[Rintaran]

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3) What if an NPC is involved? The 3 characters + 1 NPC fight against a CR 11 thing. Does each get 1800 (5400/3) or 1350 (5400/4)?

My rules variant for this situation is as follows. The NPC will recieve 5400/5 XP and the other characters would recieve (5400-(5400/5))/3 XP each. But then, all those number are also reduced to roughly 5-8 % of that result (Both for the PCs and NPCs), but that's because I also have a variant for XP gain in my game. For info on my XP version, see the Gaining Levels topic in this forum.

If the PCs had done it all by themselves, there would be no one else to share the experience with. As there is someone else there, they must have learned something too. The only reason why I give them a lesser share is to promote the player's role and have the NPC merely be a sort of 'back-up'. But then, combat is hardly a defining element of my campaign.

[blacxthornE]

dragonhand777: Dude, thanks a lot for paying attention. Your right about the DMG. But finding a site to buy it means importing it. That's a lot of dollars I'm not willing to sacrifice. Thanks for being a good friend too.

Yorick: Thanks for pointing that out. That was how I see it sensible too.

Rintaran: I'm really interested in this reduced combat XP thing. I'll have a look at it. Thanks.

[Darius]

dragonhand777, on May 24 2004, 07:43 AM, said:

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Now that is not quite correct. If the NPC is an Ally they get EXP just like an PC now if they are a cohort they get part of the EXP that goes to the player they are aligned to.

You're correct. I just have issues with npc allies getting an equall share of the xp when essentially the dm is doing it just so he can play a character as a 'pc' too. If I did that as a dm, I would keep the npc out of the lime light. He/she wouldn't be as prominent in making decisions etc. But that's just me.

In my current campaign , Im running an NPC as a pc .I put him in to make up the numbers as I only have 3 players at the moment.He was my character from a previous campaign , he only gets xp and doesn't make any of the decisions , I do use him to give suggestions (Hints ) but thats it.
I dont see anything wrong with it as long as the DM doesnt use the character to take over the party and lead them around by the nose.

D

[Yorick]

Darius, on May 24 2004, 02:36 AM, said:

dragonhand777, on May 24 2004, 07:43 AM, said:

Quote

Now that is not quite correct. If the NPC is an Ally they get EXP just like an PC now if they are a cohort they get part of the EXP that goes to the player they are aligned to.

You're correct. I just have issues with npc allies getting an equall share of the xp when essentially the dm is doing it just so he can play a character as a 'pc' too. If I did that as a dm, I would keep the npc out of the lime light. He/she wouldn't be as prominent in making decisions etc. But that's just me.

In my current campaign , Im running an NPC as a pc .I put him in to make up the numbers as I only have 3 players at the moment.He was my character from a previous campaign , he only gets xp and doesn't make any of the decisions , I do use him to give suggestions (Hints ) but thats it.
I dont see anything wrong with it as long as the DM doesnt use the character to take over the party and lead them around by the nose.

D

That is what I have seen with most DM brining in NPC that were their own pc's. As for leading the players around by the nose that only happens when the players are new and do not know better. Or the DM uses the the NPCs as a club to get the players to do what he wants them to.

But that is more a question of DMing style verse who gets what EXP.

There is currently one NPC/PC ally in my groups party she is an Elf 1/2 Celest Cleric. It was orginally for one of the players but they prefer fighter and no one else othe than the WereBear Paladin has any healing.

BTW the Paladin being a WereBear is only a LVL 1 paladin.

[dragonhand777]

As for the DM playing an npc as a pc goes. All of you are right. It can be done properly and in good taste. Just the initial thought of it brought up a bad memory.

The x-DM in our party had this sun elf npc that, well, became more prominent than the rest of our characters. The only thing that finally put an end to it was the Deck of Manythings. His character drew the card that gives you like 50,000 xp. So, he retired the npc. But by that time, we had already helped his sunelf wizard reclaim his families home in Myth Drannor. Needless to say, even we didn't play our characters for much longer.

[Yorick]

dragonhand777, on May 25 2004, 03:42 PM, said:

As for the DM playing an npc as a pc goes. All of you are right. It can be done properly and in good taste. Just the initial thought of it brought up a bad memory.

The x-DM in our party had this sun elf npc that, well, became  more prominent than the rest of our characters. The only thing that finally put an end to it was the Deck of Manythings. His character drew the card that gives you like 50,000 xp. So, he retired the npc. But by that time, we had already helped his sunelf wizard reclaim his families home in Myth Drannor. Needless to say, even we didn't play our characters for much longer.

Yeah I have run to that from time to time where the DM uses an old caractor as an NPC to complete so task his caractor never got to finish or right. most of the time it is not very fun for the players as they are along for the ride and feel like a 5th wheel.

I have used this play from Time to time but i add a twist the old cractor is not on the mission they give to the players and I let them write the story in the game. that way though I may want a certain outcome I don't always get and add a air of mystery for even me.