How do you give your NPCs distinction?

[Huw]

How do you make your NPCs stand out, given that they're all to be played by you, the DM?

 

[shilsen]

Each one screws the PCs in a different way

More seriously, it varies. Some are described differently, some speak in a distinctive manner (vocabulary and content, I mean, since I don't do voices), some have specific mannerisms, some have particular motivations which emerge in their dialogue/actions, etc. There's no one formula I use.

 

[Jeysie]

Just give them all different personalities, which manifests itself in a combination of dress, speech patterns, mannerisms, etc. Which ones end up standing out generally depends on which personalities the PCs end up finding the most interesting (which I can never predict, so I've given up trying).

Peace & Luv, Liz

 

[Masquerade]

Distinct catchphrase

"Stay a while, and listen!"

 

[CanadienneBacon]

I differentiate NPCs by affixing differing motives to them. Some of the time, their motive determines their mannerism(s).

 

[Jolly Giant]

I've used all the options on your poll; except the catch phrase one, but none of them very often. I try to vary my methods as much as possible, so that I don't become too predictable or my NPCs seem too clichè. I strive to give each one a distinct personality though. When I do give an NPC a trait that makes him stand out and hopefully be memorable, it's most often a mannerism.

More physical characteristics that I've used include:

a strong, booming voice
a very soft voice
nasty scars
really big hands
short, bandy legs
really long hair
mohawk haircut
bald head combined with big, bushy beard
fancy clothes (royal outfit - on a blackguard!)
unique design on weapon, shield or armor
oiled mustache
tattoos

 

[Mark]

How do you give your NPCs distinction?

Dung and perfume. Wait. What does distinction mean again?




*edit* Ah. Got it.




*second edit* Still dung and perfume.

 

[jdrakeh]

usually, I play with players' perceptions of certain social stigma.

For example, in a Vitorian adventure game that I ran, the main villain Walker Frost was a wealthy socialite prowler, an opium addict, and openly homosexual. The players expected him to be a pushover, both because of his social upbringing, drug addiciton, and sexual preferences.

I can still recall the look on their faces when, after being apprehended by Frost's henchmen, they came face to the face with the villain expecting some kind of dramatic scene to ensue. Instead, Frost looked at the heroes, shrugged once, and walked out of the room muttering only one order to his associates -- "Kill them".

Frost was, as they'd find out over time, the very picture of calculated ruthlessness. He didn't take uncalculated risks, he cut loose any potential liabilites with all due speed (going so far as to kill his lover when said lover failed to follow his orders in the field), and was generally an emotionless sociopath.

Not at all what the players expected. Very memorable, if only because he took evil to new heights.

 

[Psion]

Of your choices action, because I'm not good at the rest.

But really, more agenda, which results in actions and other behaviors. (The quick NPC agendas in DMGII are an awesome inspiration for agendas that a DM can play off of to create a distinctive persona and behavior set for an NPC. Get the PCs thinking "why did he do this? Why did he say that?")

 

[Wombat]

I do anything I can to make NPCs distinct.

Clothing styles, birthmarks, word choice, distinctive weapons, manners of entry, all of these are fair game.

Above all is voice -- each significant NPC has his/her own voice in my game. I'm a fairly dab hand with accents and the like, so this makes it simple. The more important the NPC, the less caricature-ish the voice. A reoccuring minor character might sound like a bad Peter Lorre impersonation, while a major character has all sorts of tics, tricks, and verbal specializations.

NPCs should be as memorable as the PCs.