D&D 5E If the DM plays his own PC is it ok for the party to kill him and take his stuff?

[guachi]

Were I running 5e (or any other edition) NPC adventurers would use the same build rules as PCs. I'd houserule this in without a second's thought.

I'd absolutely do this, too. If for no other reason than my own sanity and the players' sanity. It's so much easier to use rules that already exist. E.g., random encounter gave the PCs a dog that the random encounter NPC gave to them. When the PCs decided to keep the dog it immediately was given PC stats. In this case, it was a lvl 1 Barbarian (Totem Barbarian at lvl 3. Wolf, obviously). 1/2 XP like a traditional henchman. Nothing new or strange for me or the PCs to learn. I already know how Barbarians work.

 

[guachi]

Thinking about this, it occurred to me that there was one time I was flattered there was a DMPC and the other players enjoyed it, too. My favorite campaign way back in college during 2e I played a Bard who worked for the King. We became moderately powerful and then I moved. The DM kept my PC around as a DMPC and when I moved back over a year later I had fun listening to all the great things my PC had done in the meantime.

 

[The Green Hermit]

If the NPC's a pre-gen from a module, sure. If it's something I'm rolling up myself e.g. the party decide they want an extra Fighter and go and recruit one then I'll roll it up as if a PC.

I would probably do the same thing, but my party has never thought of that. Lol! As I said before, though, I do create a DMPC so we have a large enough party. There are a lot of fun builds I never make, though, because I would feel like I should use my powers, but that using them would be cheating, since I know where all the traps are. cough detecting magic cough

 

[Swarmkeeper]

If one feels they must use a DMPC to "fill out" a party, rather than use standard PC rules, I would argue that it is easier to employ the Sidekicks from Tasha's (simpler than a full-on PC) or the Followers from MCDM's Strongholds and Followers (simpler than Sidekicks) or NPCs from the MM and Volo's (simplest of all).

When using the NPCs, assuming they stick around for the long(ish) haul, you can level them up as you see fit by slotting them as a higher CR NPC. For example:

Guard --> Veteran --> Champion
Apprentice Wizard --> Mage --> Evoker
Bandit --> Spy --> Master Thief
Acolyte --> Priest --> War Priest
Commoner --> Cult Fanatic --> Warlock of the Fiend


I'm really unclear how a DM running one (or more?!) full on PCs is in any way easier on their workload than the alternatives. Perhaps I'm just a lazy DM who aims for minimal prep.

 

[Steampunkette]

It's not "Easier", @Swarmkeeper, but it can be more fun.

 

[Lanefan]

I would probably do the same thing, but my party has never thought of that. Lol!

Lol indeed!

As I said before, though, I do create a DMPC so we have a large enough party. There are a lot of fun builds I never make, though, because I would feel like I should use my powers, but that using them would be cheating, since I know where all the traps are. cough detecting magic cough

I'll see what the players create (or, once things get going and everyone has several to choose from, decide to play for this adventure) and then be ready to fill holes either with existing NPCs or with something new, should they do any recruiting.

It's also a bit random whether they can find exactly what they're after; in one instance I can recall a party wanted to beef up its front line and went recruiting through the towns and villages for a couple of competent Fighters. Problem was, there was a war coming so most of the able-bodied sorts had already been conscripted into some army or other, meaning all the party could find were a couple of convicted murderers languishing in jail (one of whom immediately stole from the party and fled!) and a too-drunk-to-function Cleric to Dionysus (god of wine).

Not their proudest piece of recruiting...

 

[UngeheuerLich]

You should never kill your DM...

 

[Vaalingrade]

When I DM and don't play a PC in the party, I still end up doing so because the party hires, recruits, or kidnaps whatever characters they get on with.

It wouldn't do my games any favors if I get all these new friends killed by nerfing them.