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<blockquote data-quote="77IM" data-source="post: 4786912" data-attributes="member: 12377">You shouldn't try to have a &quot;full&quot; PC.&nbsp; It's just too much work, and it takes some focus away from the PCs.&nbsp; You can add an NPC to the party, though, if you do it right.1.&nbsp; Make the NPC taciturn and subservient -- that way, he is never the focus during role-playing encounters and won't steal the PC's spotlight.&nbsp; (As DM, you have enough spotlight already, what with controlling the entire multiverse.)&nbsp; An apprentice, follower, or hired henchman works well for this.2.&nbsp; The NPC can help the party with puzzle encounters, but only as directed by the players.&nbsp; He can't actually solve the puzzles -- UNLESS the players get stuck, and then you can have him gain a sudden insight and offer a hint.&nbsp; The reasons for this should be obvious:&nbsp; since you are the one making the puzzles, it would be pretty lame to solve your own puzzles!&nbsp; But one downside of any sort of puzzle is that the party gets stuck and can't solve it, so the NPC can serve as insurance against that.&nbsp; You just want to make sure the PCs don't start relying on these hints.3.&nbsp; A really, really simple NPC is easier to run.&nbsp; The above comment about spamming out twin strike is said in a humorous tone but I think it's sound advice.&nbsp; I'd give an allied NPC no more than 1-2 at-wills and 1-2 encounter powers (a weaker encounter power might be recharge <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/5.gif"&nbsp; class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":5:" title="Five&nbsp; &nbsp; :5:" data-shortname=":5:" /> <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/6.gif"&nbsp; class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":6:" title="Six&nbsp; &nbsp; :6:" data-shortname=":6:" /> or something).&nbsp; I think, to speed up combat, I would give him fewer healing surges than a PC, but only track them during short rests (he would have infinite surges during combat).&nbsp; Also, no action points.4.&nbsp; If you want, you can even let the PCs control the NPC during combat.&nbsp; This only works if you have simple NPC stats (see #3), because running a PC is already complicated enough.&nbsp; You might want your players to take turns running the NPC during combat, or you might want one person to do it all the time.5.&nbsp; The NPC should get a share of the XP.&nbsp; His presence is making the fight a lot easier, just like a fellow PC.&nbsp; He should get a share of the treasure, too, but should get &quot;last pick&quot; of magic items.&nbsp; Otherwise the players might feel cheated out of some loot that they really wanted.&nbsp;-- 77IM</blockquote>

[QUOTE="77IM, post: 4786912, member: 12377"] You shouldn't try to have a "full" PC. It's just too much work, and it takes some focus away from the PCs. You can add an NPC to the party, though, if you do it right. 1. Make the NPC taciturn and subservient -- that way, he is never the focus during role-playing encounters and won't steal the PC's spotlight. (As DM, you have enough spotlight already, what with controlling the entire multiverse.) An apprentice, follower, or hired henchman works well for this. 2. The NPC can help the party with puzzle encounters, but only as directed by the players. He can't actually solve the puzzles -- UNLESS the players get stuck, and then you can have him gain a sudden insight and offer a hint. The reasons for this should be obvious: since you are the one making the puzzles, it would be pretty lame to solve your own puzzles! But one downside of any sort of puzzle is that the party gets stuck and can't solve it, so the NPC can serve as insurance against that. You just want to make sure the PCs don't start relying on these hints. 3. A really, really simple NPC is easier to run. The above comment about spamming out [i]twin strike[/i] is said in a humorous tone but I think it's sound advice. I'd give an allied NPC no more than 1-2 at-wills and 1-2 encounter powers (a weaker encounter power might be recharge :5: :6: or something). I think, to speed up combat, I would give him fewer healing surges than a PC, but only track them during short rests (he would have infinite surges during combat). Also, no action points. 4. If you want, you can even let the PCs control the NPC during combat. This only works if you have simple NPC stats (see #3), because running a PC is already complicated enough. You might want your players to take turns running the NPC during combat, or you might want one person to do it all the time. 5. The NPC should get a share of the XP. His presence is making the fight a lot easier, just like a fellow PC. He should get a share of the treasure, too, but should get "last pick" of magic items. Otherwise the players might feel cheated out of some loot that they really wanted. -- 77IM [/QUOTE]

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