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

[vagabundo]

I have a (B)asic edition of 4th in the works too. It is based on companion characters rules and a number of other house rules from around enworld.

I was designing it for pick-up-and-play games, so players could roll up quick characters and have a more BCMI feel.

I'll post it to the home rule forum when i'm done and maybe playtested.

 

[KidSnide]

I have a (B)asic edition of 4th in the works too. It is based on companion characters rules and a number of other house rules from around enworld.

I was designing it for pick-up-and-play games, so players could roll up quick characters and have a more BCMI feel.

I've thought for a while that companion-style rules are perfect for epic play. At least for me, I have little interest in continuing a campaign into epic level, but I can think of tons of one-shot ideas that beg for epic characters. The problem is that epic 4e characters are just too complicated for most folks to just pick up and run. I figure that simplified characters with over-the-top powers are the right solution.

-KS

 

[Negflar2099]

I've used CC's as well and I really enjoy them. I've used them to replace the characters of players who have to miss the game, to allow the PCs to control a really powerful NPC who jumped into a fight to help them, to allow a watcher/reluctant D&D player to play a character that was easier to run, and to describe the assistance provided by NPCs who went on a few adventures with the PCs. I've found that they are incredibly helpful and versatile set of rules that I'm glad to have. In fact because of those rules and a few others DMG2 stands as my favorite 4e purchase yet.

Oddly enough I've noticed that PCs tend to trust NPCs who I convert into CC's. Maybe it's the idea that they get to look at the NPC's stats or maybe it's just the idea of control over that NPC or maybe because the NPC helped them in battle, but in my experience if your players distrust one of your NPCs just convert them to a CC and toss them in a battle. That should take care of any lingering distrust.*

*Which of course you can use to betray them later.

 

[caudor]

That should take care of any lingering distrust.*

*Which of course you can use to betray them later.

Excelllleeeennnttt! [Evil Laugh]

 

[Mentat55]

To build on the idea of using the companion character rules as a way of creating 4E Lite PCs, I've been toying with the idea. Here is a quick summary of those ideas:

1. Use the Companion Character rules from the DMG2 to create a PC based on a specific character class/role.
2. Allow the character to take the second wind action once per day.
3. Allow the character to spend an action point once per day.
4. Grant the characters four trained skills (instead of two).
5. Expand slightly the options in terms of role-based abilities. This is the one I have thought about the least.
6. Each character also gets one daily power -- because those are usually the coolest ones.

 

[Nymrohd]

I use the companion characters' rules a lot . I run a campaign for a large group of people (8 players) so it is rare that all of them will be able to make it. So I keep a companion version of each character in case they cannot show up so I don't have to change the encounters on the fly.