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Message: <blockquote data-quote="guachi" data-source="post: 7118045" data-attributes="member: 6785802">The best way to get good at improv is preparation and practice. I know that may sound weird, but hear me out. As others have mentioned you should give your NPCs motivations. Maybe write down their bonds, flaws, and whatever the third thing is that players write for their characters. Write down a few adjectives to describe the NPC. If you need to generate an NPC on the fly maybe use a table but be sure you've thought about what each option entails. If you have time before the session, write this down on a note card. One dollar for a hundred cards will be the best one cent per NPC you ever spent on gaming.Too often my NPCs sound like me. This is bad. Take the time to figure out how your NPCs talk and then practice saying a few sentences. Some people don't like "funny accents" but I'd rather have a mediocre accent than nothing (though a bad accent is right out). I've found I can't maintain German accent for long, so I don't try though one of the PCs can do it, which is why he chose his PC that has a German accent. On the other hand, I've managed a decent Romanian and Russian accent (at least decent to people who aren't used to hearing it) and the PCs can tell when I'm doing one or the other.Currently, I'm practicing emotionless and haughty, like you'd get from someone talking to servants. In a month I have to do French and I think I've finally got it. And I know I can do Arabic (because I'm an Arabic linguist. I can do that accent in my sleep.) I've successfully done innocent kind and scheming (but not evil) businessman planning ways to make money. At least, successful in the sense the PCs knew what I was aiming for.</blockquote>

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