DMs: Do you maintain NPCs in the player's party?

[Bystander]

We are hunting for other players, but in the meanwhile, we have two and a DM. We're having fun, but having two PCs isn't so hot.

We thought of playing with more than one character per player, but... we feel the game loses too much intimacy.

So, another option is adding some DM controlled characters to the players' party to add some depth. Its really fun, because the players don't know if the NPCs in the party are really teamplayers or not.

I've tweaked that around a bit, and decided that the PCs need to remain the heroes, and the ones who stand out. I focus the story on the PCs, and make them do the talking and leading and so on. The NPCs I've added are always lower level, and have weaker stats in general. I kill one once in a while for affect, and they kick one out of the group on occasion too. They even decided that they needed a rogue in the group, and put up an add in the local taverns.

In combat, unless the PCs are hitting the same opponents as the NPCs I don't even roll for their hits or not- I simply give indications of how they are faring. This saves quite a bit of time, and allows me to even balance the overall outcome. For example, if the PCs are getting wrecked, I will have the NPCs do a little better and maybe come to the PC's rescue. If its too easy, it may go the other way.

The players seem to really like how things have been going, but I've only just begun to experiment with it.

I was wondering if any of you also play this way, and if you have any suggestions or guidelines I should try.

Or... if you have an alternate solution for my "lack of players" situation- I'd love to hear it!

 

[Cloudgatherer]

This should probably be posted in general. Rogue's Gallery is where PCs and NPCs are posted for others to use....

My recommendation is to allow the PCs to have "friends" instead of additional adventurers. The PCs need healing, they have a contact at their church/temple. Need something on the black market, see a rogue contact and so on. I might limit the NPC interaction to allow 1 "tag-along" NPC, which the DM would run, just to better balance the game, but this is not needed, IMO. It does make designing adventures a bit more difficult, as 2 characters have fewer abilities than 3 or 4, but it can still be a fun game.

 

[Bystander]

This should probably be posted in general. Rogue's Gallery is where PCs and NPCs are posted for others to use....

Sorry Cloud... I just figured the best people to ask were the folks who care MOST about NPCs like the people in this particular forum. They offer NPCs, so I thought they might have some spiffy advice on using them. BAD me.... BAD!

 

[Valmur_Dwur]

Well I think your idea is a sound one. I agree 2 or more pcs per player jsut doesn't work. Even a veteran player will probably shy away from it(I know I would). As to just 2 pcs you can run an adventure just cut down on the number of encounters and the level of them. 2 should be able to sneak around alot better than 4. Of course if you told us what pcs are in the group we could be more specific 1 wild idea maybe to see if you could find 1 or 2 people that can be online when you play. Then you can email back and forth what you as the DM and present party are doing. The emailer then gives you his move based on your info. It would be tricky, but with 1 other person it might be neat. The problemm is finding someone who meshes really well with your group.