GMPC surges..

[Baumi]

I will add an NPC Cleric to my group today because my already small group will be without the Warlord Player. I went for a str-cleric since they need help in melee, but then I remembered that NPCs (like Monsters) have only one surge at heroic tear and now I fear that he will hinder the party since he will not be able to heal up after the first fight (it is unlikely that he will not be harmed in melee.

Should I give the character the same amount of surges as a normal cleric would have?

 

[jensun]

The NPC is designed to stand in for a PC, I would have him work in all ways like a PC would. I would also make the players responsible for running his actions in the game.

 

[Jack99]

After talking over the exact same thing a few months ago, the general conclusion was that it should cause no issues to give him the full allotment of surges.

 

[Starglim]

edit: never mind

 

[Baumi]

Thanks, I will certainly give him now the usual amount of surges.

But the rest will stay as an usuall NPC writeup (fewer powers and skills) since he should be as easy to run as possible, that way I hope the players will play him.

 

[Baumi]

By the way, does anyone know an NPC Creator (simplify the numbercrunching and a nice output)?

 

[Pseudopsyche]

I've given this question considerable thought in my solo campaign with my fiancée, and my current decision is to give the DMPC the normal allotment of healing surges per day but only one healing surge during an encounter. I think this rule fits the spirit if not the letter of the DMG, which focuses on the case when NPCs typically only fight in one encounter with (typically against) the PCs. If you allow a DMPC to spend more than one surge in an encounter, you run the danger of that DMPC stealing the spotlight both in terms of being the target of the enemies' attacks and the recipient of the party's healing. Then again, it's possible that your players may not mind, if you reinforce the notion that the DMPC is "just the tank."

 

[Thanee]

I use full PC stats for my GMPC cleric (3 (sometimes 4) PCs is too small a party for 4th edition otherwise; at least unless you use the official modules and do not want to alter the encounters).

Thanks to Power Cards, it's really no problem to keep track of everything.

Supporters (Leaders, but also Defenders, I guess) are best for GMPCs.
Strikers and Controlers might turn out a bit more spotlight-heavy than they should, because of their role.

Bye
Thanee

 

[DracoSuave]

Have another player babysit the Warlord PC?

 

[Remathilis]

I actually did both.

I made a full character sheet for my DMPC, then I made a MM-style stat block. The stat block is identical to the Char-sheet, but it only takes into account frequently used skills (Acrobatics, thievery) and selects 1 at-will, and their highest level encounter, daily, and utility (as well as important race/class powers, like healing word or fey step). If the DMPC has to do something beyond this (a different power, use an unlisted skill) then I get out the "full sheet".

When I update one sheet, I update the other (usually on a Word Doc I update).

Otherwise, I used the PHB for making the character, down to hp formula, ability modifiers, and power progression. The other sheet is a simplified version for including in large combats.

(You could also use the 2nd sheet for handing out to PCs during pitched combats to run).