(Edit: Sorry about the length)
I don't like DMPCs. I think one of the key things that separates DMPCs from important NPCs is the DMs view of the character. Do they think of it and play it as their character and one of the "stars" rather than as just another supporting character.
In my last M&M can campaign, I had a group of superhero teenage NPCs that were supposed to be there for one small adventure. After the adventure, one of the players decided to he was mentoring the kids and another decided earlier in the game that they were friends of his at school. The next thing I know, the players are calling on the NPCs a lot (as in every adventure )- especially, the sorcerer, who could become very powerful under specific circumstances.
The players were trying to lean on the NPC sorcerer and have him solve a lot of their problems.
A piece of magical lore? Call the sorcerer.
A magical villain? Call the sorcerer.
Back up? Call the sorcerer and bring the other NPCs.
I had to remind them that this was a high school teenager, who didn't want his powers. He also had no formal schooling in all things arcane lore and therefore, would often not to have the knowledge that they needed.
Although I never viewed him as a DMPC, I felt he was getting too much of the spotlight and it bothered me. Every time I try to get the character out of the story short of killing him, they would, eventually, search for him, dig deeper into his background. Finally, I did an adventure so that they could see what he was afraid of him and involved being unwillingly turned into an adversary they had to stop. I hoped it would give them closure, that they would move on and let character move on.
It didn't happen until two new players joined
Even then, he still appeared in what would be a panel or two every other issue as the mentor PC would, occasionally, call to check up on the NPC who left for college. However, they didn't call on him as a team member, because the new PCs in his presence would have resulted in the deaths of the PCs.
Well, they left him alone up until the point that the campaign was coming to a close and that involved them using him in an unconventional way to defeat their enemy while the PCs still remained the heroes.
It ended up being a great campaign (lasting three plus years). However, during much of the campaign, it was often frustrating to have the players want to place so much attention on the NPC. From my perspective, the game was becoming more about the NPC than the PCs and that was not what I wanted. . For short periods, I could get their focus on other things like the "mentor's" property being a weirdness magnet (which became an annual event everyone liked), the personal lives/subplots of the characters, villains they loved to hate. Eventually, however, they wanted to return to the NPC.
When, the campaign ended, I asked them why there had been so much attention on the NPC and, if by passing up on other things, they felt as if they had taken the campaign spotlight off the PCs and placed it on the NPC. Their answer was that they enjoyed the campaign and the things I provided.
They also felt that I was looking at it wrong. To their characters, the NPC was a friend in a dark place and need of help. Even after he left for school as friends they would check up on him. As the players, they liked the NPC and felt from the beginning that there was a, potentially, interesting "story" they want to explore and see what resulted. To them it was like the Teen Titans helping Raven in the TV series or The "Who is Donna Troy" story line from the New Teen Titans comics or certain anime where the theme is about loyalty and friendship.
Considering that New Teen Titans and Claremont's early New Mutants were two of my favorite comics and an influence on the style of campaign, I felt much better hearing about the campaign's direction after hearing their explanation. As a DM, it also felt good to create an NPC that had caught their attention and in which they, as players, felt invested.
I don't like DMPCs. I think one of the key things that separates DMPCs from important NPCs is the DMs view of the character. Do they think of it and play it as their character and one of the "stars" rather than as just another supporting character.
In my last M&M can campaign, I had a group of superhero teenage NPCs that were supposed to be there for one small adventure. After the adventure, one of the players decided to he was mentoring the kids and another decided earlier in the game that they were friends of his at school. The next thing I know, the players are calling on the NPCs a lot (as in every adventure )- especially, the sorcerer, who could become very powerful under specific circumstances.
The players were trying to lean on the NPC sorcerer and have him solve a lot of their problems.
A piece of magical lore? Call the sorcerer.
A magical villain? Call the sorcerer.
Back up? Call the sorcerer and bring the other NPCs.
I had to remind them that this was a high school teenager, who didn't want his powers. He also had no formal schooling in all things arcane lore and therefore, would often not to have the knowledge that they needed.
Although I never viewed him as a DMPC, I felt he was getting too much of the spotlight and it bothered me. Every time I try to get the character out of the story short of killing him, they would, eventually, search for him, dig deeper into his background. Finally, I did an adventure so that they could see what he was afraid of him and involved being unwillingly turned into an adversary they had to stop. I hoped it would give them closure, that they would move on and let character move on.
It didn't happen until two new players joined
Even then, he still appeared in what would be a panel or two every other issue as the mentor PC would, occasionally, call to check up on the NPC who left for college. However, they didn't call on him as a team member, because the new PCs in his presence would have resulted in the deaths of the PCs.
Well, they left him alone up until the point that the campaign was coming to a close and that involved them using him in an unconventional way to defeat their enemy while the PCs still remained the heroes.
It ended up being a great campaign (lasting three plus years). However, during much of the campaign, it was often frustrating to have the players want to place so much attention on the NPC. From my perspective, the game was becoming more about the NPC than the PCs and that was not what I wanted. . For short periods, I could get their focus on other things like the "mentor's" property being a weirdness magnet (which became an annual event everyone liked), the personal lives/subplots of the characters, villains they loved to hate. Eventually, however, they wanted to return to the NPC.
When, the campaign ended, I asked them why there had been so much attention on the NPC and, if by passing up on other things, they felt as if they had taken the campaign spotlight off the PCs and placed it on the NPC. Their answer was that they enjoyed the campaign and the things I provided.
They also felt that I was looking at it wrong. To their characters, the NPC was a friend in a dark place and need of help. Even after he left for school as friends they would check up on him. As the players, they liked the NPC and felt from the beginning that there was a, potentially, interesting "story" they want to explore and see what resulted. To them it was like the Teen Titans helping Raven in the TV series or The "Who is Donna Troy" story line from the New Teen Titans comics or certain anime where the theme is about loyalty and friendship.
Considering that New Teen Titans and Claremont's early New Mutants were two of my favorite comics and an influence on the style of campaign, I felt much better hearing about the campaign's direction after hearing their explanation. As a DM, it also felt good to create an NPC that had caught their attention and in which they, as players, felt invested.
