Comments on: Cool NPCs ain’t cool.

By: RPG Thoughts - 10 signs you suck as a GM

RPG Thoughts - 10 signs you suck as a GM — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:48:06 +0000

[…] point 1 is more important than point 10. Have fun reading.10. You have a favourite NPC.Check here for more details. Basically, the more your NPC plays, the less your players play. You want your […]

By: Zelgar

Zelgar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:29:26 +0000

Why does the DM/GM need to play PC in the game? (S)he’s playing all of the NPC’s already, why add the problems of running a PC in the game as well. The DM/GM needs to acknowledge that the game is primarily for the players. The DM/GM’s job is to be doing all of the background work.

In a play analogy, the PC’s are the actors, and the DM is everything else. Without both, there is no play. If the director, playwright is also playing a character, don’t you think something might be missed or that the other actors may be envious if that character has more parts?

When I’ve played, I have seen when there’s been a DM/GM pet NPC. This is almost as annoying as playing in a game with the DM/GM’s boy/girlfriend PC, who’s only playing to be with the DM/GM.

By: Maikl

Maikl — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:57:55 +0000

See, Zelgar. It is not the point how to replace a PC(or NPC, whatever) lead by a GM. The point is that the GM wants to play and here are some adventages of such situation.
bottIt is more fun to have a character than to supply players with a magic bottle.

By: Zelgar

Zelgar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:40:45 +0000

I think I may need to add some clarification. I think that DM/GM’s shouldn’t have their own PC in the game. All of the characters ran by the DM/GM are NPC. If the DM/GM is running his own PC in a game it almost always leads to trouble.

For points 1 & 2 consider giving the party a magic item that produces a similar effect:
1. If the party is missing a cleric, have an “everflowing” potion bottle that has the same number of uses as a cleric of the average party’s level.)
2. The magic item could be an oracle of some type, but will only provide results in riddles or confusing messages (e.g., if you take the path to the right, blood and pain will follow; but the path to the left will lead to unlimate sorrow.”

The ultimate problem with a DM/GM PC is favoritism or a belief of the players that you’re playing favorites with your PC. It’s hard to kill your own PC (how many times do the monsters fail to hit/kill your PC), (how many times does your PC hit/kill the monster), (how many times does your PC get the best equipment/spells/magic items/etc.).

By: ScottM

ScottM — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:43:04 +0000

C-NPCs make good one shot saviors– if you’re desperate. Get them off screen as quick as you can after.

GM NPCs who travel with the party are very hard to do well. Each of your three “plus points” has a chance to go wrong.
- Being a cleric or other class is fine IF it’s a class/role that no player wanted. Even better, usually, is to play without the role, or substitute items.
- When you suggest what the GM wants (in the NPC’s mouth), the players being shown the railroad tracks. It’s not horrible, but if they keep giving in and just doing whatever the NPC suggests, they’re missing out on getting significant input into the game at all.
- More PCs usually means more downtime between turns. It’s rare that an NPC is a great conversationalist, because the GM is busy juggling everything required to setup the next encounter. If the NPC delays your turn in combat and isn’t a great conversationalist out of combat… why do you want them again?

All of the above is laid out more strongly than I’d actually argue– but they’re warnings about the extremes in that direction.

By: Maikl

Maikl — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 20:21:54 +0000

Really good ideas, Zelgar. Thanks for the comment.

By: Zelgar

Zelgar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:57:13 +0000

I agree that having a COOL NPC (C-NPC)can take the spotlight off of the PC’s, it can be used to enrich a game. For example,
1. The C-NPC can be used as a measuring stick of the PC’s progress. The C-NPC will not advance in levels as quickly as the PC’s.

2. The C-NPC may be behind some of the plots the PC’s are uncovering. The C-NPC may have helped the PC’s because they were with a group of NPC’s who don’t know the C-NPC real motives.

3. The C-NPC may demand some type of payment for helping the PC’s. This may lead to new adventures for the players.

4. The C-NPC may be part of a secret organization. The C-NPC is keeping an eye on the PC’s for future membership or is required to personally assassinate one or all of them if they discover a secret (e.g., Indiana Jones and the Quest for the Grail).

5. The C-NPC is actually evil, but doesn’t want the advasaries of the PC’s to get something. He helps or joins with the PC’s to accomplishes his goal, turning on them when the time is right (insert evil laugh)

By: Joey

Joey — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 04:12:28 +0000

thanks

By: Maikl

Maikl — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 09:25:58 +0000

Joey I liked your example with the lighting. Wisely done. Injuring a PC with it also made it less obvious, that it was used to help the PCs.

By: Tommi

Tommi — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 05:24:42 +0000

As a general rule, I almost always have player characters to be among, if not the, most personally powerful people around in the setting or their environment. Makes even unintended railroading hard, keeps the spotlight firmly on them, and works nicely.

The more powerful the characters, as long as it is reasonable when the setting is considered, the better. IMHO and as a general rule.