Old PCs as NPCs

[Imp]

Do I do this? So much. Only thing is, you have to watch out about Mary-Sueing the PCs you like. Otherwise it's great fun.

 

[rgard]

Do you use old PCs from previous campaigns as NPCs in your campaigns, to add that bit of depth to the game?

I do. I've now run about six separate campaigns in my version of Greyhawk, and although not every PC returns as an NPC (the campaigns are often in different parts of the world), they do occasionally - adding that spark of life to the campaign.

So, those Ex-PCs of mine and my players that have attained fame and fortune? If you ever visit my Greyhawk, you could meet...

Brunak vogt Alliphase - my brother's old PC, one-time King of the Frost Barbarians, now in exile.

-- Brunak stopped being played after our version of the Greyhawk Wars debacle. Brunak got crowned king of the barbarians, but when Iuz was recognised as the power impersonating Vatun, Brunak fled. I used him in a later game as a sponsor for the PCs.

Meliander Corthan - my old PC, one-time Court Mage of Ulek, now in planar exile

-- Meliander gets referred to more than seen, especially as my current game is in Ulek. (His wife, Caitlin, is now Court Mage). Some PCs did meet him once as I ran one campaign during the time he was adventuring.

Alvares Yulos - another old PC of mine, High Priest of Pelor in Greyhawk, co-owner of the Green Leaf Tavern. (thanks to Greyhawk Ruins. )

-- I used him as the mentor of one of the PCs in the Age of Worms game when they visited Greyhawk, along with the tavern.

Savy - Dave's old PC, now Knight-Champion to Countess Paenaitha of Ulek.

-- Given the current campaign is in the Court of Ulek, Savy pops up every so often. It's amusing since Dave has a new PC in that game, and he loves it when Savy is referred to. The best appearance was during a snowball fight...

Yahlos - another PC of my brother's (from the last time he played D&D), high-priest of Xan-Yae in Greyhawk.

-- In the second Xan-Yae campaign, I used Yahlos as the sponsor of the PCs as they led the fight against Iuz and Vecna.

Cheers!

Hi MerricB!

My illusionist from 1e, Pharazin Lightbender, Decimator of Plebes and Illusionist of Ill-Repute (that's his entire name) makes the occasional appearance in my 3x campaigns. He's usually brought in to provide a plot hook and then completely disappears until needed again.

He's the only named pc that makes an entrance. I do use my former PCs as well as other players PCs as NPCs all the time to save time with creating a high level NPC from whole cloth. I don't have keep everything exactly the same and change the odd feat, adjust the level, modify the skill ranks and the like, so the NPC isn't recognizeable.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Lanefan]

Yes, in a slightly different way: sometimes old characters that survived their previous campaign show up in a new campaign...as PCs! We did this once for one of our players as a birthday present. He'd just lost one of his PCs in an adventure and needed a replacement, except the party was days and days away from town. So, I talk to another player who just happens to be our DM from an old campaign and ask if one of his old PCs (who by sheer luck is of appropriate level for the party) could be made available. She could, and so she just shows up out of nowhere in the middle of a jungle right close to the party.

This same DM has just started a new campaign in a "new" world, which is his old world many years later...we're already seeing references to some old-time PCs, and the daughter of one is in our party.

Lane-"they'll meet me someday too, if they're lucky"-fan

 

[Thunderfoot]

Yes, however, I'm not sure that I can with my current campaign since I'm using a new world.

But you can bet that I will once my current players retire their characters.

 

[haakon1]

so she just shows up out of nowhere in the middle of a jungle right close to the party.

She seems trustworthy.