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How many GMCs per group?
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Rathe Ehtar
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 19, 2003 3:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fallen Angel wrote
Quote:
I start the NPCs much better than the PCs but they don't train.


My NPCs also don't train. They did in the past, but it became a hassle. some got neglected while my favs got boosted. Now I keep updates of my players and improve my NPCs accordingly.
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Hellstorm
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 22, 2003 11:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do create some GM characters but they tend to be temporary or not present thru the entire mission or campaign, often getting killed and sometimes turning out to be a villain pretending to be an ally (sometimes that can last a couple of missions, building up the trust of the players, but dont use that too often) Twisted Evil 8)

Thats a fun one 8)
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Hellstorm
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 23, 2003 12:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rathe Ehtar wrote:
With regard to NPCs, how do you all handle Player characters becoming NPCs then back again?


For me, if a player doesn't show for a game that is in the middle of a mission, I will use his character as best as the player usualy plays his character.

But if he doesn't show without informing me before the game, after three game the character is retired 8)
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Last edited by Hellstorm on Tue Dec 23, 2003 12:07 am; edited 1 time in total
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Hellstorm
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 23, 2003 12:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Urhart the Fallen Angel wrote:
In my groups I put about three NPCs for every two PCs and I start the NPCs much better than the PCs but they don't train.


I create quite a few NPCs just in case the players attack them, but most of my NPCs will not join in the battle or contribute to the conclusion of a quest or mission.
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Son of Fire
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 23, 2003 12:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I tend to let some NPC’s start out better than the PC’s, but I tend to keep them down, so to speak. It gives the player a good feeling to know that they surpassed someone who pulls there fat out of the fire. It gives them a sense of accomplishment.

But other NPC’s I up with the players (mainly a few major nemeses) …you do have to keep them on their toes after all.
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zarkempt
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

techs can heal ya tho
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Son of Fire
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 24, 2003 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What? Question Question Question
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Hellstorm
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 03, 2004 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Son of Fire wrote:
I tend to let some NPC’s start out better than the PC’s, but I tend to keep them down, so to speak. It gives the player a good feeling to know that they surpassed someone who pulls there fat out of the fire. It gives them a sense of accomplishment.

But other NPC’s I up with the players (mainly a few major nemeses) …you do have to keep them on their toes after all.


of course since the NPC don't adventure, they don't progress as the Players do but you might wanna make an NPC that follows the players closely (for an adversary or ally). 8)
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Hellcat
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 8:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd personally have to say it would depend on the NPCs themselves. If they are so weak skill wise that they'd totally have to depend on the PCs, then you could have twice as many NPCs as PCs. But if their as strong as the PCs or stronger than them skill wise, keep the number down to as few as possible.
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Firehawk0220
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PostPosted: Mon May 23, 2005 11:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Loc Taal wrote:
I sometimes use one NPC to be an in-game guide for the group. This can help to keep the group on task and keep the adventure on course. I'm not a big fan of using a large number of NPCs as part of the PC group, just because it takes away from the players' characters.


I agree. Plus taking the time to develop a NPC also takes away from them. Sometimes I'll start them off with two or even three, kill off the others and leave them with one. Usually though I do keep one around them just in case I need that NPC as a tool to move the story.
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garhkal
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

When i gm home games, i occasionally have a GMpc, especially if the group is low in number (2-3). 4 is imo minimum. Other times, like for ad&d games, i will put in an npc to fill an unused class (like cleric).
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KageRyu
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 7:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Generally, how many NPCs or GMCs to have wandering around with a group is entirely up to the GM. It is based on how many you think you need. In the campaign i just started, I have a merc player, who started off with his squad (+10 NPCs right there) but I knew they would not be around for the entire mission, so I just gave most of them names. Then there is the Jedi Apprentice, who is in contact with his master (+1 NPC), and a Smuggler who bought an R1-D6 Astromech (+1) which brings me to 12 at the start. Now, we are down too 2, as the rest of the Merc squad dusted off for now (though they'll be back) leaving their leader, and there's the R2, while the Jedi master had sent his student out on this quest in the first adventure. This gives me a good stock of NPCs to rotate in and out of the games as needed, and that's not counting the villains, or other characters. Of course, I am refering to Major NPCs only, and not the minor characters or stock NPCs (such as republic troops, the cantina owner, etc...).
Generally, I try to keep 1-2 NPCs with the group as guides (just as Loc said), but the NPCs aren't always helpful either. The NPCs have their own motivation, goals, and desires, and sometimes do not just mindlessly obey what the PCs want ("Borin, you go first." "I don't think so kid, do I look stupid?"). Due to the nature of my campaign, I know at some point the Jedi will probably be leeding a groop of Republic Soldiers (10-20 Stock NPCs) but these will be minor background characters only, as will a lot of the oposition. For much of the larger battles I will merely describe things unfolding, bypassing Die rolls where PCs and Major NPCs are not concerned.
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Trusty
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I tend to make everyone who will come up more than once a sheet of their own. Role Playing Assistant is great for that. I have about 50 NPC's already for different reasons. Some are enemies, some are allies, and some just are. I FORCE the players to keep track of who they meet and where and how so that they can make the universe more real. But I try to be as detailed as possible to make the game more realistic.

As for how many actually travel with the group, maybe one every two or three or so adventures. But mainly due to the nature of our characters though being that they are traders/smugglers/occasional mercs any mainly stay in the Minos Cluster (until our campaign is done there). Even if they were Spec Ops or something, I'd never throw them too many NPC's to help them out though. Takes away from the players themselves.
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