Crypt of Knowledge
Episode 16: Building Memorable NPCs with Trevor Payne
Do you struggle to create NPCs that your players care about and want to return to? Making memorable NPCs can be one of the hardest parts of being a DM. We take a look this week at how you can learn to use NPCs to drive narrative, create drama, and even bring a splash of comedy to your grim dark setting. We're joined this week by a wonderful DM, Trevor Payne.
Trevor is the DM of the podcast Roll for Intent, a Pathfinder 2E actual play podcast working their way through Paizo's Abomination Vaults adventure path. New episodes air every Monday. They also have Roll for Intent Creator's Corner which focuses on highlighting content creators and their work. Those episodes are released every Wendesday.
00:00 - Introduction
01:52 - Who is Trevor Payne?
17:08 - How did Creator's Corner come to be?
24:34 - What are NPCs for?
28:52 - What qualities make memorable NPCs?
47:53 - How many NPCs make a world feel lived in?
1:01:00 - Psychic Damage - 5 questions in 60 seconds
1:04:57 - Where to find Roll for Intent
1:07:32 - Coming up on the next episode
You can find Trevor and the whole Roll for Intent cast on any of your favorite podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts.
Be sure to check out the Casa De Colores Fundraiser which will be raising funds for transgender refugees seeking asylum in the United States. Trevor will be playing at 6pm ET on October 14th on the GamerMomLuna Twitch Channel.
If you're feeling overwhelmed making NPCs, check out our Tools Section for some helpful generators.
Thanks for joining us! Be sure to check out cryptofknowledge.com for more information, tools, and exclusive member benefits.
