DnD NPC Generator
This DnD NPC generator rolls a complete non-player character in one click: a species and name, an occupation, a distinctive look, a personality trait, a mannerism to act out, a motivation, a secret and a starting attitude toward the party. Use it to improvise shopkeepers, guards, informants and villains during a session.
Press Generate for a ready-to-play NPC.
How to use the NPC generator at the table
Roll when the party goes off script: Players will always talk to the person you didn't prepare. Roll an NPC, read the occupation and appearance aloud, and you have someone to play in seconds. Names come from the same lists as the DnD name generator, so you can reroll just the name there if it doesn't fit.
Play the mannerism and personality: The mannerism is the fastest way to make a character memorable. Use the voice or habit every time that NPC speaks, and players will recognize them weeks later. The personality trait tells you how they react when the party pushes. More advice on improvising is in our dungeon master tips.
Use the motivation and secret as hooks: The motivation is what the NPC asks the party for, and the secret is what the party might uncover if they dig. A ferry operator who wants to pay off a debt and secretly works for the city watch is already a side quest. Reward the players who follow it with something from the loot generator.
Start from the attitude: Friendly NPCs help with little persuasion, indifferent ones need a reason, and hostile ones need a good argument or a high Charisma check. Ask for a Persuasion, Deception or Intimidation check when the outcome is uncertain, and roll it with the d20 roller. Write down every NPC you keep so they stay consistent.
DnD NPC Generator FAQ
What is an NPC in D&D?
An NPC, or non-player character, is any character the Dungeon Master controls instead of a player. Shopkeepers, quest givers, villains, guards and townsfolk are all NPCs.
What do the Friendly, Indifferent and Hostile attitudes mean?
They describe how the NPC feels about the party when you meet them. A friendly NPC is inclined to help, an indifferent one helps only if it costs them little, and a hostile one works against the party unless persuaded. The 2014 Dungeon Master's Guide uses these three attitudes for social interaction, and the DM decides when a check can shift them.
Are these tables from the Dungeon Master's Guide?
No. Every occupation, trait, mannerism, motivation and secret on this page was written for this site. The Dungeon Master's Guide has its own NPC tables, which you can use alongside these.
How do I make an NPC memorable?
Give them one clear voice or physical habit, one thing they want, and one thing they hide. Repeat the habit every time they appear, and let the want drive what they say to the party.
Can I reroll just one part of the NPC?
Roll again for a fresh NPC and keep the parts you like. Mixing the occupation from one roll with the secret from another is a quick way to build exactly the character you need.
Related
- DnD Name Generator
- Dungeon Master Tips: 20 Practical Tips for New DMs
- DnD Loot Generator
Other dice
- 3D Dice Roller
- Roll a d2
- Roll a d3
- Roll a d4
- Roll a d6
- Roll a d8
- Roll a d10
- Roll a d12
- Roll a d20
- Roll a d100
- Roll a d1000
About this roller
DnD Dice Roller (dnddiceroller.org) rolls every die with your browser's cryptographically secure random number generator, crypto.getRandomValues, and uses rejection sampling so every face is exactly equally likely. The 3D dice only animate a result that has already been decided this way; the physics never picks the number. Rolls happen on your device and are never sent to our server.
The site is built and maintained by Farooq Choudhary at Ozeito, which also publishes the DnD Dice Roller app for Android and iOS. Found a problem? Contact us.
Wizards of the Coast LLC is the trademark holder for Dungeons & Dragons, Wizards of the Coast, and their respective logos worldwide.
Wizards of the Coast LLC does not support, endorse, approve, or have any affiliation with DnD Dice Roller. According to the Wizards of the Coast LLC's Fan Site Policy, DnD Dice Roller may use its trademarks and other intellectual property. Please visit Wizards of the Coast's website at www.wizards.com if you want additional information about the company, its trademarks, or other intellectual property.
Contains content from the System Reference Document 5.1 and 5.2 by Wizards of the Coast LLC, used under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.