When you run NPCs as the GM, you should always strive to follow your GM principles, make the NPCs act in line with their motives, and use them to bring the world to life. You can either describe the unique way they speak or act, or you can even use a new voice, posture, or mannerisms to act out the NPC yourself—use whatever approach you’re comfortable with that helps differentiate them from other NPCs the party has met.

Choosing NPC Statistics

Many NPCs don’t need formal backstories or statistics—if the PCs are simply interacting with a friendly bar patron to gather information, you probably just need a name, description, and motive. These three things give your PCs something to call the NPC, a way to recognize them, and a purpose behind their actions. If they’re somebody the PCs might try to make a roll against, consider also giving them a difficulty.

NPCs can sometimes become adversaries. If this occurs, give them statistics by choosing or customizing an adversary stat block from chapter 4.

Using NPC Allies

NPCs can also sometimes become allies in fights. If this is the case, you don’t need a stat block for them—instead, describe what they do during battle, putting the spotlight on them as the story demands and narrating how the fiction changes because of their involvement, but don’t worry about tracking their movements on the action tracker. Instead, when they act in a way that might help the PCs, if the party capitalizes on that help during their next action, give the PC advantage on the appropriate roll.

NPC allies can always get hurt or even die as the result of the narrative. Just because they don’t have Hit Points or Stress Points doesn’t mean they are immune to the ways of the world. During your GM move, don’t be afraid to capture the NPC and threaten their life to drive the PCs to action, trap the NPC somewhere and force the party to make a difficult choice, or push on the NPC’s motive so hard it makes them do something that puts everyone in danger. Hit the NPC hard when it feels justified, let them be beaten and broken as a result of a difficult fight, or have them die in the party’s arms if the narrative says they should. Because you are running both the adversaries and the NPCs, they are under your control to do with as you see fit for the story. Follow the fiction, embrace your GM principles, and make moves that drive interesting conflict for the party.

More to come for this section in a future draft, including potentially exploring more complex NPC ally options!