npc-creator - SKILL.md Agent Skill

name: npc-creator description: Create complete TTRPG NPCs with narrative depth and mechanical stats for D&D 5e. Generates appearance, personality, desires, secrets, backgrounds, stat blocks (tiered by importance), portrayal cues (voice, mannerisms, GM tips), and plot hooks. Handles quick background NPCs, significant social characters, major combat-capable characters, and everything between. Use when GM needs fleshed-out NPCs for campaigns, modules, or improvisation.

NPC Creator

Transform NPC concepts into complete, playable characters with narrative depth and mechanical stats optimized for D&D 5e (2024 rules).

What This Skill Does

Create NPCs at three complexity tiers:

Tier 1 (Background): Quick NPCs for scenes - name, appearance, key trait, minimal stats Tier 2 (Significant): Social-focused NPCs - full narrative, simplified stats, portrayal guidance Tier 3 (Major): Campaign-level NPCs - everything in Tier 2 + full combat stats, multiple hooks, vulnerability scenes

Workflow

1. Receive NPC Brief

Accept any input format:

Concept: "Corrupt magistrate who takes bribes but feels guilty"
Bullet points: "Excommunicated priest / Still has divine powers / Building new theology"
Detailed: Complete character concept with specific requirements
Setting context: Velnaris, Zarathar, generic fantasy, etc.

2. Determine Complexity Tier

Ask user if not specified:

Tier 1 - Background NPC:

Use when: Mentioned once, minimal interaction, no combat expected
Examples: Shopkeeper, guard, servant, random citizen

Tier 2 - Significant NPC:

Use when: 2-3 appearances, social role, possible combat, quest-related
Examples: Quest giver, ally, informant, rival, minor villain

Tier 3 - Major NPC:

Use when: Recurring character, plot-central, combat likely, campaign importance
Examples: Major villain, key ally, faction leader, love interest, mentor

3. Build Narrative Sections

Generate based on tier (see references/narrative-structure.md for detailed guidance):

All Tiers:

Appearance: 1-5 paragraphs depending on tier
Personality: Core traits, contradictions, decision-making style
Desire: What drives them, surface vs. deep wants
Secret: What they hide and why

Tier 2+:

Background: 2-5 paragraphs of relevant history
Hooks: If Approached/Pressed/Refused/In Danger

Tier 3 Only:

Allure/Presence (if relevant to role)
A Moment of Vulnerability (humanizing scene)
Multiple Quests (2-4 interconnected plot threads)
Relationships (connections to other NPCs)
Running [Name] (extensive GM guidance)

4. Create Stat Block

Generate D&D 5e mechanics (see references/stat-block-templates.md for frameworks):

Tier 1:

Basic ability modifiers
1-2 relevant skills
Simple trait
CR 0-1/4

Tier 2:

Full stat block (AC, HP, Speed, abilities)
Saving throws and skills
2-3 traits supporting their role
1-2 actions (including social abilities)
CR 1/2-5
Proficiency bonus

Tier 3:

Complete stat block with all defenses
Condition immunities/resistances where appropriate
3-5 defining traits
Multiple action options
Bonus actions and reactions
Legendary actions if CR 5+
Equipment list
CR varies widely

5. Add Portrayal Guidance

Create GM roleplay tools (see references/portrayal-framework.md for frameworks):

Tier 1: Voice/manner only

Tier 2:

Voice/manner (how they sound and move)
2-3 physical tells
Entrance line (memorable first words)
Basic verbal tic or pattern
Quick GM tip

Tier 3:

Full voice/manner description
Multiple physical tells with frequency
Entrance line
Comfort vs. threat behaviors
Rich verbal patterns
Extensive GM tips section
Scene-specific guidance

6. Format and Deliver

Present in clean, organized format:

Narrative sections with clear headers
Stat block in standard D&D format
Portrayal cues as actionable guidance
Hooks as plot-ready scenarios

Use markdown formatting for readability. Include callout boxes for key information where appropriate.

Key Principles

Match Detail to Importance: Don't create 5000-word profiles for NPCs who appear once. Scale to narrative weight.

Playability Over Perfection: Stat blocks should be easy to run at the table. Prioritize clarity over mechanical complexity.

Actionable Guidance: Portrayal cues should give GMs specific things to do/say, not abstract descriptions.

Plot Hooks: Every significant NPC should have clear ways to involve PCs. If they don't drive plot, they might not need stats.

Internal Consistency: Narrative should match mechanics. A scholarly NPC needs high Intelligence. A social manipulator needs high Charisma.

Usage Examples

Input (Concept):

Corrupt magistrate in Velnaris. Takes bribes to fund daughter's medicine. 
She died anyway. Can't stop taking bribes now. Feels guilty. 
Tier 2 - significant NPC for investigation arc.

Output:

# Magistrate Cassius Vorn

## Appearance
A man in his fifties wearing the burgundy robes of city magistracy...
[3-4 paragraphs]

## Personality
Vorn is pragmatic to the point of cynicism...
[2-3 paragraphs including core conflict]

## Desire
To find redemption without sacrificing the survival his bribes have purchased...
[1-2 paragraphs]

## Secret
He ruled against an innocent woman, watched her hang...
[1-2 paragraphs]

## Background
Vorn rose through bureaucracy through competence and compromise...
[2-3 paragraphs]

[Stat Block - Tier 2 format with social abilities]

## Portrayal Cues
Voice/Manner: Measured, careful speech...
[Detailed portrayal section]

## Hooks
If Approached: [scenario]
If Pressed: [scenario]
[etc.]

Common Requests

"Make them more complex": Add contradictions to personality, layer secrets, create competing desires

"Make them simpler": Reduce to core concept, minimize stat block, focus on one defining trait

"Add combat abilities": Upgrade stat block tier, include appropriate weapon attacks and special abilities

"More roleplay guidance": Expand portrayal section with additional tells, examples, scene-specific guidance

"Connect to [setting]": Incorporate setting-specific elements (Velnaris corruption, Zarathar memory forms, etc.)

"Add plot hooks": Generate 2-4 additional scenarios for PC interaction

Special Considerations

Mature Content (Velnaris-style)

Handle sensuality with sophistication, not gratuitousness
Focus on psychology and power dynamics
Emphasize consent, agency, and complexity
Use allure section to describe magnetism without explicit content

Setting Integration

Velnaris: Corruption, desire, secrets, noir fantasy
Zarathar: Memory forms, volcanic cultures, colonialism
Generic fantasy: Broadly applicable, avoid setting-specific mechanics

Spellcasting NPCs

Choose spells that match concept and support their role
Include utility spells for non-combat scenes
Thematic spell selection over mechanical optimization

Social Combat

Include social abilities (Insight, Persuasion, Deception)
Create traits that support social interaction
Consider non-violent resolution mechanics

Resources

References

references/stat-block-templates.md: D&D 5e mechanical frameworks at three complexity tiers, CR guidelines, special ability design patterns
references/portrayal-framework.md: How to create voice, mannerisms, physical tells, entrance lines, and GM guidance that makes NPCs memorable at the table
references/narrative-structure.md: Building compelling appearance, personality, desire, secret, background, and hook sections with examples and templates

Load these references when:

Creating complex stat blocks (Tier 3)
Need inspiration for special abilities
Building extensive portrayal guidance
Structuring multiple quest threads
Calibrating CR or power level

Iteration and Refinement

After initial creation, NPCs can be:

Upgraded (Tier 1 → 2 → 3) as they become more important
Simplified if too complex for actual usage
Adjusted for mechanical balance
Expanded with additional hooks or relationships
Adapted to different settings or systems