My recent post on the Vikings season 3 finale got me to thinking about motivations.
Simply put, motivations are what “makes” us do the things we do?
The Wikipedia article on motivation goes into great detail on the psychological study of motivation. While it is helpful and might spur one to have an idea that can be applied to an RPG, it gets into too much detail.
Motivations are filtered through many different categories that someone falls into, plus the means available to act on that motivation.
Basic needs drive us, such as food, clothing, shelter, sexual desire, etc.
It is our ability to act on fulfilling these needs that shades our actions. That is, our means to achieve the desired end. A poor person who can’t hunt or fish, will resort to theft or begging. A person who is not destitute, will have other means available to them. One’s culture and background will influence what is acceptable for food. A cannibal who is poor might resort to murder in order to eat. Cultural norms around cannibalism might prevent eating anyone in your own tribe or ethnic group, motivating one to find some other type of food.
Higher order “needs” might be the desire for power, whether it is magical, religious, political, etc. Depending on the alignment of one seeking power, it might be sought and achieved in a way that is a benefit to a large number, thus getting “buy-in” from others. For example, a strong orc chief that unites the tribes and becomes a king, will have support from others because they all get a shot at the increased loot, etc. A powerful evil wizard who is manipulating this orc king for her own ends sees the orcs as only a tool and could care less how the common orc benefits.
With the passage of time and other events that occur, the motivation may change. It may be redirected to a new motivation, or the original motivation may be strengthened or weakened. For example, if the evil wizard acquires the item she was looking for, how does this change the motivation? If the item is not the all powerful thing it was supposed to be, does that result in seeking a different item, renewed efforts to seek the real or a better item, or cause them to give up on their quest for power?
The changing situation can result in a reversal. We all know that once we get something we think we really want, that all too often, we realize that having it is not what we thought it would be. Our initial excitement about finally having a long desired item falls flat. Do we then stop seeking such things, or do we move on to acquiring the next new thing?
Below are some ideas for tables to help craft motivations for NPCs.
Circumstances
- Social Status – peasant, noble, monster, etc.
- Economic Status – rich, poor
- Cultural Status – How does the culture view something?
- Religious Status – Religious/non-religious and to what degree? Is there some goal that one’s religion places in high regard, like a pilgrimage to a specific destination?
- Current Events Status – How does the present state of the world influence the ability to act on a motivation? If there is a war, how does that change things?
- Alignment – How does one’s adherence to good/evil, law/chaos affect their motivation? For example, good would not do something evil without a “good” reason, even if it is self-justification.
Means
What is needed to make this happen, and does the individual or group have what they need, or the ability to make or acquire it?
Fishermen without a boat and nets can’t fish. Can they build, buy, or steal the needed equipment? If they know how to make their own boats and nets, do they have the tools and enough food to last them until they are ready to start fishing again?
Why are they motivated?
For example, a hungry person is motivated to seek food due to hunger. But why are they hungry?
- Normal biological process
- Lack of food due to war, famine, crop failure due to floods, hail, etc.
There are lots of reason why a person is motivated to do something. Revenge, desire (physical, mental, emotional- love/hate/greed, economic, social), justice (could be colored by revenge).
What is the object of their motivation? This could be a who.
- Food is the object of the hungry.
- Money, power, magic, etc. is the object of the greedy.
- Fame and glory and wealth is the object of the adventurous.
Apply the 5 H’s of Journalism to an NPC’s motivations:
- Who wants it? Which NPC or group?
- What do they want?
- When do they want it? When will they get it? (If the PC’s or other circumstances don’t stop them. Does the time of year, phase of the moon, presence of a legendary comet matter?)
- Where is the thing they want? (Distance, difficulty, challenge, feasibility, etc.)
- How will they get the thing they want? (Is it even possible to get it? Is a ritual that can be interrupted required?)
- Why do they want it? This is their motivation.
For some hill giants robbing travelers on the road, it might look like this:
- Who – A group of 4 or 5 hill giants.
- What – They want loot.
- When – Whenever they see travelers on the road.
- Where – On the travelers on the road.
- How – Carrying big clubs, and saying, “Aw’rite, what ya got, we’re ‘er ta loot ya.” Those who do not comply get thumped with the clubs.
- Why – It’s what they do, you might call it their job.
There are some interesting list of motivations that seek to boil down motivations into a “standard” list, like for stories. They can help inform the adventure of the week, or writing a module or campaign setting, or story.
List of Motivations for Your Characters
15 Interesting Motivations for Villains and Heroes
- Romance
- Revenge
- To distinguish oneself
- To fit in/gain acceptance
- Justice
- Greed
- Fear
- Desperation
- Social Cohesion
- A desire to better oneself
- A desire to better humanity and/or society
- Curiosity/Search for knowledge
- A desire to gain power to achieve a goal
- To escape one’s destiny
- To achieve one’s destiny
Motivations are closely related to the Standard 36 Dramatic Plots.
Of course, don’t forget to add a good twist to it.
- Supplication – Persecutor, Suppliant, a Power in Authority
- Deliverance – Unfortunates, Threatener, Rescuer
- Revenge – Avenger, Criminal
- Vengeance by Family upon Family – Avenging Kinsman, Guilty Kinsman, Relative
- Pursuit – Fugitive from Punishment, Pursuer
- Victim of Cruelty or Misfortune – Unfortunates, Master or Unlucky Person
- Disaster – Vanquished Power, Victorious Power or Messenger
- Revolt – Tyrant, Conspirator(s)
- Daring Enterprise – Bold Leader, Goal, Adversary
- Abduction – Abductor, Abducted, Guardian
- Enigma – Interrogator, Seeker, Problem
- Obtaining – Two or more Opposing Parties, Object, maybe an Arbitrator
- Familial Hatred – Two Family Members who hate each other
- Familial Rivalry – Preferred Kinsman, Rejected Kinsman, Object
- Murderous Adultery – Two Adulterers, the Betrayed
- Madness – Madman, Victim
- Fatal Imprudence – Imprudent person, Victim or lost object
- Involuntary Crimes of Love – Lover, Beloved, Revealer
- Kinsman Kills Unrecognised Kinsman – Killer, Unrecognised Victim, Revealer
- Self Sacrifice for an Ideal – Hero, Ideal, Person or Thing Sacrificed
- Self Sacrifice for Kindred – Hero, Kinsman, Person or Thing Sacrificed
- All Sacrificed for Passion – Lover, Object of Passion, Person or Thing Sacrificed
- Sacrifice of Loved Ones – Hero, Beloved Victim, Need for Sacrifice
- Rivalry Between Superior and Inferior – Superior, Inferior, Object
- Adultery – Deceived Spouse, Two Adulterers
- Crimes of Love – Lover, Beloved, theme of Dissolution
- Discovery of Dishonor of a Loved One – Discoverer, Guilty One
- Obstacles to Love – Two Lovers, Obstacle
- An Enemy Loved – Beloved Enemy, Lover, Hater
- Ambition – An Ambitious Person, Coveted Thing, Adversary
- Conflict with a God – Mortal, Immortal
- Mistaken Jealousy – Jealous One, Object of Jealousy, Supposed Accomplice, Author of Mistake
- Faulty Judgment – Mistaken One, Victim of Mistake, Author of Mistake, Guilty Person
- Remorse – Culprit, Victim, Interrogator
- Recovery of a Lost One – Seeker, One Found
- Loss of Loved Ones – Kinsman Slain, Kinsman Witness, Executioner
