Craft RPG Characters Your Players Will Love (part 4 of 5) - Rivals

 




While antagonists directly oppose the party, rivals take a more nuanced approach through competition and one-upmanship. Developing these characters as recurring presences in your campaign keeps things interesting:

Rival Adventuring Groups

Other bands of adventurers in your world allow for roleplaying encounters beyond just combat. Past disputes, differing ideologies or claims to the same jobs/treasures foster ample opportunities for rivalries. Cameos encourage flashback connections.

Friendly Competition

Not all rivals need be hostile. "Friendly" rivals spur players through good-natured competition, whether racing to complete quests or tallying achievement points. Minor boasting rights go a long way for players.

Foils to Player Characters

Design rivals that highlight a player's weaknesses or opposite strengths, like a charismatic rogue to an aloof wizard. Watching rivals repeatedly get the better amplifies a character's motivation to improve.

Hidden Agendas

Give rivals their own complex plans the party might sabotage accidentally. Revelations breed intrigue as players determine if former rivals can become potential allies, given shared threats.

Tense Allies of Convenience

Common enemies forcing cooperation retains rivalry risks. One slip could shatter the alliance as former rivals revert to fractious independence. Uneasy truces hatch new storylines.

Recurring Rival Romance

Unrequited feelings or former flames within the rivalry add an emotional dimension, especially if a love interest periodically aids both sides for their own hidden goals.



Well-developed rivals push characters and players alike through competitive pressures without needing direct confrontation. Nuanced continuations breed rich histories that last whole campaigns if handled delicately. Your players will love every hard-fought victory, knowing worthy rivals may someday rise again.

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