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<blockquote data-quote="AtomicPope" data-source="post: 7742727" data-attributes="member: 64790">The only risk I see with running well known fictional characters such as Aragorn or Gandalf is when you give them hard stats you limit them to your imagination, and that's where the conflict comes in.&nbsp; Unlike the NPCs you create, a well known fictional character already exists in the popular imagination.&nbsp; Adding them to your D&amp;D game is like the DM taking over someone's PC, because it's you controlling a character they already played.&nbsp; We all played Bilbo, Thorin, Gandalf, and even Smaug when we read &quot;The Hobbit&quot;.&nbsp; For a DM to start playing &quot;our characters&quot; wouldn't seem right.&nbsp; Of course, I use characters like Gandalf, Thorin, and Smaug in my games, but I make them my own.&nbsp; As a DM, I take NPCs who are helpful but have their own agenda, their own missions, and must attend to them.&nbsp; Just like Gandalf showing up and running off, my NPCs might do the same.&nbsp; It gives them depth.&nbsp; Also, it gives them a reason to deny the PCs or at least tell them the world is bigger than their current quest.&nbsp; Just so I not guilty of Chekhov's Gun I make sure their agenda is aligned, even if it's out of the way.&nbsp; In this respect I can take away from these characters' their best traits: personality, drive, passion, demeanor, and failings.&nbsp; Gandalf feared to look into the Palantir, but Aragon did so and saw into the mind of Sauron thus revealing the plot.&nbsp; Things like this are useful in game where all of the PCs have a low Wisdom or Charisma save.&nbsp; Introduce an NPC who will not likely fail, and connects to the larger world.&nbsp; These NPCs lack the might to get to the next stage but serve as a plot device to advance the story and keep the PCs connected to the world (less murder hoboes, more murder heroes).</blockquote>

[QUOTE="AtomicPope, post: 7742727, member: 64790"] The only risk I see with running well known fictional characters such as Aragorn or Gandalf is when you give them hard stats you limit them to your imagination, and that's where the conflict comes in. Unlike the NPCs you create, a well known fictional character already exists in the popular imagination. Adding them to your D&D game is like the DM taking over someone's PC, because it's you controlling a character they already played. We all played Bilbo, Thorin, Gandalf, and even Smaug when we read "The Hobbit". For a DM to start playing "our characters" wouldn't seem right. Of course, I use characters like Gandalf, Thorin, and Smaug in my games, but I make them my own. As a DM, I take NPCs who are helpful but have their own agenda, their own missions, and must attend to them. Just like Gandalf showing up and running off, my NPCs might do the same. It gives them depth. Also, it gives them a reason to deny the PCs or at least tell them the world is bigger than their current quest. Just so I not guilty of Chekhov's Gun I make sure their agenda is aligned, even if it's out of the way. In this respect I can take away from these characters' their best traits: personality, drive, passion, demeanor, and failings. Gandalf feared to look into the Palantir, but Aragon did so and saw into the mind of Sauron thus revealing the plot. Things like this are useful in game where all of the PCs have a low Wisdom or Charisma save. Introduce an NPC who will not likely fail, and connects to the larger world. These NPCs lack the might to get to the next stage but serve as a plot device to advance the story and keep the PCs connected to the world (less murder hoboes, more murder heroes). [/QUOTE]

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