Softcover, 336 pages, letter-size (8.5″x11″), full-color cover, B&W interior
Stock # EGP42002, ISBN 978-0-9836133-1-2
Published 2011
$34.95 print + digital
(Print books switching to a new fulfillment option)
$16.95 digital only
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
What’s in the book?
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
Free PDF preview
We’re big believers in “try before you buy,” so we’ve put together a free 17-page PDF preview of Masks for you to check out.
Reviews
You can read reviews of Masks on our Reviews page.
Never buy content twice
Every order — print + digital and digital only — includes the digital edition: DRM-free, fully bookmarked and hyperlinked PDF, as well as epub, mobi, and text versions of the book.
