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  • Writer's pictureDanny McKeever

The Rise of Prompt Engineering: How AI is Revolutionizing NPC Content Creation

Updated: Feb 28, 2023


The Rise of Prompt Engineering: How AI is Revolutionizing NPC Content Creation

--Midjourney: /imagine fantasy dungeons and dragons, The Rise of Prompt Engineering: How AI is Revolutionizing NPC Content Creation --ar 2:1 --q 2 --c 33 --


When it comes to creating compelling characters for your Dungeons & Dragons campaign, it can be helpful to leverage the power of AI. One way to do this is by using ChatGPT prompts, which allow you to generate realistic dialogue and backstory for your non-player characters (NPCs). In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of creating a ChatGPT prompt for NPCs, including the key inputs you'll need to consider.


**ChatGPT Prompt Template for Creating Amazing NPC Backgrounds**


Copy The Text

**Create for me 3 Dungeon and Dragon NPCs. For each include their name, class, appearance, positive quirk, negative quirk, a personality tic, their speech patterns and voice sound, a common saying, their most prized possession, and current motivation**



The Template Includes


PC Name

When creating a prompt for an NPC, the first input you'll want is their name. This may seem like a small detail, but it can go a long way in helping your players connect with the character. ChatGPT will create random NPCs with appropriate names. You can also feed it a specific race if you want to refine the input.


Class

Next, ChatGPT will randomly determine their class. You can also specify if you want a specific class.


For example:

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**Create for me 3 Dungeon and Dragons Drow Thief NPCs. For each include their name, appearance, positive quirk, negative quirk, a personality tic, their speech patterns and voice sound, a common saying, their most prized possession, and current motivation**


Appearance

ChatGPT will generate random appearances if you want it more specific try something like this.


**Create for me 3 Dungeon and Dragon NPCs. For each include their name, class, and appearance. Each should appear as a respected guard. Give them a positive quirk, negative quirk, a personality tic, their speech patterns and voice sound, a common saying, their most prized possession, and current motivation**


Positive Quirk

To make your NPCs more interesting and memorable, consider giving them a positive quirk. This could be a unique talent, a hobby, or a personality trait that sets them apart from others. For example, maybe the NPC is an excellent cook or has a talent for playing the lute.


Negative Quirk

In addition to a positive quirk, consider giving your NPC a negative quirk as well. This could be a flaw or weakness that the character struggles with. For example, maybe the NPC is a compulsive liar or has a fear of spiders.


Personality Ticks

To make your NPCs feel more human, consider giving them personality ticks. These are small habits or behaviors that can make the character feel more realistic. For example, maybe the NPC is always tapping their foot or has a habit of rubbing their hands together.


Speech

The way an NPC speaks can also be an important input to consider. This could include their tone of voice, accent, or choice of words. For example, maybe the NPC has a gruff voice and tends to use a lot of slang.


Common Saying

To help give your NPCs a distinct personality, consider giving them a common saying or catchphrase. This could be a word of wisdom they always share or a quirky phrase they use often.


Prized Possession

An NPC's most prized possession can reveal a lot about their personality and backstory. This could be a physical object, like a family heirloom, or an intangible possession, like a sense of honor or loyalty.


Motivation

Finally, consider the NPC's motivation. What drives them? What are they hoping to accomplish? This can help give the character depth and make them more interesting to interact with.


Refining Your Inputs

Once you have a basic set of inputs for your NPC prompt, it's important to refine them to make sure they're as effective as possible. Some tips for refining your inputs include:


Here is the outputs from:

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**Create for me 3 Dungeon and Dragons Drow Thief NPCs. For each include their name, appearance, positive quirk, negative quirk, a personality tic, their speech patterns and voice sound, a common saying, their most prized possession, and current motivation**

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--Midjourney: /imagine 3 female drow, full body, stading side by side, weapons drawn, thieves, lloth, spiders, caves with glowing fungus, dark, fog--


Outputs


Name: Zalathra

Appearance: Zalathra is a lithe and graceful Drow, with jet-black hair that falls in a straight curtain to her waist, and piercing green eyes. She wears black leather armor that hugs her figure, and wields a pair of daggers.

Positive quirk: Zalathra has a sharp wit and a quick mind, making her an expert at improvising on the fly.

Negative quirk: Zalathra has a tendency to overestimate her own abilities, and can get herself and her party into trouble by biting off more than she can chew.

Personality tic: Zalathra is always fidgeting with her daggers, flipping them back and forth in her hands.

Speech patterns and voice sound: Zalathra speaks quickly and decisively, with a clipped accent that marks her as a native of the Underdark.

Common saying: "Better to ask forgiveness than permission."

Most prized possession: Zalathra's most prized possession is a ring that allows her to blend in with her surroundings, making her almost invisible in the dark.

Current motivation: Zalathra is looking to steal a powerful magical artifact from a rival Drow clan, in order to prove her worth and gain favor with her own clan.


Name: Drizztia

Appearance: Drizztia is a tall and muscular Drow, with white hair that falls in dreadlocks to her waist, and bright purple eyes. She wears a suit of gleaming black armor that shines in the light, and wields a crossbow.

Positive quirk: Drizztia is fiercely loyal to her allies, and will go to great lengths to protect them.

Negative quirk: Drizztia has a temper that can flare up at the slightest provocation, and she can be quick to resort to violence.

Personality tic: Drizztia has a habit of cracking her knuckles before a fight, as if psyching herself up.

Speech patterns and voice sound: Drizztia speaks in a deep, gravelly voice that can be intimidating to those who don't know her.

Common saying: "Let's get this over with."

Most prized possession: Drizztia's most prized possession is a magical amulet that enhances her strength and speed, making her a formidable fighter.

Current motivation: Drizztia is seeking revenge on a rival Drow who wronged her in the past, and will stop at nothing to see them pay for their transgressions.


Name: Liriel

Appearance: Liriel is a petite and wiry Drow, with short, spiky silver hair and bright blue eyes. She wears a patchwork suit of leather armor that looks like it's been cobbled together from various sources, and wields a short sword.

Positive quirk: Liriel has a sharp eye for detail, and is able to spot traps and hidden doors with ease.

Negative quirk: Liriel has a tendency to be overly cautious, which can make her hesitant to take risks.

Personality tic: Liriel has a habit of muttering to herself when she's thinking or working on something, which can make her seem absent-minded.

Speech patterns and voice sound: Liriel speaks in a soft, slightly hesitant voice, and tends to trail off at the ends of her sentences.

Common saying: "Let me take a closer look at that."

Most prized possession: Liriel's most prized possession is a set of lockpicks that she crafted herself, which she considers to be the best in the business.

Current motivation: Liriel is searching for a lost city of the Drow that is said to contain vast treasures and artifacts. She has been obsessed with this goal for years, and is willing to do whatever it takes to find it, even if it means risking her life and betraying her companions. However, she is also aware that the journey will be dangerous and that she will need skilled allies to help her reach her goal. Therefore, she is constantly on the lookout for new partners who can help her in her quest, but she is also wary of anyone who might try to double-cross her or steal the treasure for themselves.

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Once you have generated your NPC prompt, the next step is to flesh out the character's backstory. One way to do this is to use a template that's based on the fantasy setting of your campaign.


For example, if you're running a campaign in the Forgotten Realms or Eberron, you could use a template that includes inputs for the character's place of origin, cultural background, and personal journey based on the hero's journey.


This can help you create a rich and immersive backstory that will make the NPC feel like a real person with their own hopes, fears, and motivations. By using a template like this, you can ensure that your NPC's backstory is consistent with the worldbuilding of your campaign and provides a compelling context for their interactions with your players.


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ChatGPT Input Example


**Write for me Liriel's background as she is from the Forgotten Realms. Give me her history, in the terms of a hero's journey and where she is from**


Liriel was born and raised in the city of Menzoberranzan, a sprawling metropolis in the Underdark that was ruled by the powerful Drow houses. As the daughter of a prominent member of House Baenre, one of the most powerful and influential houses in the city, Liriel was expected to follow in her mother's footsteps and become a priestess of Lolth, the Spider Queen, who was worshipped by the Drow as a goddess.


However, Liriel was always more interested in the art of thievery than in the ways of the priesthood. She was fascinated by the intricate locks and traps that protected the valuable treasures of her house, and spent many hours practicing the art of lockpicking and trap-detection. She also had a natural talent for stealth and subterfuge, which she used to great effect when sneaking out of the house to explore the city and its various marketplaces and taverns.


When Liriel was still a young girl, her mother was killed in a political coup orchestrated by a rival house. In the chaos that followed, Liriel fled the city and went into hiding, using her skills as a thief to survive in the dangerous and unfamiliar environment of the Underdark. Over the years, she became more skilled and more confident, taking on ever-more daring heists and building a reputation as one of the most talented thieves in the region.


Eventually, Liriel's quest for adventure and her desire for the thrill of the steal led her to the surface world. There, she encountered a band of adventurers who were seeking to stop a powerful necromancer who was threatening the region. Though Liriel was initially reluctant to join the group, she was intrigued by the challenge and the opportunity to work with skilled allies who could help her in her own quest to find the lost city of the Drow.


As she traveled with the group and faced various challenges and obstacles, Liriel learned the value of trust and loyalty, and came to understand that her skills as a thief could be put to use in the service of a greater cause. Though she still longs to find the lost city and its treasures, she has come to realize that the journey is just as important as the destination, and that the people she meets along the way are just as valuable as any treasure she might find.


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As you can seeusing ChatGPT to create NPCs is a powerful tool for game masters looking to create immersive, realistic characters for their Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. By providing inputs for the character's name, class, appearance, positive and negative quirks, personality ticks, speech patterns, common sayings, prized possessions, and motivations, you can generate a ChatGPT prompt that will help you create dialogue and backstory for your NPC.


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