First Published 30 April 2016 | Last Updated 30 May 2022

The Dungeon Master controlling an NPC

Throughout the course of playing the game you will hear the terms Player Characters (or PCs) & Non-Player Characters (or NPCs).You will also most definitely hear the term Dungeon Master (or DM).

So what do these terms mean?

• The Dungeon Master (DM) - Although a player of sorts, the Dungeon Master is not actually part of the game. They create the worlds and stories the characters live in. They are also the person that ensures the rules are followed and umpires decisions and outcomes when no rules are available.
• Player Character (PC) - This is the character you will play, and control the destiny of. You get to choose the race and the class yourself, and you will play the game through this creature as if it were you.
• Non-Player Character (NPC) - This is any character played by the Dungeon Master during the story. It could be a NPC as simple as a passer-by on a road, or an integral major NPC in a plot line. Sometimes NPCs will even join your adventuring party.