Hey all,
I enjoy creating robust NPCs that players need to interact with. I prefer my NPCs to be more than job boards and direction givers.
Tracking such NPCs is a pain in the butt, so I came up with a contact card system to help track and organize them. They're designed to be the same size as a business card. You can then fit them into a 9 sleeve card page (the CCG binder kind). I like to then organize my pages based on location. NPCs from Hommlet get one section, NPCs from Fallcrest go in another.
Check out the PDF links below to see their layout.
Here's the cool part: Because the cards are folded, there's an inside portion to the card (like the cover of a book). Here I can write secret DM info or notes that I don't want the players to have access to.
Using this system helps a GM and Players remember important info about NPCs. It contributes depth to the illusion that your locations are populated wirh real characters. It reduces the need for keeping a separate notebook of all your NPCs and allows the players to help you flesh out characters. Give them a blank NPC card and tell them to create some important NPCS for the town or campaign story.
Here's a link to a non-form version. In this version you'd fill everything in by hand. You'd also have to cut, glue, or hand draw, any pictures onto the contact card.
NPC Contact Card
Here's a form-fillable version for people who don't want to mess with all that glue and ink:
NPC Contact Card Fillable
Let me know what you think! I'd also appreciate any design advice, especially what fields would be useful and what fields aren't.
Jesse
I enjoy creating robust NPCs that players need to interact with. I prefer my NPCs to be more than job boards and direction givers.
Tracking such NPCs is a pain in the butt, so I came up with a contact card system to help track and organize them. They're designed to be the same size as a business card. You can then fit them into a 9 sleeve card page (the CCG binder kind). I like to then organize my pages based on location. NPCs from Hommlet get one section, NPCs from Fallcrest go in another.
Check out the PDF links below to see their layout.
Here's the cool part: Because the cards are folded, there's an inside portion to the card (like the cover of a book). Here I can write secret DM info or notes that I don't want the players to have access to.
Using this system helps a GM and Players remember important info about NPCs. It contributes depth to the illusion that your locations are populated wirh real characters. It reduces the need for keeping a separate notebook of all your NPCs and allows the players to help you flesh out characters. Give them a blank NPC card and tell them to create some important NPCS for the town or campaign story.
Here's a link to a non-form version. In this version you'd fill everything in by hand. You'd also have to cut, glue, or hand draw, any pictures onto the contact card.
NPC Contact Card
Here's a form-fillable version for people who don't want to mess with all that glue and ink:
NPC Contact Card Fillable
Let me know what you think! I'd also appreciate any design advice, especially what fields would be useful and what fields aren't.
Jesse
