I'm a firm believer in the importance of NPCs; they are the first and best tool for GMs to articulate their setting and story arcs. If you want to involve law and politics in your adventures and campaigns you must know how to effectively run NPCs. Law, politics, and governance all involve people, that's what makes them compelling story elements. It is through your NPCs that your players will get to explore and interact with the setting and stories you want to create. Getting this right is critical to being an effective GM.

A lot of GMs lack confidence when it comes to NPCs and thus avoid making a serious effort to develop and roleplaying NPCs. This is not the end of the world; GMs can accomplish some pretty impressive adventures and campaigns with shallow NPCs by focusing on other elements. However, these GMs could be a lot more effective if they could develop their talent with NPCs. I have identified seven techniques that really help when it comes to GMs.

1. Roleplay yourself as a confident GM. This may seem crazy but it's advice that has resonated with a number of people. If you lack confidence as a GM, pretend you are roleplaying a confident GM. Confident GMs take risks and put themselves out there, which is what you want to do. Pretending to be confident will lead to you being confident. Yeah, really weird advice, yet so often in life we fake it until we make it and this is advice that some people have said made a positive difference in their GMing.

2. Know your goals. Successful GMs have clear goals that they are aiming for when they GM. Always ask yourself: what is your goal with a NPC? Now you may have a lot of goals for a NPC, especially if the wheels in your head have been turning for a while as you've thought about the role this NPC will ply in your campaign. That's good, yet there is one question that always needs to be at the forefront of your mind: what is the emotional reaction you are trying to generate with this NPC? If you know this, then it will inform how you run the NPC. If you don't know this, you will flounder about and end up with an unintentionally inconsistent character.

3. Don't waste time. Not all NPCs are important, most aren't, so don't waste time detailing NPCs that don't matter. Furthermore, if you have an important NPC who you want the PCs to interact with a lot don't waste time drawing up a detailed character sheet, because this doesn't help with roleplaying. Sit down, think, brainstorm, about the NPC - personality, quirks, motivations. With our computerized society we don't spend as much time thinking as we should. This is where you need to focus your energy.

4. Don't become possessive. NPCs exist to allow the PCs to engage with the setting. NPCs are not about the GM getting a chance to be part of the game; they are simply tools. If the PCs reject a NPC, then drop the NPC. If the PCs are interested in challenging a bitter enemy then let them, even if that means an NPC you enjoyed running is killed. Don't be possessive of or clingy towards your NPCs. You can always produce a new NPC; there is no NPC you have created who is irreplaceable.

5. Be in the moment. Every GM will have a story about an unimportant NPC who their PCs latched onto. All of these stories have a few similarities. The NPC wasn't a critical part of the adventure and the GM decided to ham it up a little. The personality the GM threw together clicks with the players. The only reason this happens is because the GM was in the moment, not dwelling on plans or possibilities. If you are running a NPC who is interacting with the PCs, that is where your mental focus needs to be.

6. Know your strengths. Most GMs, myself included, really recycle a handful of personality types. Once you've taken the time to develop a few archetypes that you are comfortable using, that's all you need, because you can twist them around once you are aware of them. Let's say "Kindly Old Sage" is one of the archetypes you're good at - great, you can use this in a lot of different ways. You can use this archetype as an old wizard, a treant, a computer program, etc. Know what you can do and go to your strengths. You should certainly try to push your limits and expand, yet when you're GMing being solid is important and that means relying on your strengths.

7. Cheap tricks are cost effective. I know a GM who once told me that whenever he wanted to introduce a NPC he didn't want his players harassing he would describe the NPC as tall. He claimed simply describing a NPC as tall would check his aggressive PCs at least long enough for the NPC to converse. For his group of players this cheap trick worked. Don't feel bad about cheap tricks. If you need the PCs to want to help a NPC then don't hold back: make the NPC a young blind nun who is responsible for caring for orphans. Players rarely notice cheap tricks, because they are in the game and that's where their mind is.

These are seven useful techniques for better running NPCs. I want to conclude by mentioning a phenomenon that many GMs confirm they have experienced. Sometimes NPCs will run themselves. This is due to GMs embracing points #2 and #4. It is a weird experience when you are running a NPC and something the PCs do causes you to run the NPC differently than you anticipated. This reaction is invariably authentic and will resonate with everyone at the table. The NPC's reaction may veer the campaign in a new direction yet that new direction will be the more compelling one. This is a weird experience when the GM becomes the NPC yet it is very much the goal.