D&D 5E How Often Do You Have NPCs Join the Party?
The Crimson Binome
Hero
The DM doesn't have the power to add an NPC to the group.
Pickles JG
First Post
Only for plot reasons never to fill out the party.
Mouseferatu
Hero
Heh. I need a "0 (but)" option.
Basically never. Once in every five or six blue moons, I might do so for the duration of a single adventure. But otherwise, even when the party may be traveling with a larger group, the actual adventure part happens with just the PCs.
Basically never. Once in every five or six blue moons, I might do so for the duration of a single adventure. But otherwise, even when the party may be traveling with a larger group, the actual adventure part happens with just the PCs.
KirayaTiDrekan
Adventurer
Relatively frequently for a variety of reasons.
I'll add in a NPC or two if there's only a couple of players.
I'll sometimes add a "plot" NPC to the group.
If the players are interested, I'll sometimes give them some potential henchmen to recruit (ala 1E and BECMI).
And, despite the supposed taboo, I'll occasionally toss in a DMPC if there's a concept I really want to experiment with but will never get the chance to actually play.
In all cases, the NPCs defer to the PCs in decision-making and such.
I'll add in a NPC or two if there's only a couple of players.
I'll sometimes add a "plot" NPC to the group.
If the players are interested, I'll sometimes give them some potential henchmen to recruit (ala 1E and BECMI).
And, despite the supposed taboo, I'll occasionally toss in a DMPC if there's a concept I really want to experiment with but will never get the chance to actually play.
In all cases, the NPCs defer to the PCs in decision-making and such.
Betimes.
Mostly they join up as experts, men-at-arms or porters, pets/mounts (hey! If it talks, it's an NPC!), or employers.
Many of the more mercenary foes they fight offer their services under terms of parole, and the occasional captive goblin gets brought along as a guide, albeit briefly.
Some of these NPCs last quite a while -- I wrote up a unicorn-as-pet for the Beastmaster Ranger who's fostering the foal after getting attached.
Some don't; soldiers-turned-bandit-turned-sellswords which the party induced into lawful employment got turned into wraith food, with the remainder deserting (... Again. You'd think someone's spot the pattern here
).
I also often voice the wizard's familiar, so the player doesn't have to talk to himself.
Mostly they join up as experts, men-at-arms or porters, pets/mounts (hey! If it talks, it's an NPC!), or employers.
Many of the more mercenary foes they fight offer their services under terms of parole, and the occasional captive goblin gets brought along as a guide, albeit briefly.
Some of these NPCs last quite a while -- I wrote up a unicorn-as-pet for the Beastmaster Ranger who's fostering the foal after getting attached.
Some don't; soldiers-turned-bandit-turned-sellswords which the party induced into lawful employment got turned into wraith food, with the remainder deserting (... Again. You'd think someone's spot the pattern here
).I also often voice the wizard's familiar, so the player doesn't have to talk to himself.
There are two ways this happens in my games:
1) NPCs are created by the players and are basically henchman for the party and possible backup characters in case of death. I always allow this if the player fears that much for their character.
2) When the NPC is important for the story. Example: The person that hired the party to help him find X, or to make sure they keep on track, or even guide them through lands they do not know.
1) NPCs are created by the players and are basically henchman for the party and possible backup characters in case of death. I always allow this if the player fears that much for their character.
2) When the NPC is important for the story. Example: The person that hired the party to help him find X, or to make sure they keep on track, or even guide them through lands they do not know.
It depends on whether the players want to go with the grain of the adventure, or against it.
We've had two NPCs in our group in 5E.
The first one was an NPC that the group was sent to rescue. The adventure didn't just end the second we found the guy. We had a lot of encounters after that where we had to keep that NPC alive.
The second one was the ghost of a pegasus. It communicated simple ideas with the group by pawing on the ground. Sure, the PCs could have told it to get lost and continued exploring, but part of the adventure would have been lost if we had done that.
So yes, the DM can contribute to the decision as to whether an NPC joins the group, at least temporarily. The PCs might change that plan, but for most players, the game flows a bit better if they aren't blowing off the plans of the DM.
And what happens if some of the PCs want the NPC to join and others do not. Do the ones who do not attack the NPC verbally or physically in order to get him to leave?
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