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<blockquote data-quote="ruleslawyer" data-source="post: 6476825" data-attributes="member: 1757">The thing is that unless you're running the campaign as a war of all against all, you don't even need to resort to the MAD formulation, assuming we're just talking about the big-name NPCs. (The abundance of high-level random NPCs is a separate problem and one that I've definitely resolved with the old meat ax.)The realms is a big setting and as such the high-level NPCs already have stuff to do (in addition to acting as sources of advice and support for PCs). Elminster travels the realms AND other planes, sets and maintains certain wards in and around myth drannor and the epven court, and at least directs some Harper activities in addition to being a visible source of protection for Shadowdale. Khelben does Harper stuff in the North as well as keeping the peace in Waterdeep, supporting the Lords Alliance, and dealing with the machinations of the Shadow Thieves and various high-level rogue wizards and liches. The Simbul supports the interests of Aglarond across the Realms while *also* standing (outnumbered) against the Red Wizards. And so on. The main reason not to have these characters around is if you want your PCs doing the specific things that those characters are doing, and you want them doing so without help. The *advantage* of having these NPCs around, in addition to acting as sources of plots, is to let the PCs feel like it's okay to travel to mulhorand, take a week's rest in Sembia, or go treasure-hunting in Anauroch without the world coming down on their heads. It's something that may pose problems in an adventure path style of play (although if you look at Age of Worms and Savage Tide they both deal with this issue), but it works for a lot of campaign styles.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="ruleslawyer, post: 6476825, member: 1757"] The thing is that unless you're running the campaign as a war of all against all, you don't even need to resort to the MAD formulation, assuming we're just talking about the big-name NPCs. (The abundance of high-level random NPCs is a separate problem and one that I've definitely resolved with the old meat ax.) The realms is a big setting and as such the high-level NPCs already have stuff to do (in addition to acting as sources of advice and support for PCs). Elminster travels the realms AND other planes, sets and maintains certain wards in and around myth drannor and the epven court, and at least directs some Harper activities in addition to being a visible source of protection for Shadowdale. Khelben does Harper stuff in the North as well as keeping the peace in Waterdeep, supporting the Lords Alliance, and dealing with the machinations of the Shadow Thieves and various high-level rogue wizards and liches. The Simbul supports the interests of Aglarond across the Realms while *also* standing (outnumbered) against the Red Wizards. And so on. The main reason not to have these characters around is if you want your PCs doing the specific things that those characters are doing, and you want them doing so without help. The *advantage* of having these NPCs around, in addition to acting as sources of plots, is to let the PCs feel like it's okay to travel to mulhorand, take a week's rest in Sembia, or go treasure-hunting in Anauroch without the world coming down on their heads. It's something that may pose problems in an adventure path style of play (although if you look at Age of Worms and Savage Tide they both deal with this issue), but it works for a lot of campaign styles. [/QUOTE]

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