Gandalf - Patient Zero of Bad DMPC Epidemic?

[Numion]

Hi,

I'm reading Lord of the Rings once again, and cannot help but think that Big G is the archetype for all the bad DMPCs most of us have suffered through. All the respect to Tolkien for reinforcing the adventuring group cliche, which is quite useful for the logistics of RPGing. I just feel that many of the DMPCs I've suffered through bear resemblance to Gandalf. Here are the hallmarks of a bad DMPC:

* Much more powerful than the rest of the group

This much is obvious. Kicks a Balrogs ass while the 'PCs' run for their lives.

* Steals the PCs thunder

He's always engaging the ,pst powerful enemies in combat, and also dominates NPC interactions

* First dibs on the best loot

He's quick to scoop up Glamdring, Sarumans Palantir, Shadowfax while he already has one of the rings of Power!

* Knows all the info but doesn't share it

He obviously knows a lot about the adventures plot (like any DMPC would, they're controlled by the DM!), but keeps all the info to himself, only giving small handouts to the 'PCs'.

* Is rude to the PCs

This is usually the most annoying feature of a DMPC. "Fool of a Took!" With their high level of power they can treat PCs like crap. Gandalf limits himself to verbal abuse, but that would be pretty annoying in a game.

* Holds back his power

While powerful, Gandalf doesn't use his powers often. Another feature of bad DMPCs - they let the PCs sweat enough, even thouugh they could save them from a lot of bleeding.

What do you think? Is Gandalf the stereotypical bad DMPC, an annoyance to boot?

 

[hong]

Indeed.

DM of the Rings

 

[Andre]

What do you think? Is Gandalf the stereotypical bad DMPC, an annoyance to boot?

No, because he's a character in a book, not a game. The two are very different, and what works well in one, is a disaster in the other.

 

[Crothian]

I understand what you are trying to say, but it is a book and not an RPG. I know the two are at times impossible to tell apart. One way to tell the difference is the lack of Star Wars and Monty Python references. That makes this a book.

 

[Numion]

No, because he's a character in a book, not a game. The two are very different, and what works well in one, is a disaster in the other.

D'uh.

I was trying to say that he's the model for many of the bad DMPCs, and that he has many of the qualities of bad DMPCs.

That is undeniable.

Now, when impressionable DMs read LotR, they'll get inspired to have similar character in their GAME.

So doesn't it follow that Tokien has some part in the thousands of hours of suffering Big G clones have inflicted upon hapless players?

 

[Afrodyte]

This is hilarious.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

No, because he's a character in a book, not a game. The two are very different, and what works well in one, is a disaster in the other.

Quoted for truth. Tolkien's work is older than modern desktop gaming.

Mind you, he does match most of the qualities of an overpowered bad DMPC. (There are also "underpowered" bad DMPCs.) There might be older characters who act similarly in other series, and some bad DMs might never have read LotR and may know little to nothing about the setting.

 

[Celebrim]

For all its influence on the hobby, the actual story of 'The Lord of the Rings' stands out as how not to run an RPG. It's a great book, but as an RPG it sucks. It's on rails, it involves lots of DMPC's, it splits the party into unmanagably small groups, the setting tends to be a vehicle for one particular story (rather than stories in general), it requires an enormous amount of back story to understand (and RP properly), the early pacing is terrible, it has a very low ratio of rewards to challenges and the challenges that it does have depend mostly on stealth and endurance checks.

 

[Quartz]

Has no one read The Silmarilliion? The original DMPC in Tolkein is Beren; the original DM's wife / girlfriend is Luthien. The latter was even engraved on Mrs Tolkein's tombstone!

 

[Numion]

Has no one read The Silmarilliion?

no, not really. It was booooooriiiiiing...

Anyway, back to big G. I'd be really furious if the Balrog scene played out in a game I was playing. It would've been a TPK, I'm not backing out of a fight just because a DMPC says so. Further, it would also just increase problems later since Gandalf hogged all the xp from that one.

Here's one more to the list:

* Won't stay dead

Players would've been relieved after Moria, since Gandalfs scourge was no more. However, like any other bad DMPC, big G won't stay dead. The scene (exit from Moria) would've been very different in a game, with the PCs really happy about the turn of events, but at the same time pissed off since Gandalf stole their thunder