Children as "Companion" NPCS

[Quickleaf]

We've got an interesting situation where the PCs have two children under their protection. The players seem interested in roleplaying the interactions with the children out a bit, and protecting them plays a major role in the campaign.

My question is how do I mechanically incorporate these NPCs into the game? And is it worth it to do so?

I've got a good sense of each NPC, and writing up a 1st level stat block would be a breeze. Still, I'd like some mechanics which show the interaction between PC and NPC, the mentoring, the protection, etc. I've been thinking about house-ruling some feats and letting players get a bonus one of their choice, sort of a multi-class. I've also debated just leaving it to role-playing and giving the kids "plot protection".

 

[frankthedm]

Star wars has some padawan rules.

D20 modern SRD has some rrules for children too.

 

[Barcode]

Difficulty getting a sitter?

 

[The Little Raven]

My question is how do I mechanically incorporate these NPCs into the game?

Make them companion characters that do not really have much in the way of offense. Boost their AC/Reflex to reflect the fact that kids can be quick and hard to catch. Add in an encounter immediate interrupt/reaction attack power, to reflect the kid fighting when cornered.

And is it worth it to do so?

It can be, if your intent is to have the characters protecting the kids, who are under threat of dying from any enemies. I have an entire arc built around escorting and protecting a fragile NPC character, which was inspired by the movie Stardust as well as the novel Seeress of Kell.

 

[Quickleaf]

Make them companion characters that do not really have much in the way of offense. Boost their AC/Reflex to reflect the fact that kids can be quick and hard to catch. Add in an encounter immediate interrupt/reaction attack power, to reflect the kid fighting when cornered.
It can be, if your intent is to have the characters protecting the kids, who are under threat of dying from any enemies. I have an entire arc built around escorting and protecting a fragile NPC character, which was inspired by the movie Stardust as well as the novel Seeress of Kell.

How'd it work for your adventure?
I couldn't bring myself as a DM to kill a kid NPC (well, maybe I could, but it would be a first and I think a little too emotional for our group), though capturing is another story. I like your NPC design thoughts, which is the direction I'm going in too, including a few powers which interact with PCs...in other words, make the PCs look better.

Star wars has some padawan rules.

Thanks, I'll try to check those out, do you know which sourcebook has them?

Difficulty getting a sitter?

Ha, I think it's more the kids are curious about adventurers, and the players are up for the challenge of training these kids.

 

[ArghMark]

Are the kids apprentices of some sort? Make them first level.

I like the idea of giving them half the masters level bonus to everything to represent the master protecting them/helping them/Training them. It means they can be vaguely useful when near, but weak when far. This only lasts until the apprentice gets to half the masters level, with gradually depleting bonuses - i.e. 10th level master, 1st level apprentice gets +5, 2nd level apprentice gets + 4.

To avoid this going on too long you give them bonus XP for their trainers being so close.

Think of a master swordsman standing next to his trainee, setting up his opponent to take a fall or blocking some of the hits, or a wizard yelling out annoyed corrections to pronunciations to his hapless apprentice.

If they aren't apprentices, let them guide the plot. Bad guys are after them. They get into trouble. They want to do something, the PC's say no, they do it anyway. etc.

 

[Fanaelialae]

Another option, if you want the kids to be low-level but useful, would be to set them up as level 1 but use the Making Things Level rules on page 34 of the DMG2 to effectively bring them up to (or near) the PCs' level provided their mentors are nearby to assist and advise.

 

[Herobizkit]

D20 modern SRD has some rrules for children too.

Children

Children (newborns to age 11) are handled differently from other characters. They do not have classes or levels. They begin with the same ability score package as ordinaries (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8), but their ability scores are reduced as follows:

–3 Str, –1 Dex, –3 Con, –1 Int, –1 Wis, –1 Cha

Children have 1d4 hit points plus their Constitution modifier (minimum 1 hit point). They have no skills, feats, action points, or occupations. Their base attack bonus is +0, they have a +0 modifier on all saving throws (plus any modifiers for high or low ability scores), and their Reputation bonus is +0. Children have a +0 modifier to Defense and a normal speed of 20 feet. Children have no effective attacks and should be treated as noncombatants.

When a child turns 12, he or she is considered a young adult and takes his or her first level in one of the six basic classes. At that point, the character becomes an ordinary (or hero, in some cases).

In one of my games, I had a young Elven child accompany the PC's. I made him a Psionicist, and allowed him to carry the psicrystal of his deceased father, who happened to be a high level Psion. As the psicrystal tried to communicate with the untrained child, strange things would happen all over the place... for example, a room got so cold it became an ice cavern, or objects would be randomly thrown about, or psionic constructs would appear and follow/play with the child. Eventually, the character came of age and became a Psion... but to all others, it might appear he was haunted...

 

[chronoplasm]

I would treat kids sort of like familiars actually, except that you can't make them disappear. They have defenses, they can move, but they don't attack. They do grant skill bonuses to adults they are with however. For example, a little street urchine could sneak around and pick pockets. Some kids might even have latent powers, like the character Darling from Glen Cook's Black Company.

 

[Quickleaf]

I would treat kids sort of like familiars actually, except that you can't make them disappear. They have defenses, they can move, but they don't attack. They do grant skill bonuses to adults they are with however. For example, a little street urchine could sneak around and pick pockets. Some kids might even have latent powers, like the character Darling from Glen Cook's Black Company.

Interesting idea about comparing them to familiars.

I haven't read The Black Company yet. How do Darling's latent powers work?