D&D General How do you explain PC absences when a player has to miss a session?

[MarkB]

Haven't tried this one yet, but I'm tempted:

Conjuration spells. Someone, somewhere else in the multiverse, just cast Summon Adventurer. They'll reappear, safe and sound, once the spell wears off or their summoned form dies.

 

[was]

Usually the missing character is off doing something related to their background/personal goals/faction mission..etc...

 

[Nikosandros]

The character is played by someone else, so they are not absent.

 

[Legatus Legionis]

.

 

[jgsugden]

If I can write them out easily without messing up the story, I do so. If not, they are either run by another player or NPCed.

 

[Nikosandros]

We had completely ruled that out in my group long ago.

For players in the past would use this N-PC as the group's personal scout ahead/open everything/cannon fodder.

And the returning player would get angry as to why his PC died, or why all its items/coins were given away to other PC's.

NO.

We made it a house rule that if a player is unable to attend a session, no one (even the DM) is allowed to use them.

To each, their own. For us (all the groups I have participated in) it works fine and it does not disrupt the narrative. The other players don't do any of that stuff and play the missing player's character in a responsible way.

 

[Zardnaar]

Someone else or handwave aka no hole.

 

[Coroc]

Depends on the campaign style. If there is a possibility to miss (do other things) then the player does right this, otherwise he is coming along off screen. Maybe sometimes acts as an NPC (steered by the DM)

 

[Kinematics]

There was another thread on roughly this topic last summer: XP for Absent Players

For the groups I've been in, if there's nothing serious going on (ie: no major battles), someone else may possibly play the character, if permission is given to do so. If there is something major, they just fade into the background. Alternatively, they take care of some useful, out-of-the-way action, such as guarding the exit so we have a safe escape route. Notably, there is never any risk of permanent harm to the character.

 

[Fenris-77]

Social distancing.