NPC Use Guide

NPCs (non-player characters) exist to support story immersion and help represent the scale of factions, businesses, and settlements. They are not meant to replace players, dominate combat, or remove opportunities for collaborative RP. The following rules define how NPCs may be used in Fallout: Great Lakes.

 

 NPC Rules
 

1. NPCs Are for Support, Not Spotlight
NPCs are background characters that add flavor, handle logistics, or provide passive presence. They cannot take the spotlight away from active players.
 

2. NPC Use is Logistical or Defensive Only
Faction and business NPCs may only be used for management (clerks, workers, guards, technicians) or base/business defense.
 

3. NPCs Cannot Be Used for Aggression Without Consent
NPCs cannot be deployed offensively in combat, raids, or attacks unless the opposing player(s) give explicit consent.
 

4. NPCs May Be Used Offensively With Consent
If the opposing player consents, NPCs may be used offensively in combat, raids, or attacks. This ensures fairness and story-driven use of NPC forces.
 

5. Independent Player Allowance
Independent players (not part of a faction or business) may have up to 2 non-combat NPCs with them at any given time (companions, helpers, pack brahmin, etc.). These NPCs cannot be used for combat and serve only as story flavor.
 

6. Business NPC Limit
Player-owned businesses may have up to 5 NPC employees, bots, or security personnel.
 

7. Faction NPC Limit
Player-run factions may have up to 25 NPCs recorded in their roster for logistics, defense, and immersion.
 

8. Major Faction NPC Limit
Approved Major Factions may field up to 50 recorded NPCs to represent manpower, infrastructure, and defensive presence.
 

9. Record-Keeping is Required
All NPCs used by a business or faction must be logged in the faction or business roster (Discord or website record). This ensures transparency and balance.
 

10. NPCs Cannot Replace Players
NPCs cannot fill leadership positions, make key decisions, or serve as the main drivers of story. Player characters must always remain the face of the action.
 

11. NPCs Exist to Enhance Storytelling
NPCs are a tool to support immersion, scale, and realism — not to “win” fights or dominate scenes. They provide background manpower so that player factions feel alive, but the focus must always remain on the roleplay between players.

 

OOC Note:
NPCs give your faction, business, or character flavor, but their power is intentionally limited to keep the RP fair and engaging. They are best used as guards at the gate, clerks behind the counter, pack brahmin for a caravan, or technicians repairing vehicles — not as armies or combat replacements.