Sometimes, it can be fun to have a player character ‘know a guy’ – an NPC the PC has a history with, but the DM/Referee/Warden and player are making up on the spot. Their demeanor, history and intention could be determined by a simply d6 (low=negative, high=positive) or reaction roll, but I propose a different system, for a more layered approach.
I wouldn’t use this system for ‘random shopkeep number 3’, but more for, “I know a guy – he helped me in the past, but we left things… complicated. I know he has the skills to help; I’m not sure about the will…”.
You know, stuff like:
Roll 3d6 in order, or roll 3 different dice and look for odd/even. It doesn’t really matter what kind of dice we roll; we need 3 separate outcomes with a 50/50 chance. For more drama, have the player roll the first one, and the DM roll the 2nd and the 3rd.
We want 3 rolls in order, for 3 separate ‘layers’ of our NPC:
- Exterior demeanor/opinion – How the NPC presents themselves
- Interior demeanor/opinion – How the NPC feels on the inside; their internal monologue, their agenda.
- Subconscious demeanor/opinion – The NPC’s true “heart of hearts” – an opinion they themselves don’t even ‘know’ they hold, at least for now.
Each 4-6 or even or “upper half of dice value” roll is a positive outcome. Each 1-3, odds or “lower half of dice value” is a negative outcome.
This gives us 8 possible combinations:
+++ (Positive/Positive/Positive)
A genuinely good friend through and through. What you see is what you get – they like you on every level and there’s no deception or complexity to their feelings. They’re probably one of the most reliable contacts you could have.
++- (Positive/Positive/Negative)
Outwardly friendly and consciously wants to help, but there’s something in their deep psychological makeup – perhaps trauma or conditioning – that makes them sabotage relationships eventually. They might not even be aware of this tendency.
+-+ (Positive/Negative/Positive)
They act friendly despite some conscious reservations or grudges, but at their core they genuinely care. This could be someone who was burned by the PC in the past but can’t help maintaining loyalty.
+– (Positive/Negative/Negative)
A skilled manipulator. They present a friendly face while harboring both conscious and unconscious negative feelings. This is someone who might be planning to betray the PC while being genuinely unaware of how deep their antipathy runs.
-++ (Negative/Positive/Positive)
Someone who acts gruff or hostile but is actually quite fond of the PC both consciously and subconsciously. Classic “tsundere” personality – their prickly exterior masks genuine warmth and loyalty.
-+- (Negative/Positive/Negative)
Presents as hostile while consciously wanting to help, but harbors deep-seated negative feelings they might not recognize. Could be someone struggling with institutional conditioning against the PC while trying to be an ally.
–+ (Negative/Negative/Positive)
Openly hostile and consciously antagonistic, but with a buried positive connection they might not acknowledge. Could be someone who has convinced themselves they hate the PC but would ultimately come through in a crisis.
— (Negative/Negative/Negative)
Complete and genuine antagonist. Their hostility is consistent at every level. They’re an enemy through and through, though this very consistency might make them more predictable than some of the more complex combinations.
Further Notes
- Positive does not mean “love”, Negative does not mean “hate”. A ‘negative’ marker can mean they are simply not happy to see you, or will choose what’s best for them instead of the PC.
- Subconscious demeanor can be seen as, in the really crucial, “it all comes down to this” moments, what will they choose? -+-, for instance, can be interpreted as “I’m not super happy that you showed up/got in touch, but sure, I’ll help – but if it’s you or me, I won’t hesitate”.
- Use the outcomes as prompts; why would this NPC feel this way? What happened in the past?
- Rolling in secret as the Referee is a way to create easy instant NPCs with background – but in a meta way, including the PCs in the process can create some tension as well. Sure, everyone is redeemable, whatever – but if PCs are aware of the 3-dice-method, everyone might truly still have a heart of gold, as its determined by chance.