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Message: <blockquote data-quote="shadowoflameth" data-source="post: 8257926" data-attributes="member: 62336">I did a poll myself fairly recently if people like DMNPC companions in general. The response options were Like them, don't like them, depends on the party or characters, or Depends on the group. I expected many don't like them, but don't like them was actually the least popular response. Overwhelmingly, respondents said it depends and I am inclined to agree. I've done it in my games and exactly once in many years had a complaint. I took it and for the next three sessions, started with the NPC not being there. All three times, unprompted, the players unanimously agreed including the one who previously complained and decided to go out of their way to go get him. The fact that they wanted him there told me it was OK in this case. The most common reasons I hear not to are: The NPC will meta game because he knows what the DM knows and the players don't. Answer: So do the townfolk and the boat captain and the villains. Yes it's valid if the DM makes the NPC a Mary Sue but he could make the Mayor a Mary Sue if he wants to. Reason two is: The NPC steals the spotlight and overshadows the PCs. Answer: Don't do that. If you rescue the village girl from the goblins and untie her so she can run, but she picks up a goblin sword and slaughters eight of them before the battle's over, you just made it a different story than if she were helpless. Now the heroes have a reason to want to know her more and maybe have her around. I think the bottom line is if the NPC being in the party helps the story and the if the players, your collaborators, want them around it's fine. If they don't, then remember you're not a director of a movie doing your script. You're the lead writer on a team making the script.</blockquote>

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