Poll: Who did play in a group where the master had a "pet NPC"?

[Gez]

That's probably the stupidest thread I've seen in a while.

That's indeed frightening, but look at the "Mature" boards for worse! (Or the FR forums, any thread with the words "elf", "eilistraee", "fey'ri', "starym" or "drow" in it).

 

[Moe Ronalds]

When I was in a 4th level party, there were only two characters. Me, a gnome druid, the DM's little brother who played a unicorn, and the DM's NPC which was...







A shield guardian.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

The problem with the egoPCs is broader than liking your NPCs, the DM even stated in a later conversation that "the story is mine, the players are just watching it unfold".

yup, thats the problem in a nutshell. Played with them, hated them. Also heavily used for herding, another thing I don't like to do. I've run a small party where I threw in a few npcs for help and plothooks, but they were definitely there for the short haul and played largely support roles...

Kahuna Burger

 

[Ruined]

Oh yeah, we had this happen way back when we played in high school. One guy opted to DM, and it seemed that his NPC 'Thom the Barbarian' would always hop in for an easy Deux ex Machina (wielding a battleaxe in each hand, I might add).

This DM was also reknowned for refusing to let PCs kill his cool bad guys, and loving to start off sessions with the fateful words: "okay, you are all tied up/locked up, stripped to your underclothes, and all of your equipment is gone."

The games were utterly horrible at the time, but personally I'm glad we endured them. They're fresh reminders of things NOT to do in any campaigns we run.

 

[EarthsShadow]

I played in a group like this once. The DM had a archer that could never miss, we never really saw him since he was so sneaky and he was always around when we were about half down in HP, which was all the time, and he saved us more than we could say we saved ourselves.

One day we asked the DM to roll the combat dice in front of us, he said that wasn't his style (we could appreciate that since that's not everyone's style) but we really think he didn't cauze if he had to roll in front of us his NPC would actually miss and then we might actually be able to sneak up on him.

We even had a wizard turn invisible and fly and when the NPC starting firing arrows into the enemies our wizard went to where the arrows were coming from and the DM conveniently had him teleport.

I hate games like this.

I'm the opposite I think. I create awesome NPC's that fill the niche within the group, but I think I have killed over half of them in the process (not by real choice, I let the dice fall, but it seems karma has a way of dealing them their deaths early).

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

When I first moved to a new town, I found a group at the local game shop and joined up, happy to be playing. It only took a few sessions to realize that this might not be the best DM around (he was the store manager as well). His favorite NPC was "Uncle Otheron" or something like that, who was the advisor to the king and just happened to be the uncle of our groups paladin (the prince). Only problem was, he was a 15th level druid/20th level wizard/20th level cleric who was Chaotic Neutral. Chaotic Neutral to this DM ment roll a 20-sider, odd numbers he helps the party, even numbers he attacks the party. As an example, we were assulted with fireballs in the kings private chambers, then a day later he showed up to heal us all in the sick chambers where we were recovering. He would routinely show up just as we were about to deliver the killing blow to a foe or figure out a puzzle that we had been working on for a long time, and single handedly finish things and then accuse us of being sloppy or useless before the DM rolled to see whether we would be once again attacked or showered with gifts and praise. I couldn't figure out why he didn't just take care of the "important missions" he sent us on himself. It would have saved everyone the time to show up, and we could have done something fun instead. Needless to say, that campaign didn't last too long.

 

[Wormwood]

I don;t mind the occasional DMPC, but it's the 'DM's Pet Villains' that really **** me off.

Some DMs (and you churls know who you are) invest so much time and effort into developing their villains that they are completely unwilling to allw 'mere' PCs to defeat them. Villains so integral to the DM's *story* that they ruin the group's *game*

We refer to the dreaded "Cloak of Plot Protection" whevever a DM completely ignores the rules (and logic) to allow his precious pet NPC to survive. The Cloak's properties include the following:

--Instant Teleportation. As a free action on any turn, at will. ("Okay, I'm going to charge him while he's blinded---remember I've got Spirited Charge, True Strike, a triple-empowered Bull's Strength and a +5 Keen Lance of NPC Slaying" "Sorry---he disappears just before you hit him").

--Reactive Spontaneous Casting. You know any spell that would be useful---from any source, unilimted times per day (A party wizard transforms you into a slice of of Gorgonzola? No problem---you just happen to have Cheese to Flesh available).

--Variable Hit Point Pool. Generally, the villains Ht Points are equal to the amount of damage they just took +1.

 

[rkanodia]

On the other hand, no villain worth his salt is going to forget an escape plan or two. For instance, an item that automatically teleports the user to a pre-determined point if his hitpoints go to 0 or below (presumably there will be someone there to heal him) wouldn't be out of line for a moderately wealthy/clever foe. And if the players were smart, they could subdue him, which wouldn't activate the teleportation. Want your party to engage him in melee? Have him read a scroll of protection from normal missiles before he steps out into the roadway.

Still, I wouldn't have anything that can't be pointed out on the villain's character sheet as an actual item/spell/feat/whatever. If the players find a way around your villain's clever defense, good for them, let him die if the dice roll badly. You can always make another.

 

[Reprisal]

I don;t mind the occasional DMPC, but it's the 'DM's Pet Villains' that really **** me off.

Some DMs (and you churls know who you are) invest so much time and effort into developing their villains that they are completely unwilling to allw 'mere' PCs to defeat them. Villains so integral to the DM's *story* that they ruin the group's *game*

We refer to the dreaded "Cloak of Plot Protection" whevever a DM completely ignores the rules (and logic) to allow his precious pet NPC to survive. The Cloak's properties include the following:

--Instant Teleportation. As a free action on any turn, at will. ("Okay, I'm going to charge him while he's blinded---remember I've got Spirited Charge, True Strike, a triple-empowered Bull's Strength and a +5 Keen Lance of NPC Slaying" "Sorry---he disappears just before you hit him").

--Reactive Spontaneous Casting. You know any spell that would be useful---from any source, unilimted times per day (A party wizard transforms you into a slice of of Gorgonzola? No problem---you just happen to have Cheese to Flesh available).

--Variable Hit Point Pool. Generally, the villains Ht Points are equal to the amount of damage they just took +1.

Wow, Wormwood, you're bitterness is reapearsaurian in proportions!

Of course, it seems that it's most acceptable due to the truly terrible experience the DM(PC) must have inflicted on the game.

I've never had experience with DMPCs, but of course, I'm usually the DM... To my knowledge, I don't think I've had any significant DMPCs -- mostly because I cannot create characters as well as most of my compatriots. I haven't GMed/DMed in a while, and I'll keep these warnings in mind.

 

[Angcuru]

OK, much clearer now.

I don't think the party wizard, Tak, is a pet NPC(and I hope that the players would tell me if he was). A self-righteous, know-it-all, sex-obsessed-with-a-the-self-control-of-a-pit-bull-doped-up-on-spanish-fly wizard, but not a pet NPC. I made a wizard to help cover that base within the party(nobody wanted to play a wizard), and he's just kinda stuck around and become an integral part of the group. Like I said, he doesn't show them up, although he does love to use flashy evocations like Fountain of Blood and Fireball in battle, and damn the consequences(FAve Quote: "Well then you should've jumped out of the way Angcuru!"). He's become a reliable member of the party, and I try to make sure that I don't pull too much attention to him.

Tak is exactly as Blackshirt describes him. He IS A self-righteous, know-it-all, sex-obsessed-with-a-the-self-control-of-a-pit-bull-doped-up-on-spanish-fly wizard, but not a pet NPC. Who also has the habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time...a lot. He has several welts from the flat of my char's crystal longsword due to comments about his mother. And Tak also has the nasty habit of tossing in fireballs WHENEVER Angcuru and Agon(the party fighter/holy warrior) are in close combat with the baddies, with the logic that "They MIGHT survive."