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Message: <blockquote data-quote="DrunkonDuty" data-source="post: 4448887" data-attributes="member: 54364">Well I think the roles they can play are pretty well known. A few that occur to me: The Aged Mentor. Gives advice and training but is too old to face the rigours of actual adventuring. Or who has a specific weakness that the BBEG can exploit. This latter is a classic of martial arts games where there needs to be some explanation as to why the old mentor, who can kick the PCs butts without raising a sweat, still has to send them out to fight the BBEG. The Foil. Not an enemy per se but someone who has to be got around or placated in some way. The grizzled police lieutnenant who yells at Dirty Harry and says 'you're off the case!' Or the monarch who refuses to believe that such and such a bad thing can actually happen and wont take the necessary steps to head it off. The Contact. Capital 'C.' The person who knows everyone. A born middleman. Need to find a secret way into the palace? Need to fence some hot property? The Contact can put you in touch with someone who can help. Comedy Relief. Need someone to be a fool? (either just for laughs or to give object lessons to the PCs) an NPC can take the role and it stops the PCs becoming laughing stocks. I suspect most players don't enjoy being laughing stocks. Cannon Fodder. What the hell else are 0 level men at arms for anyway? Plus, if you're got access to Animate Dead, they're recyclable. The Big Hero. Hell why not? Oh I know it's not everyone's cup of tea but some people might actually enjoy playing the supporting characters who do the real work while the main hero (for some reason I'm imagining a big dumb paladin) gets all the glory. Inspector Gadget to the player's Penny. The Rival. Someone who is after the same goals as the Heroes. Someone who is an ally when needed but at the same time someone the PCs want to beat to the goal. REMFs. People to do the cooking and cleaning and cast the healing spells. Maybe provide a few homespun homilies. Plot Hooks. Need someone kidnapped to really fire up the PCs? Why not use that cheeking cockney kid who helped them hide from the town guard that time. Sympathisers and hero worshippers. The helpful cockney kid might be helping just because it'll tick off the guard. Or they might be fans of the heroes' exploits. After all PCs (and players) want a bit of glory and adoration don't they? OK, a few of these are not a supporting role in sense of helping the PCs. More supporting cast in a dramatic sense. But I'm happy to chat about both.</blockquote>

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