Your Pet NPCs

[nexus]

I think most GMs got threw it early in their careers. The NPCs you put into the group to "help" them and interact. That eventually becomes a surrogate PCs and sometimes overshadows the group. The dreaded "GM PC" or Pet Npc. They're cool, they're tough, everyone should adore them (and the PC almost inevitable hate them). AND they get experience like the players!

GM PCs are the product of a GM blurring the line between playing and gming and forgetting the PCs are the stars of the show. They're Mary Sue characters that steal the spotlight. But most Gms seem to create at least one in their carreers.

Mine was Deadly Nightshade, a street level vigilante/martial artists I created when I was going threw obession with "bad girl" comics. She knew 10 different styles, had a tone of skill levels could probably have taken Midnighter AND Batman at once in HTH and a 28 Com with a "Distracting Costume". Ah, those were the days....

To my credit I toned down Nightshade and she became an important and generally liked street contact later in the game but that inital power tripping was embarrasing.

[Magmarock]

My experience with the GM (me) playing a PC while running the game happened back when we first started playing D&D... out of the basic, red boxed set. It was out of necessity for there were too few players. I hadn't fully understood the concept of NPC just yet. Rather than powertrip, I learned the hard way that the GM's PC is just as mortal as the rest of the characters (my halfling was killed by a skeleton).

But since then, I have had the unfortunate opportunity (on more than one occasion) to experience the powertripping of which you speak, from the Player's perspective. I hate it, truly I do. If I suspect a GM of playing favorites with his NPC(s), I will pull him aside and say so.

I joined a game last year and before the first session I talked to the GM and specifically mentioned that this is a problem for me. He swore up and down he didn't do that but, sure enough, third session into the game he produced an NPC that was obviously his own PC. I quit the game. I've no time for liars, especially when a GM should know better.

If a GM is doing this, there are three options: 1) Grin and bear it. 2) Leave the game. 3) Have all the Players at one time sit down and ask the GM to stop it.

I can't think of any alternatives.


Mags

[TheEmerged]

Yeah, I find it has advantages and disadvantages. The smaller the group, the more of an advantage it is. The trick is to learn how to help without overshadowing.

For one thing, *never* be the "idea person". It's okay (in fact, part of the job description) for the GM-PC to have those little things the players might have overlooked -- but they should never make decisions or 'come up with ideas'. It's one thing for the GM-PC to possess a KS the players will probably need but are likely to neglect, it's another for the GM-PC to give orders or to be the one that always knows how to defeat the threat.

For another, try to keep your GM-PC's combat stats under those of the actual players. If the highest DC attack in your group is a 15d6, seriously consider capping the GM-PC at 12DC.