PCs as the NPCs

[Kirby]

Hello everyone,

Have any of you either allowed, or been allowed to use an NPC as your PC and build the character up? For example, say in a 250 point game either a player or you as the player wanted to actually be Seeker from the Champions and was it allowed? How do you as GMs feel about this and have any of you as players wanted this?

The next loop to the scenario is to ask instead of a hero, to play a waivering villain, such as Icecicle, or some other NPC who could go either way? Then finally, what about a normally misunderstood villain, like Grond? Basically, if a player wanted to play Grond (and he hadn't been used in your campaign yet) and would follow his 4E write-up mixed with his 5E stats in a 350 point game, with possible minor tweaking (raising the ego and intelligence slightly and lowering strength 10-20 points)?

Finally, what if the player asked if his character could be a clone of someone (generally works best for bricks or energy blasters) and yet the mental aspects and skills were a bit different?

How would you feel if a player asked something like that? As the player, are there villains or "neutral-ish" characters you would like to play if the GM allowed, as long as you followed the campaign guidelines?

Thank you for your time.

[Ghost who Walks]

In order.

1) Yes, multiple times. When I first started playing Champions, there weren't many examples of characters, and no internet. A bunch of my early characters were clones of characters from enemies I, or (bad) conversions of DC/Marvel. It was mostly due to being unfamiliar with the system, I think.

2) Yes. I had a player play Green Dragon, who still had his rivalry with Seeker (who was an NPC hero). There have been other examples, but that one ran the longest (about 8 years in real life). I don't see anything wrong with playing Grond (or Kid Grond!), so long as defenses and attacks are comparable to the other characters.

3) Clones are a bit iffy for me at least. I have numerous clones running around my campaign, but they are all evil, or at least misguided. Most of them are either children, or adults that were rapidly matured.

[ghost-angel]

Letting a player play an NPC as a PC is fine as long as the GM is willing to realize he is giving up control of the character - making them essentially the players character eventually.

As for playing a write-up copy or alteration, sure - it's a good way for new players to learn the system.

As for playing a villain ... see the first answer.

[AngryBug]

I'd refer you to Lord Liaden's signature, which best answers these sorts of questions:

"There is only one 'wrong' Way of Gaming: the Way of No Fun."

-tetsujin28 on RPGnet

As long as the GM and the players are having fun, and the campaign is working, anything goes.
The GM certainly needs to screen any PC to make sure he/she/it will fit into the campaign and won't unbalance it, of course, but if the GM is okay with a player copying or adapting another character, then go for it!