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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lanefan" data-source="post: 6033332" data-attributes="member: 29398">First off: there's no difference between a party-member NPC and a DMPC - it's the same thing.Second off: let's assume this discussion is ignoring henches, cohorts, hirelings, porters, guides, intelligent donkeyhorses, and other NPC-like things that are in the party because the PCs put them there.Third off: we've had party-member NPCs as pretty much standard procedure from day 1 and 99% of the time it hasn't been a problem at all.  The players look after the rolling (usually) and in co-operation with the DM play them as if a part of the party, except the DM can over-ride the players' suggested actions for the NPC if they don't make sense for the character.  NPCs are most often recruited by the party to fill a hole (e.g. nobody's playing a Thief) or to shore up a weakness (we've got one Fighter trying to protect six back-liners - we need some more muscle).  After that, they stick around (or not) just like PCs and for the same reasons.And last but not least: having party-member NPCs come and go makes it easier for the DM to insert a double agent or spy into the party if the plot requires such. >insert evil cackle here<Lanefan</blockquote>