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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ThoughtBubble" data-source="post: 2093143" data-attributes="member: 9723">Thus, by logical deduction, the term DMPC can't possibly be a direct combination of the two terms in an additive fashion.   <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> But seriously, I agree with you there. Something run by the DM can never be a PC. They can, however take on aspects that are more PC like than normal NPC's. Hence, the above bit about talking around a campfire. There also tend to be special rules that apply to PC's. For example, in some games, the PC's don't die except under extreme circumstances. This is where, the PC's, and a band of NPC's (including one 'DMPC' who gains some of the powers of the PC's dude field) all get kicked around by Ogres. The PC's and the DMPC wind up tied up and placed in the cubbord for safe keeping. Turns out the regular NPC's were enough to make tonight's dinner.There are also certian levels of treatment that PC's get the DMPC subset of NPC's gets. Well, they get them if the party is willing to give them. There's some behavior stuff in there too, like taking watch, or shares of loot, or allowed comments (PC's usually put up with more from PC's than they do NPC's). There are just certian assumptions that go on with PC's that tend go on with DMPC's as well.There was one NPC who fit all the characteristics of a DMPC in my game for a good while. The party lacked wilderness skills and their current goal was to find a vaguely known location in the middle of some harsh wilds during winter. They run across a traveller who happens to be headed the same way. After some friendly conversation, in which the NPC fits in to the group fairly well, they decide to travel together for a while. During their travels, there is some combat, in which the NPC contributes like a party member. By moving into flanking positions, guarding the archer, and otherwise helping out, she fit into the well oiled nuclear explosion that is my party's combat strategy. When they reached her stop, they waited a little for her to take care of business, and then she continued with the party. There wasn't really a question of her place in the group. There was just a spot reserved for her. I haven't had any expierence with Cohorts, but I imagine that if a player wanted to get one, and let me run them, that character end up becoming a DMPC. Interestingly enough, a cohort run by a player would tend to take on some NPCish aspects. I'll refrain from calling them a 'PCNPC'. Are DMPCs useful? I like to think so. They can fill out missing holes in the party's skills. They can help nudge the social/in character aspect a bit. And they can also let the DM get in on some of the in-party banter, gloating about victories around the campfire, and feel (at least a little) like a part of the team.Maybe what I'm trying to say is "there are some in-game conventions that generally only apply to PCs. DMPCs are a subset of NPCs that have a number of the same conventions applied to them."</blockquote>

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