#2: I run GMPC's, and my players don't seem to have a beef with them. They usually exist with very small groups, having some skills that the PC's may well lack. But this doesn't let them become the stars of the show, just useful. They're also usually based around either (A) an experimental way to design a character or (B) an interesting culture that I thought was ignored or passed over. A dwarven character of mine got killed when a die roll indicated an avalanche. As he was carrying all their gold, it made it all the more involving for the others. They were very cautious, shuddering and wondering who was next, and wondering what they were going to do once they reached the next town with precious little coin. It emphasized lethality without letting some lame die roll decide who of the PCs should live or die. Another character betrayed the party, and yet another became an important plot introduction. GMPCs have their uses; GMs shouldn't use them in the way you describe.
#6: Sometimes it's good to fudge a die result, in favor of drama. One of the things I always thought was stupid was a character dying just because the dice said he did. Nothing he did wrong, or said wrong, just a die roll. Should Conan die at the hands of mooks because one of 'em got lucky? Not in my book. Should Drizzt Do'Urden die because he blew his poison save? Now, if a PC does something absolutely astoundingly stupid, especially if it has no bearing on roleplaying his character, I have no compunctions about smoking him.
Just a couple nitpicks, simply because I am a GM. I read things like this because I want to know what I'm doing wrong, if I'm doing wrong. Also I love player feedback -- just not during the game.
I agree with you that fudging is okay (I do it myself as a GM), but I prefer the "don't ask, don't tell" approach. When it's too obvious that the GM is fudging, it hurts my suspension of disbelief.
GMPC's can definitely be a problem if mishandled. If anything, I tend to err in the opposite direction, so whenever the PC's encounter a new 'ally', they wonder how long it will be until this new guy gets killed
Great column - plenty of advice for people to think about.
#2: I run GMPC's, and my players don't seem to have a beef with them. They usually exist with very small groups, having some skills that the PC's may well lack. But this doesn't let them become the stars of the show, just useful. They're also usually based around either (A) an experimental way to design a character or (B) an interesting culture that I thought was ignored or passed over. A dwarven character of mine got killed when a die roll indicated an avalanche. As he was carrying all their gold, it made it all the more involving for the others. They were very cautious, shuddering and wondering who was next, and wondering what they were going to do once they reached the next town with precious little coin. It emphasized lethality without letting some lame die roll decide who of the PCs should live or die. Another character betrayed the party, and yet another became an important plot introduction.
You are describing an NPC. An NPC is not the same thing as a GMPC. A GMPC means specifically that the GM is as invested in the success of that character as the players are in the success of theirs.
Illogical motivations are not sadly the only cases of illogical gaming. Neither are they specific to rpgs. They are prevalent in most average movies or fiction books. How many times did we see the heroes leaving behind a knocked out enemy only for the later to raise and sound the bell just after they turned their back?
Illogical behavior actually ofends me more than illogical motivations, be it by PCs or NPCs.
I've been accused of the "bait and switch" but I find that it works.
If I tell a player, "Okay this adventure is about a bunch of clumsy, inexperienced amature kid who have just entered gladitor school" what kind of character will they create? Harden Warriors who killed there first man at the age of two and fought a bear unarmed. You tell them the game will involve fighting but the character aren't the best fighters in the land at first and they create fighters who are the best at the on set. Down playing something is a valuable tool to get players to risk the urge of create the ultimate killing machine.
__________________
Mekton + Forums = Super Dimension Fortress Mekton only at Macross RPG Galaxies
If my other players lagged, an NPC would always show up to push things forward. If a clue was missed, it ended up in the PC's hands anyway.
How do you encourage players to take the initiative and run with it without continually prompting them into action?
__________________ http://www.hivechild.com
"Pussy cat, pussy cat, what do you hear, to cause that irrational twitch of your ear?"
"I hear the lullaby Mother cat croons, to the play-weary kittens on Jupiter's moon."
- Space Child's Mother Goose
#6: Sometimes it's good to fudge a die result, in favor of drama. One of the things I always thought was stupid was a character dying just because the dice said he did. Nothing he did wrong, or said wrong, just a die roll.
Why use a die roll in this isntance, then. Or why use a die roll that could result in the character's death, when you didn't want that character's death to be a possible result?
Seems odd to me.
Mike
__________________
"Sometimes I think I could film two hours of a man continuously walking away from exploding buildings looking all cool and badass and punching people occasionally in slo mo, and a lot of RPGnetters would feel they got their money's worth from it." - Voidnaut
"Perge, Scelus, Mihi Diem Perficias" - Sir Christopher Frayling
Well you still call a "death roll" a really painfull injury. For example your character is climbing up a cliff side to get to the top where the main bad guy waits. On the way up the player rolls bad and should fall and break his neck.
From a story stand point that's a pretty crappy ending. Character doesn't even reach the bad guy and dies from being clumsy. If I was Gming such a character I'd still keep him alive (fudge the roll) but with like a broke limb or something. They would be at greater disadvantage when they meet the bad guy but at least they would met him. If they die in that fight fine at least it's a good ending. Of course if a player just did something really stupid I'd let the die fall where they may.
__________________
Mekton + Forums = Super Dimension Fortress Mekton only at Macross RPG Galaxies
:2 (Bahama'at,Tanka); 
Linear Mode
