Can an GM running an RPGA event put one of their own PCs into the party as an NPC? Perhaps to meet the minimum number of Players, for instance.
Obviously, if the NPC was not reported, and didn't accumulate XP, its a non-event, even if it is still "bad Pool" as it were. The sticky bit comes in when the DM tries to report their won RPGA number as one of the players... I'm assuming that this would get flagged in the database somehow?
I hasten to add that this is a PURELY hypothetical situation. When I was running non-RPGA games, I made a habit of including an NPC with the group, if only to shore up weaknesses and provide a vector for DM Clue-bat application that felt slightly less like railroading. It strikes me as intuitively bad to continue that practice with an XP-earning Character that exists on my RPGA account...
I assume that this is at the very least poor form, but I was curious if there was an actual rule against it.
Can an GM running an RPGA event put one of their own PCs into the party as an NPC? Perhaps to meet the minimum number of Players, for instance.
Obviously, if the NPC was not reported, and didn't accumulate XP, its a non-event, even if it is still "bad Pool" as it were. The sticky bit comes in when the DM tries to report their won RPGA number as one of the players... I'm assuming that this would get flagged in the database somehow?
I hasten to add that this is a PURELY hypothetical situation. When I was running non-RPGA games, I made a habit of including an NPC with the group, if only to shore up weaknesses and provide a vector for DM Clue-bat application that felt slightly less like railroading. It strikes me as intuitively bad to continue that practice with an XP-earning Character that exists on my RPGA account...
In my experience the database will not even allow the same RPGA member to be both GM and Player for a table.
But yes, I suspect that this would be considered illegal. Although interestingly the RPGA General Rules contain nothing forbidding the DM from playing in their own game. I suspect this has something to do with the fact that they have not been updated since 2003.
Firstly, this is not REMOTELY allowed in any Living Campaign, including LFR. This has to do with all kids of potential issues.
Secondly, for non-LFR events, you can entirely run the event with 2 or 3 players by adding an NPC or simplifying encounters and challenges or adding heals falling from the sky to help the party and then just not report it. The only things that won't happen when you don't report a non-living game is that RPGA won't get the stats, and apparently they don't want them, and you won't get a DM Rewards point, which is the point, as it were. RPGA wants their DMs to build D&D communities (and effectively help them market the product). If you are successful in that you will be able to keep a group of 4+ players going, at which point they are happy to reward you for your efforts.
I know it can be hard to keep a decent-size group going sometimes, but that's what Hasbro is looking for and ultimately they have to draw the line somewhere, and they've drawn it at a 4-player minimum. The product they give away costs them money, and they can't just give it to everyone who wants it. I've mentioned this elsewhere, but RPGA does not act like a customer appreciation program, it acts like an incentive- and proliferation-based marketing research program.
If neither of those answer your question, please clarify what you're looking for.
Oh and as far as a rule against it, there may be one in the general rules, but I've definitely read it in the literature somewhere and like WolfStar said, the webapp's reporting form doesn't allow the possibility of being both judge and player at the same table.
Well, I'd hope that the system would reject anyone trying to report themselves as a player when they are also the DM. However, knowing how pathetic the database is a whole, I wouldn't be surprised if it would accept it.
But yes, I suspect that this would be considered illegal. Although interestingly the RPGA General Rules contain nothing forbidding the DM from playing in their own game. I suspect this has something to do with the fact that they have not been updated since 2003.
I had a member who was a player in my Slot Zero for this past Game Day, and a judge for his own table.
When I set him as judge for a table, he was NOT in the drop-downs as an available player for the same table - though he WAS an option for the others.
So, no worries about the db's "smarts" - it handles this very well.
I'm pretty sure the RPGA admins have commented this is a no-no in the past. In home games, you can do whatever you want (of course). Usually I see home games either running an NPC, or some players have multiple characters (or a DM PC that just doesn't make major plot decisions).
If you're holding a public event, you should not encourage such things (as well as 7 player tables, another problem that pops up... and something that IS explicitly forbidden in the CCG under LFR).
Obviously, what happens at home... is just DM empowerment
