Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mysticbadger 06-19-07, 03:47 PM	Today, while playing in the garden with my son, I've had strange idea (Yes, I know, I'm quite strange too) : - I love playing, but I'm always DMing... - I fear DMPCs, as I find them too much like rivals to my PCs So, why not create DMPCs weaker than PCs but who don't end as servants ? So I found this weird idea : using awakened animals as DMPCs. Besides comic relief, it has a few advantages : less feared by PCs, can't serve as servants, can help in some situations but only if in need. They can be proxies with a divinity, a druid, or something like that, like agents with the PCs' boss. What do you think about it ?
pres_man 06-19-07, 03:58 PM	In this post I will avoid the term DMPC, I will instead use the phrase "party ally". There is nothing wrong with having an unusual type of character act as a party ally. In one game I for a time had a grimblekin(sp?) with the party. Basically a medium sized intelligent cat with shapeshifting powers. Since alot of the women in my group are partial to cats, it was a nice character. They also got irrate when I would say something like, "Gee, I hope Chester doesn't get killed by running off by himself." (Chester being the cat-creature) "You better not kill Chester off!" was a typical response, especially from my wife. To which I of course responded, "But you know how much a I love dramatic NPC deaths." :devil: So yeah, this can be fun, and if players are fond of a certain type of animal it works well. I try to avoid things like this if there is a certain type of creature I know the players dislike (for example my wife hates monkeys, despite us being primates and all, I think it is the whole throwing poo thing, so I don't have nice cute monkeys join). But I don't know what you mean by not being a servant, couldn't a horse be awakened, and couldn't he still be asked to carry people or things. Just being sapient does not remove the responsibility to aid the party if you want to be a member of the group.
danzibr 06-19-07, 06:05 PM	The only time I've used a... DMPC was a kobold miner. D'ohbold the bold kobold. Well, to be honest, I see nothing wrong with an awakened animal as a DMPC, but what's wrong with anything else? Whatever fits the situation, I'd say. Dan
Cerrgurry 06-19-07, 08:39 PM	I like the idea of using an animal that can help when help is needed most. I am currently using a Hsaio (big cleric owl). Found it in a Creature Crucible some years back and it seems to do a good job. Had one of the party members encounter it as being trapped in a net that some kobolds had set up to catch dinner. Of course the Kobolds were checking for dinner at the same time....funny how that works