The 10 Best Sets of DnD NPC Cards
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When it comes to Dungeons & Dragons, one of the most essential ingredients to any great adventure are NPCs, the unique characters that Dungeon Masters create and control over the course of the game.
And while many DMs create elaborate backstories for important NPCs, oftentimes players will go off the beaten path and a DM will have to quickly whip up a new NPC on the fly, complete with physical appearance, motivations, backstory and stats. That’s something that can be extremely challenging to improvise, particularly for new DMs.
That’s where NPC cards come in handy. These unique accessories typically include pre-made NPCs on playing cards that you can use almost instantly or integrate into a larger story. There are numerous types of these cards available, with options for different NPC types and game settings. To help you make sense of it all, we’ve put together this list of our picks for the 10 best DnD NPC cards.
10. The Deck of Faces
Created by artist Spellbound Blue, this deck of NPC cards contains 60 unique characters designed specifically for DnD 5e (although they can easily be adapted to just about any fantasy RPG game). Each card features amazing illustrations along with a description of the character, plot hooks and tips for DMs on how to roleplay them. You can purchase the deck as both a physical print version as well as a downloadable PDF, making these a great option for DMs on a budget.
9. The Deck of Many: NPCs
While these DnD NPC cards are a little more focused on combat rather than roleplaying, they still do a great job of helping DMs create NPCs quickly and easily. The deck includes 33 tarot-sized cards of NPCs that include their DnD 5e challenge rating and additional information to help integrate them into an adventure. The cartoony art style is amazing (although it might not be for everyone) and the deck also includes 8 blank cards which crafty DMs can use to create their own characters on the fly.
8. Pathfinder NPC Battlecards
While these NPC battlecards are technically designed for Paizo Games’ Pathfinder system (which itself is based on previous DnD 3.5 rules), these cards works just as well for DnD fifth edition. The box set includes a collection of 110 NPC cards that feature stunning full-color imagery on the front and character stats and notes on the back. The end result is a quick and easy way to drop NPCs into almost any DnD game session, adventure or long term campaign.
7. Pathfinder Deck of Endless NPCs
Another more recent offering from Paizo, this set also includes 110 unique NPC cards that can be easily tailored to DnD 5e. As with similar Pathfinder card sets, they include images, stats and detailed notes. The range of non-player characters, however, is what truly sets this package apart, with different species, classes and backgrounds that can be almost instantly dropped into just about any situation a DM and players might find themselves in.
6. Deck of Stories: NPC Cards (Pack 1)
Created by 1985 Games under their Dungeon Craft lineup, these cards are part of the Deck of Stories card system, which allows DMs to quickly generate random adventures on the fly. This first NPC Booster set features 18 illustrated NPC cards that you can quickly drop into your DnD 5e game. Each card contains a collection of traits, including their personality, quirks, flaws, goals and a secret. This set really stands out because of the absolutely stunning artwork and the unique storytelling potential.
5. Deck of Stories: NPC Cards (Pack 2)
This second NPC booster set from Dungeon Craft does a great job of introducing even more characters to fit into your existing DnD one shot or longterm campaign. Like the first booster set, it includes 18 NPC cards with incredible artwork and some genuinely impressive backstories and character details. While the price tag is a little steep (it would have been nice to have a few more cards included), there’s also ton of gameplay potential in each and every pack.
4. GameMastery Face Cards: Urban NPCs
Several years ago, Paizo released their GameMastery line, which featured products designed to help Game Masters quickly and easily prepare for adventures. This included a variety of “Face Cards,” which feature a range of NPCs for use in DnD, Pathfinder and virtually any other TTRPG. Each card contains an illustration on the front, with notes and gameplay suggestions on the back. One of the first sets was Urban NPCs, with characters that would be at home in Waterdeep or virtually any other major fantasy city. Sadly, these cards are now out of print, although you can still find some used copies floating around on Amazon or eBay.
3. GameMastery Face Cards: Enemies
Every good game needs a bad guy. That’s why these Enemies Face Cards are absolute must-haves for Dungeon Masters. Each card features a unique and villainous NPC that can be dropped into just about any adventure or campaign setting. From bloodthirsty pirates to ruthless demon lords, the cards are great for use on the fly but also pack plenty of inspiration if you want to use them to flesh out the Big Bad Evil Guy in your ongoing DnD campaign.
2. GameMastery Face Cards: Friends & Foes Deck
While there are a ton of Paizo Face Card options out there, the Friends & Foes deck is easily one of the top. Featuring a ton of unique characters, you can use these to whip up a new NPC on the fly or get inspiration for fleshing out an existing NPCs. With great art and inspired descriptions, the storytelling and gameplay potential here is almost limitless.
1. D&D Creature & NPC Cards
If you’re looking for the best value when it comes to DnD NPC cards, you’l be hard pressed to beat this option from Wizards of the Coast. The box set contains 182 cards featuring a variety of creatures and NPCs. While it can lean a little more to the combat side of things, there’s a ton of great cards in here that allow DMs to create truly unique NPCs to help bring your next game to life.
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Paige Stuart is a Staff Writer who lives in Chicago, Illinois where she majored in English Literature at Northwestern University. She’s relatively new to Dungeons & Dragons having started playing 5th edition several years ago. Her favorite D&D campaign setting so far is the Forgotten Realms and her favorite character to play is a Wizard named Felician who hurls both bad puns and fireballs with equal ease.
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