Make Adults Seem Childish

It’s easy to play adults as superior, wiser, and better than the younger PCs. But that gets frustrating really quickly for the PCs, if the adults are consistently smarter than their younger counterparts. Instead, draw out the adults’ own childish and short-sighted behavior—make clear that even though they’re older, that doesn’t mean they have all their ducks in a row. They think they’re right—and often, they petulantly stick to their guns even when proved wrong.

The core of this principle is making adults ﬂawed in the same ways that the PCs themselves are ﬂawed. The adults may have a better idea of who they are than the PCs do, but that doesn’t mean they necessarily make smart decisions. Even the PCs’ own mentors, or the greatest heroes in the city, are fallible. The only way the PCs can mature is if they see that the adults are just as ﬂawed as they are.