How Many Characters In Your Party? (read post 1 first)

[Breakdaddy]

I have 6 players that play 1 PC each and currently we have 1 to two NPCs that tag along with the party on their various exploits.

 

[Lanefan]

What about Animal Companions? Or cohort mounts in that case? Or Followers?

I don't usually count animal companions or familiars except in the rare case where the companion/familiar is comparable to a normal character in power. I've never encountered a "cohort mount" in play And followers probably would count, just like henchmen, provided they're levelled (an arbitrary distinction, I admit, but a useful one).

Oh, and the two groups I play in right now:

1. Has 6 players running 10 characters (all PCs) with a 7th player about to join with a PC; that game was 3.0e but just did an on-the-fly jump-shift to 3.5.

2. Has 6 players running 11 characters (all PCs)...update, 10 now; one just died...that game is using Victoria Rules, a.k.a. much-modified 1e.

Looking at this, it occurs to me this might well be the first time in our 26-year history that there hasn't been a party NPC anywhere in sight. They're usually a hard-wired fact in these games...

Lanefan

 

[Maldin]

Hmmm... The group I'm DMing actually runs a half dozen parties, and we take turns using each group, making sure they are all about even on a master timeline (all the parties exist in the same campaign world - Greyhawk). They vary from low (2-4th) level, all the way up to epic (20+), and vary quite a bit. A few have 5-6 PCs, a few have more then that, others less. The largest group of PCs I've had on an adventure included over a dozen PCs, the smallest are adventures for lone PCs. The epic PC adventures often include just 2 PCs (read about them here ), sometimes those two have 1-3 companions with them, depending on what they think they are up against, and what their current quest looks like. Really, we are all over the map on this question.

Denis, aka "Maldin"
Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com
Loads of Greyhawk goodness... maps, magic, mysteries, mechanics, and more!

 

[CanadienneBacon]

My current group has three players and three characters. Each player has one character. I've, in the past, had upwards of six players--even at that time, no player ever had more than just his or her one character. I prefer it that way, both as DM and as a player.

 

[Bagpuss]

Six players - six characters (PCs), although I'm considering taking Leadership (probably end up taking a cohort mount to avoid the other players complaining when the cohort asks for his half share of the treasure). Rarely have NPCs in the party unless we are less than four PCs. Even when I take Leadership, the majority of the followers are likely to be based elsewhere.

 

[diaglo]

with NPCs the party refuses to leave alone, henchmen, hirelings, linkboys, valets, teamsters, prostitutes/camp followers...

the party is around 11 PCs already.

 

[the Jester]

Multiple groups, 6-10 players, 6 to around 14 party members.

 

[megamania]

Early 90's
Ravenloft 2.0
about 6-8

Mid- Late 90's
Darksun 2.0
4-6

2000
Grayhawk 1.0
8-10

2000-2003
Grayhawk 3.0
10-17 / split group 6-8

2004-2007
Eberron 3.5
group one 4-6
group two (my kids) 3

 

[DragonLancer]

6 players, 6 characters.

 

[Evilhalfling]

Playing in 4 characters, 4 players. (2nd level)
Previously ran: 5 players, 5 characters, 1 earth elemental companion, 1 cohort
although they ended the campaign accompanied by an efreet liason, an elven warlord, and paladin's pegasus mount.


Not including the 30 fire elementals, 4 other efreet, 100 armored foot (led by a paladin&cleric) a second party of NPC (6th level) adventures. 50 peasents, (pitchfolks and torches) 12 light calvary. This larger group was mostly under thier own commanders.

- survivors included 50+ armoured foot (led by cleric), a few calvary and 18 peasents.