| |
Written by the award-winning authors of the GMing blog Gnome Stew, Masks is now available in print!
“ Just got done looking at a preview of @gnomestew’s new book, Masks, filled with cool NPCs for any game or genre. Looks great!” — Game designer Monte Cook (via Twitter)
“What I’m saying is that GMs out here need this book.” — Dave the Game, Critical Hits review
“These guys are onto something… something huge!” — Game designer Sean Patrick Fannon (via G+)
Playing a character is like putting on a mask: Slip on a mask, and you become someone else.
This book presents 1,000 “masks” — non-player characters that are fun to play, and that your players will never forget. Featuring a foreword by gaming industry legend Wolfgang Baur, Masks is the ultimate NPC resource.
Think of your favorite character from a game, book, or movie. What makes them memorable? It’s not their Strength score, or how many hit points they have — it’s who they are as a person: what they look like, how they act, their personality, and what drives them.
Using a simple but powerful template that features Appearance, Roleplaying, Personality, Motivation, Background, and Traits, Masks provides the core elements of a thousand great characters. Masks NPCs are designed to be used on the fly, no prep required — but with enough depth to be used when planning adventures, as well.
Within this massive collection you’ll find the resources you need to portray vivid NPCs in your games:
-
Fantasy, science fiction, and modern NPCs: 333 of each (334 in fantasy), all easily adaptable to any genre and any RPG
-
Roles and traits: Every NPC has a role — villain, ally, or neutral — and is categorized by traits like famous, criminal, and warrior
-
Clear, useful game mastering advice: Masks covers re-skinning NPCs to fit other genres, making your portrayals memorable, and more
-
Handy tools: NPCs are indexed by trait, name, and author; an appendix lists groups like Tavern Patrons and Spaceport Denizens; and Masks provides over 1,900 names in an easy-to-use format
-
No game mechanics: These system-neutral NPCs can be used in any RPG
332 pages, hardcover |
