very simple thing you can do to truly make the PC's despise a villain - something that is very easily overlooked - is resurrect the villain after the PC's have already killed him. In D&D there are so many ways to do this, and it forces the PC's to ask themselves, "Who has brought my enemy back, and why?" leading to interesting character development, and even a more sinister villain. One very simple thing you can do to truly make the PC’s despise a villain – something that is very easily overlooked – is resurrect the villain after the PC’s have already killed him. In D&D there are so many ways to do this, and it forces the PC’s to ask themselves, “Who has brought my enemy back, and why?” leading to interesting character development, and even a more sinister villain.

]]> By: Love-to-hate-them villains: a how-to guide http://www.dungeonmastering.com/tools-resources/npcs-you-love-to-hate#comment-3163 Love-to-hate-them villains: a how-to guide Tue, 15 Apr 2008 05:31:01 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/characters/npcs-you-love-to-hate#comment-3163 [...] Use fancy vocabulary. [...] [...] Use fancy vocabulary. [...]

]]> By: Dungeon Mastering » Well, At least it lasted 2 rounds! http://www.dungeonmastering.com/tools-resources/npcs-you-love-to-hate#comment-1753 Dungeon Mastering » Well, At least it lasted 2 rounds! Fri, 28 Dec 2007 05:30:32 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/characters/npcs-you-love-to-hate#comment-1753 [...] NPCs you love to hate by yours truly [...] [...] NPCs you love to hate by yours truly [...]

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