Probably the best NPC that I ever had in my campaign were the mayors of a town that had been established in a little micro-universe in a game of Mage: The Ascension.

They were pretty straightforward power junkies, but they had a neat trick; whenever they were close to each other, they tended to look very much like a single person - same facial features, same posture, same build. When they moved away from each other, they went back to what they looked like before. It was a neat trick, 'cause - I hope - it suggested that they may have been channeling a single person who'd been left in charge by the mages who'd created the realm in the first place. One of my players dubbed them "the Mayorim", and the name stuck.

What's yours?

-Darren MacLennan

Quote from: Dancing Hateful ThingWhat's yours?
-Darren MacLennan

Man, this is a difficult one to answer - Do you mean the best in the way how the players reacted to him/her/it? Or do you mean the best, as in what we(the GMs) thought was the best (you know the most fun to run)?

The former, I would have to say the BigBad in my version of the End setting using the Fudge rules. He was a mad scientist type running experiments on the inhabitants of a village the pcs grew up in. There was a slight campiness in his speech and manner. I based him on the villain Drax from Moonraker.

He was always saying things like- "We have to move beyond the duality of good and evil" -and his experiments led to the creation of mindless zombies.   The players no doubt picking up from my movie ques did the banter thing well with him.

He - "I am vexed by your complete reluctance to capitulate to the ingenious methods I have designed for your demise....why did you break of the encounter with my mechanized boars?"

Players- "We found we could not accepts their points"

Damn did they indulge me.They always ask what the hell happened to him.

As to the latter - my personal favourite is the fixer/mystery man in my D20Modern "Mandate" campaign. I based him on Ian Mcshane's brothel owner in Deadwood - and that's all I'm saying :deviousgrin:

Regards,
David R

Quote from: David RMan, this is a difficult one to answer - Do you mean the best in the way how the players reacted to him/her/it? Or do you mean the best, as in what we(the GMs) thought was the best (you know the most fun to run)?

Whichever works.  

QuoteThe former, I would have to say the BigBad in my version of the End setting using the Fudge rules. He was a mad scientist type running experiments on the inhabitants of a village the pcs grew up in. There was a slight campiness in his speech and manner. I based him on the villain Drax from Moonraker.

He was always saying things like- "We have to move beyond the duality of good and evil" -and his experiments led to the creation of mindless zombies.   The players no doubt picking up from my movie ques did the banter thing well with him.

He - "I am vexed by your complete reluctance to capitulate to the ingenious methods I have designed for your demise....why did you break of the encounter with my mechanized boars?"

Sounds a little like the G-Man, from Half-Life - you get the impression that he may not be human, but simply imitating a human's behavior. It might be the lack of tone that comes from Internet communication, though.

-Darren MacLennan

Quote from: Dancing Hateful ThingSounds a little like the G-Man, from Half-Life - you get the impression that he may not be human, but simply imitating a human's behavior. It might be the lack of tone that comes from Internet communication, though.

-Darren MacLennan

Half-Life, is that a computer game? Some of the crew who are into such games are always talking about it. Well, now you have given me an idea. I'm going to resurrect the guy from the End game and use him in a game for the current crew. Something not human but trying to imitate a human's behavior....I like this :deviousgrin:

Regards,
David R

Quote from: David RHalf-Life, is that a computer game?

If you like computer games at all, get the original Half-Life and play it. Amazing fun. I skipped it for several years, thinking it would be just another shootem game. Instead, I found it to be an experience I won't forget. It should be dirt cheap just about anywhere by now.

Half-Life 2 is also good, but it's much more modern, expensive, requires a high-end computer, etc.

Quote from: David RHalf-Life, is that a computer game? Some of the crew who are into such games are always talking about it. Well, now you have given me an idea. I'm going to resurrect the guy from the End game and use him in a game for the current crew. Something not human but trying to imitate a human's behavior....I like this :deviousgrin:

Regards,
David R

You really, really should get those games and play them as soon as you can. The G-Man makes a great NPC; he's like an avatar of Nyarlathothep that isn't confirming his avatarhood one way or the other.

-Darren MacLennan