Episode 79
6 NPC Questions to Help Stimulate Roleplaying at Your Table
Ulv stumbled through the snow covered trees. He’d been stripped of his weapons and shirt and was given a pouch of herbs to crush and smoke when he felt the time was right. Apparently, they were supposed to give him some sort of vision about what his test was.
“This is the craziest thing I’ve ever done,” Ulv grumbled to himself amid strides through the knee deep snow. He needed to find shelter soon. There was no way he’d survive if he didn’t get out of the blowing wind and snow.
As if in answer to his mental request, he spotted a cave up the slope of the hill he was climbing. The cave was almost covered with snow, but had an opening large enough for Ulv to enter.
The interior was cold, but less so than the freezing forest outside. It was dark, but some light reflected in from the outside snow. Ulv made his way as deep in as he dared without a torch. The cave was much deeper than he’d anticipated. That meant more warmth but less light.
So what would you like to do?
Intro
One important thing you’ll want to remember is that for the most part, these questions work when asked to specific individuals. Singling them out can help to get a better response from some of the more unresponsive players. Just make sure that the question is set up the right way. In fact, before we begin with the actual questions, let’s talk about a few requirements for a good NPC roleplaying-prompt question.
- Purposeful
You can’t just ask random questions and expect that every question results in better or more roleplaying. For each question, you need to have a specific purpose. Maybe you ask an open ended question to allow the player more freedom and creativity. Or maybe you ask a very specific question designed to get the player to actually respond.
- Player directed
The best questions are focused on specific players. If you ask questions directed at the party, it is very likely that the person who is most used to roleplaying will respond. Getting a player to respond who rarely roleplays requires direct questions. That’s not to say that every single question needs to be focused on stimulating roleplaying. Some questions are just for the sake of the story.
Now with those two question requirements in mind, let’s get to the actual questions of today’s show.
What do You Think?
When directed at a specific player, “What do you think?” can be a very powerful tool to help re-engage a player who may have lost focus, or just help jumpstart the party into helping everything collaborate. I’ve used this with ally NPCs or even some NPCs that are slightly adversarial, though I haven’t ever used this question from the standpoint of a complete villain. I haven’t really found a scenario where that makes sense. Simply ask this question using the character’s name and voila! They have to respond with at least something. Even if they say, I have no idea, they’ve at least said something! That is a win in my book.
What’s Your Story?
I find this question works the best when it’s an NPC that is somewhat neutral to the party, like a shopkeeper or something. Naturally, the party will look different compared to the normal customers (usually), so a shopkeeper could take interest in the party, if only to hear a new story. You can also use this question from the point of view of an NPC traveling with the party. The only drawback with that is once the question has been answered, that’s it. If it didn’t lead to more roleplaying, you can’t really ask it again from the same NPC.
That’s a nice piece of equipment, where’d you get it?
This question is very similar to the previous question. From the point of view of NPCs, most of the equipment that our adventurers have is really nice and shiny. Normal folk rarely have opportunities to encounter the types of magical items that adventurers carry. I also like this question, because it has an obvious answer. Any roleplay shy character can give an easy answer as to how they acquired a particular item because rather than having to make up some answer on the spot, they can just respond by recounting the history of the game. Anyone can do that.
How’d you all meet?
Remembering that these questions work best when directed at a specific character, this question works well because like the previous question, it’s simply a matter of recounting history. It’s also a good question if the campaign has been going on for a long time. It’s nice to remind your players where you all began the adventure and how far you’ve come.
Why’d You Become Adventurers?
This question works best in one-on-one settings, like two people keeping watch, or a player walking the town alone during a shopping session of D&D. You might have to warm up the player to get the optimum roleplay experience. Thinking of a deep question from their backstory like this one might be too much right out of the gate. I would maybe warm it up by commenting on how difficult the road has been thus far and pointing out some of the foes that have been faced. Then the question can be breached about why the particular character became an adventurer in the first place.
What are Your Goals?
This question is hugely helpful for the Dungeon Master looking to add in story arcs that deal with a particular character’s backstory. Like the previous question, if the table is generally dominated by one or two roleplaying geniuses, then it’s better uses in a one-on-one scenario. This question will give you, the DM, a lot of ammo for preparing future twists and turns in the story. It can also help you fulfill on promises to each player. Each player will want a specific experience, even if they don’t know it. By asking what the characters want, you’ll be better able to fulfill on those promises.
Become a Roleplaying Master
Using these questions can help, but the best thing to help your players roleplay more is to work on your own roleplaying. By leading them with the example of a Dungeon master who isn’t afraid to be the tavern keeper, the villain, or the strange drunk on the side of the road, your players will feel more comfortable themselves getting into character. So loosen up and start practicing. Take every session as an opportunity to improve. Your players might not react right away, but soon enough, they’ll realize just how much fun it is and they’ll join in the roleplaying.
If you think I missed any questions, let me know by going to Instagram at Betterdungeonmaster.
We’ll be back next week with another amazing episode. Until then, let’s go ahead and roll initiative.
Mentioned in this episode:
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Transcript
yeah yeah m of stumbles through the snow covered trees been stripped of his weapons
producer]:and shirt and was given a pouch of herbs to crush and smoke he felt
producer]:the time was right apparently they were supposed to give him some sort of vision
producer]:about what his test was supposed to be is the craziest thing ever done of
producer]:grumbles to himself amid strides through the ne deep snow he needs to find shelter
producer]:soon there's no way he'll survive if he doesn't get out of the blowing wind
producer]:and snow as if in answer to his mental request he spots a cave up
producer]:the slope of the hill he's climbing cave is almost covered with snow but has
producer]:an opening large enough for of to enter the interior is cold but less so
producer]:than the freezing forest outside it's dark but some light reflex in from the outside
producer]:snow of makes his way as deep as he dares without a torch cave is
producer]:much much deeper than he'd expected meant more warmth but less that means more warmth
producer]:but less light so what would you like to do welcome back to how oh
producer]:yeah welcome back to how to be a better d m i'm your host justin
producer]:lewis here to help you create better stories while you d m sessions of dungeons
producer]:and dragons with your players and we are all about helping you create better stories
producer]:m h m often i find with every group there can be moments or even
producer]:specific players who just struggle to role play it's nothing m
producer]:through
producer]:whether these players are new or whether they are just chronically shy and unconfident or
producer]:in confident whether these players are new or chronically shy or lack confidence there are
producer]:a various number of reasons for why someone might not roll play as much as
producer]:they want but as a dungeon master getting your players to role play is one
producer]:of the true joys of creating these stories and shepherding your players through them so
producer]:today i wanted to share some questions that you can ask from the point of
producer]:the view
producer]:i wanted to share some questions that you can ask from the point of view
producer]:of an n p c that the party encounters to help stimulate role play for
producer]:you characters now one important thing you'll want to remember is that for the most
producer]:part these questions work when asked to a specific individual singling them out can help
producer]:get a better response from some of the more unresponsive players and actually just to
producer]:make sure that the question is set up right
producer]:and actually before we begin with the actual questions let's talk about a few requirements
producer]:for a good n p c role playing prompt question number one is they have
producer]:to be purposeful you can't just random questions and expect that every question results in
producer]:better or more role playing for each question you need to have a specific purpose
producer]:maybe you ask an open ended question to allow the player more freedom and creativity
producer]:or maybe you ask a very specific question designed the player to well actually just
producer]:respond and then the second requirement is like i said before it has to be
producer]:player directed the best questions are focused on specific players if you ask questions directed
producer]:at the party is very likely that the person who is most used to playing
producer]:if you ask questions directed at the whole party it's very likely that the person
producer]:who usually ro plays
producer]:will answer getting a player to respond who rarely role plays requires direct questions that's
producer]:not to say that every single question needs to be focused on stimulating reply some
producer]:questions are just for the sake of the story so with those two question requirements
producer]:in mind let's get to the actual questions that you should ask from the point
producer]:of view of an m p c to stimulate more role playing first one is
producer]:what do you think when directed at a specific player what do you think can
producer]:be a very powerful tool to help re engage a player who may have lost
producer]:focused or just helped jump start the party into helping everyone collaborate i've used this
producer]:with ally mpcs or even some mpcs that are slightly adversarial though i've never really
producer]:used this question from the standpoint of a complete villain like a big bad boss
producer]:or something like that i haven't really found scenario that makes sense in that case
producer]:but simply asking this question using the character's name and la have to respond with
producer]:at least something jenson what do you think even if they say i have no
producer]:idea they have at least said something from the point of view of their character
producer]:and that when in my book next question is what is your story i find
producer]:this question works best when it's an m p c
producer]:m oh yeah that is at least somewhat neutral towards the party
producer]:like a shopkeeper or something naturally the party will look different compared to their normal
producer]:customers usually so a shopkeeper could take an interest in the party if only to
producer]:hear a new story you can also use this question from the point of view
producer]:of an n p c travelling with the party the only drawback there is that
producer]:once the question has been answered that's it if it didn't lead to more role
producer]:playing you can't really ask it again from the same n p c but because
producer]:they often encounter many shopkeepers you can ask that question all the time and it
producer]:will still feel somewhat relevant you just kind of have to frame it a little
producer]:bit different the next question is that's a nice piece of equipment where do you
producer]:get it this question is very similar to the previous question from the point of
producer]:view of n p c is most of the equipment that are adverse from the
producer]:point of view of npcs most of the equipment that our adventurers have are really
producer]:nice and shiny and pretty expensive most people rarely have operate unities to encounter the
producer]:types of magical items that adventurers carry all the time i also like this question
producer]:because it has an obvious answer any role play she character can give an easy
producer]:answer as to how they acquire and a particular item because rather than having to
producer]:make up some bit about their you know back story or something they just respond
producer]:by recounting the history of the game anyone can do that anyone who has been
producer]:sitting at the table can say we went here we did that and that can
producer]:stimulate an entire role playing encounter next one is how did you all meet remembering
producer]:that these questions work best when directed at specific characters this question works well because
producer]:like the previous question oh it's simply a matter of recounting history oh
producer]:it's also a good question if the campaign has been going on for a long
producer]:time because it's nice to remind your players where you all began the adventure and
producer]:how far you've come next one is why did you become adventurers this question works
producer]:best in one on one settings like two people keeping watch or a player walking
producer]:the town alone during a shopping session of d and d you might have warm
producer]:up the player to get the optimal role play experience but thinking of a deep
producer]:question from the back story like this one might be too much you might have
producer]:to warm up the question right out of the gate though thinking of a deep
producer]:question from their back story like this might be too much for a shy player
producer]:or for a unengaged player i would maybe warm it up by commenting on how
producer]:difficult the road has been thus far and then pointing out some of the foes
producer]:that have been faced and then the question can be breached about why the particular
producer]:character became an adventurer in the first place next question is what are your goals
producer]:this question is hugely helpful for the dungeon master looking to add in story arcs
producer]:that deal with a particular characters back story like the previous question if the table
producer]:is generally dominated by one or two role playing geniuses then it's better used in
producer]:a one and one scenario this question will also give you the d m a
producer]:lot of ammo for prepare in for future twists and turns in the in the
producer]:story and it can also help you fulfill on promises to each player each player
producer]:will want a specific experience even if they don't know it by asking what the
producer]:characters want you'll be able to better fulfill on those promises so using questions can
producer]:help but the best thing to help your players role play more is to work
producer]:on your own role playing by leading them with the example of a dungeon master
producer]:who isn't afraid to be the tavern keeper the villain or the strange drum on
producer]:the side of the road your players will feel more comfortable themselves getting into character
producer]:so my biggest tip is loosen up and start practicing take every session as an
producer]:opportunity to improve in your play might not react right away but soon enough they
producer]:realize just how much fun it is and they'll join in the role playing if
producer]:you think i missed any questions let me know i'd love to hear your thoughts
producer]:go to instagram and look up better dungeon sor but we'll be back next week
producer]:with another amazing episode and until then let's go ahead and roll initiative
