Companion Characters...how's it working out?

[darjr]

Ok, I gotta ask...has anyone tried running a rules-lite, beer-and-pretzels game of 4e using only the companion rules?

Let me second the question. I'd like to try it myself. Maybe even as a kind of 'zero' level characters.

 

[caudor]

Let me second the question. I'd like to try it myself. Maybe even as a kind of 'zero' level characters.

Hum, I don't know if anyone has tried it out, but with enough beer and pretzels, I can imagine some strange CC combinations. With even more beer, the DM might be dealing with a party of five fire beetles

I think a Companion Character might be a quick way to allow a curious new player (who doesn't want to delve into the character creation rules right away) to get a taste of the game, or perhaps give a watcher/wallflower an opportunity to jump in and play without a lot of pressure to stand in the spotlight.

The 'zero level' use might be useful as well, although I'll have to ponder that idea a little bit more.

 

[Dykstrav]

It would be great if you did. I'd snatch it up. I've been keeping a lookout for any third party products related to Companion Characters. Haven't seen one yet, but I'm sure someone will take advantage of the opportunity.

A sourcebook with Companion Characters with stats and backgrounds of various levels would be fantastic. Showing the same CC built at different levels would be great too.

This is exactly the sort of product I had in mind--in fact, I already have several companion characters designed, statted out from levels 1-10, and include personality, goals, and tips on incorporating them into a campaign, including why they would join a party and under what conditions they should leave.

Unfortunately, there are logistical issues for making such a product for 4E.

I've actually been pitching the idea to some game publishers, but it hasn't caught on. Apparently, GSL products cannot reproduce any text from the core books, so I'd have to make up my own powers for each of these companion characters to have--not exactly a speedy or ideal process for a sourcebook that is supposed to be quick and easy-to-use.

I've considered doing it for 3.5, but bluntly, a book of NPCs has been done to death for 3E, and I don't see how I could honestly do it without making it Pathfinder-compatible in order to make it financially viable. I'd also have to figure out an angle than simply another book of NPCs. I'm also still learning Pathfinder. It's very close to 3.5, but there are subtle differences that I'm still picking up on.

My best option right now seems to be to try to pitch the idea to Dungeon as an idea for a column or something. We'll see.

 

[Baumi]

Ok, I gotta ask...has anyone tried running a rules-lite, beer-and-pretzels game of 4e using only the companion rules?

Last Saturday I did that for a part of my Adventure. There was a Scene outside the dungeon that I let them play with alternative Characters. I used the Companion Rules for that (I have a Excel-Sheet so that only took a minute) and instead of Powers I simply used the Stunt Rules (a bit powered up), which made it even easier. The players found the Scene awesome and one of them even asked if he could switch his character (but he generally likes games more rules-light).

But I do have some experience with the Companions already, we even have a new player (completely new to RPGs) that played a Companion for several Sessions before she stared a complete Character. But since that was quite high-level and she played alongside to some maximized Characters, we had to give her a few advantages (she played a little Troll so she got Regeneration 5) to catch up with the rest.

So all in all, my experiences with Companions were great so far and I really would like a basic-system just with companion rules..

 

[blargney the second]

We played a game a few weeks ago where 3 of 5 players were playing companion characters instead of full PCs. Mine was ok for a one-shot, but I would definitely get bored by the lack of options for any more than that. They'd be a snap to run in addition to a full PC.
-blarg

 

[Cyronax]

I use my own combo rules inspired by the NPC and monster rules scattered throughout the two DMGs as well as the DMG2. Basically I give the CC's a good combo of recharges and PC-inspired powers. I also don't give CC's as many surges as the DMG2 rules indicate.

I only bump up CC's (and give them action points) if they are being used as a temporary PC by one of the players (whose PC is either dead or left the current situation for some reason).

I also don't give PCs complete editorial control over CC's ..... since the 3 I've introduced so far have their own agendas (just like any PC/NPC/monster).

C.I.D.

 

[weem]

Since I was in here earlier, I thought I would drop a link here to a Companion Character sheet I made tonight and just now posted here on ENW...

http://www.enworld.org/forum/4e-fan...37-weems-d-d-4th-edition-companion-sheet.html

...lemme know what you think!

 

[Baumi]

Wow these sheets look wonderful!

Just a few suggestions and comments:

*) There seems a small error .. the 4. Power says "Attack or Utility" and the 5. says "Encounter or Utility" instead of having the same header.

*) The Attribute-boxes seem a bit small for the Score AND the Modifier.

*) There is no place for Racial Advantages/Powers.

 

[KidSnide]

Ok, I gotta ask...has anyone tried running a rules-lite, beer-and-pretzels game of 4e using only the companion rules?

Well, it's not exactly beer-and-pretzels, but I use CCs whenever one or two of my PCs (I have a party of 7) goes off and does something with a set of recurring NPC characters. I'll build those NPCs as CCs and give them to the players whose characters aren't in the scene. Most of my players have one or two allied NPCs that they play occasionally and the CC rules are definitely the right mechanic for that job.

I haven't had a chance to use this yet, but one of my PCs sometimes commands a hundred or so troops. I haven't had a battle with those troops since we converted from 3.5, but I'm planning to use companion "characters" to represent groups of 10-20 soldiers.

-KS

 

[weem]

Wow these sheets look wonderful!

Just a few suggestions and comments:

*) There seems a small error .. the 4. Power says "Attack or Utility" and the 5. says "Encounter or Utility" instead of having the same header.

*) The Attribute-boxes seem a bit small for the Score AND the Modifier.

*) There is no place for Racial Advantages/Powers.

Thanks! I copied your comments over to that thread so I have them in one place to respond to

Well, it's not exactly beer-and-pretzels, but I use CCs whenever one or two of my PCs (I have a party of 7) goes off and does something with a set of recurring NPC characters. I'll build those NPCs as CCs and give them to the players whose characters aren't in the scene. Most of my players have one or two allied NPCs that they play occasionally and the CC rules are definitely the right mechanic for that job.
-KS

This is something I really want to do - allow the players to step out of their skin from time to time - shake things up. I just haven't got around to it yet.

It would be fun to have some NPC (CC's) along to help with a specific task... the PC's go one way, CC's (played by the players) another and at varying points each group relies on the other to do some specific task in order to advance the story/adventure/dungeon crawl, etc.

Hmmm...