tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1646163054327608765.post3203128237304867297..comments2023-10-30T09:58:01.179-04:00Comments on Tankards & Broadswords: Keeping a Spare PC, or Maybe ThreeJack Badelairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10932441028544500024noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1646163054327608765.post-45343985257347483612009-05-05T12:37:00.000-04:002009-05-05T12:37:00.000-04:00Darkwing:
This is true (re: screen time for PCs...Darkwing: <br /><br />This is true (re: screen time for PCs). Of course, at least within the T&B RPG, advancement isn't THAT big an issue - PCs start the game as fairly competent and grow gradually and haphazardly over time, not in a linear power progression like D&D or another level-based system. However, I can see that if you swap PCs every game, it would cause some troubles. If this is a concern, I'd definitely go with the idea that a player has a "primary" PC and then one or two "stand-ins" that only get brought out occasionally (Kind of like the idea that Timeshadows mentions - they'd be the "B-cast" and step in only rarely for certain plot situations).<br /><br />Badger King:<br /><br />I do like the idea of players being able to dip into a setting's "rogue's gallery" when necessary. It might be a better alternative to having a pool of PCs if, like Darkwing, you're worried about PC progression/screen time. In this manner, the NPC "guest stars" for an adventure, but then goes back to being an NPC the next time you run into them (could make for some interesting gaming moments, depending on what happened to the NPC while in a player's hands!).Jack Badelairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10932441028544500024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1646163054327608765.post-5046095864917603982009-05-05T12:30:00.000-04:002009-05-05T12:30:00.000-04:00Timeshadows:
If #2 refers to the "filling the mis...Timeshadows:<br /><br />If #2 refers to the "filling the missing player/PC gap", this would really only work between adventures, not mid-adventure (assuming that at least some adventures will span multiple sessions, which I think is perfectly valid). So at best, it's only going to work under certain situations.Jack Badelairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10932441028544500024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1646163054327608765.post-22993730491415192232009-05-02T01:55:00.000-04:002009-05-02T01:55:00.000-04:00I had my playtest group create their 2ndary charac...I had my playtest group create their 2ndary characters two sessions ago, and had introduced one of them into the main storyline.<br /><br />Tonight, knowing that my star player would be absent, I ran their 2ndaries through an unrelated side adventure 30 mi.-away that should bring the 0.5-level characters up to 1st, and breathe life into them before we re-join the Primaries.<br /><br />In this case, the 'back-up' PC is a wonderful tool for continuing to explore the same area, without depriving the main group of essential characters.<br /><br />As for the methods you suggest:<br /><br />1). If the adventure has not yet started, yes, I think this is a great idea.<br /><br />2). How would a stand-in character get to where the party is?<br /><br />3). A given. Nice to have a spare handy. :)Timeshadowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09952601433965644275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1646163054327608765.post-79736588878056654742009-05-02T00:20:00.000-04:002009-05-02T00:20:00.000-04:00I'm planning on doing something like this when my ...I'm planning on doing something like this when my pcs reach 10th level. My game is very episodic, so i see no problem with it as far as PCs attempting to min/max. My idea is that the players will work for the governor of a parcel of land. Each player has 3 PCs in their pool. The hero of the prvious set of adventures chooses which one of the three pcs the player will play on the adventure.Tadowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14374409786610866896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1646163054327608765.post-85613620173204059382009-05-01T21:05:00.000-04:002009-05-01T21:05:00.000-04:00I've been toying with this idea for a while. At fi...I've been toying with this idea for a while. At first, I thought about generating a bunch of NPCs that hang around the local tavern, ready to be receuited, but advancing them in level as the party advances. Thus, if one of the party happens to die off, then they can jump into using one of the NPCs who is of a commensurate level. The advantage is, they know a little about this character, since he's adventured with them before.<br /><br />The other thought I was thinking was having each player generate 2 or 3 PCs. I was going to say that, since my campaign is going to start in the Yeomanry in Greyhawk, they represent the children of one large family. Players can change characters as they see fit, or if one dies out, another steps in. The treasure goes back to "the family", so there isn't really an issue with having to divide it up. I am still contemplating this truth. 8)The Badger Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09020950272210873449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1646163054327608765.post-47001999315770351762009-05-01T19:11:00.000-04:002009-05-01T19:11:00.000-04:00I recently introduced a new house rule to our Sund...I recently introduced a new house rule to our Sunday sessions: "There is no Leadership feat. Instead, players build an entourage using roleplay within the limits of their Charisma score. One of their entourage will be a Loyal Follower and a potential replacement character. (Inspired by David Bowman’s Entourage Approach.)"<br /><br />So yes, I approve. :)Alex Schroederhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17104864340940538702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1646163054327608765.post-73023485656284006292009-05-01T12:44:00.000-04:002009-05-01T12:44:00.000-04:00I've done this before in a linked one-shot I u...I've done this before in a linked one-shot I used to run, called Rifts MercHouse. I've been working on porting the idea to Castles & Crusades for the next campaign--having the group create three characters, and having them all part of a Merc outfit catering to those needing to explore the northwest/wilderness/ruins of our world. I even toyed with a "leaderboard" for all the different characters--something I'm still messing around with with. I guess I need to get it in a pdf.Zachary Houghtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01166638173640517627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1646163054327608765.post-31506968995412555942009-05-01T12:05:00.000-04:002009-05-01T12:05:00.000-04:00Having two PCs is a good number--if one gets offed...Having two PCs is a good number--if one gets offed, then you have a backup. If you have a "pool" of PCs to fall back on, then unless you're gaming very frequently, each PC is going to get very little "screen time", and each will develop very slowly (both in terms of experience and character development). The larger your pool, the worse this becomes.Darkwinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15335933745375951322noreply@blogger.com