3 players and 5 PCs?!

[Ashrem Bayle]

So I've had this campaign running for a while. I only have 2 players, and they are each running two characters. All is good. However, we all agreed that we needed more players, so that each could play one character, and we finally found someone.

Problem is, the four characters that we have been running are all central to the campaign. My plan was to have the players each pick their favorite, and the other would be worked out of the campaign.

We have:

Player 1: Rogue & Warmage
Player 2: Cleric/Wizard & Marshal

The new player wants to run a Rogue. Fortunatly, Player 1 is probably going to drop the rogue as his primary character. Player 2 plans to drop the Marshal.

The problem I'm having is with the Marshal. He is the leader of the party. I've considered taking him over as an NPC, but I don't want to be the DM ANd play the leader of the party.

I think what will happen is that player 1 will scrap both characters and build a fighter (or barbarian). The new player will make his rogue and player 2 will retain his cleric/wizard. That's a great mix for a 3 character party, but we'll loose a lot of great roleplaying and story building as all but one character will be new.

Any suggestions? I'd hate to have two players running two characters and one player only running one. I think he'd get bored wating for his turn to finally come around.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Oh come on... Ash, I held you in such high regard as a DM after reading your Crown of Shadows PBP game.

Ditch the Marshal as a PC but put him in charge of a central location so that he can't leave to go galavanting around but he can still offer useful advice and direction to the PCs. By doing it you can wean the Party off of his leadership and let them decide who the new leader is. It also gives you a great device to introduce new scenarios.

Player 1 then ditches the Rogue for your new player and plays the Warmage.

Problem solved.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Oh come on... Ash, I held you in such high regard as a DM after reading your Crown of Shadows PBP game.

Ditch the Marshal as a PC but put him in charge of a central location so that he can't leave to go galavanting around but he can still offer useful advice and direction to the PCs. By doing it you can wean the Party off of his leadership and let them decide who the new leader is. It also gives you a great device to introduce new scenarios.

Oh yeah, there only needs to be one Arcane caster in the group... I'd ditch the Warmage for the other player.

Hope I didn't disappoint you too bad. After a thorough exam, it turns out I'm only human. It disappointed to me too, but now I'm learning to accept my place in this harsh new reality.

In all seriousness though, that’s some good advice. It kinda reminded me of something I was thinking of the other day and now I believe I have a plan.

Thanks!

 

[Calico_Jack73]

I edited my response about the Warmage. I guess you were writing your reply while I was editing.

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

I had considered that as well. Player 1's rogue gets "redefined" as the new player's rogue.

I hate screwing with continuity like this, but it appears necessary since starting a new campaign is out of the question.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Is it set in the Midnight setting (I know, stupid question)? If so, kill em off and bring in new heros to torment!!!!!

 

[Ashrem Bayle]

Is it set in the Midnight setting (I know, stupid question)? If so, kill em off and bring in new heros to torment!!!!!

hehe...

No, unfortunatly my Midnight campaign is on indefinate hold and I only have time to run one campaign.

If things pick up, I'll definately be starting a new Midnight game, but I don't know when/if that will happen. Right now, I'm using my PbP campaign to get my Midnight fix.

 

[jerichothebard]

I had considered that as well. Player 1's rogue gets "redefined" as the new player's rogue.

I hate screwing with continuity like this, but it appears necessary since starting a new campaign is out of the question.

Continuity is over-rated. Think of your favorite TV series - how contiguous are they, really? How much do you notice when small things change? And, in the end, does it really annoy you that much?

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Continuity is over-rated. Think of your favorite TV series - how contiguous are they, really? How much do you notice when small things change? And, in the end, does it really annoy you that much?

Go to the next Star Trek convention in your area and ask the Trekkies that. I'd be suprised if you made it out alive.