MEMBER DISCUSSION AREA - Post Your Questions Here.

Feel free to ask any DM related question here.

How do you handle player "NPC", meaning hireling, follower, henchman, etc...?

If the question is, does the DM allow players to control NPCs, then the answer would be a resounding 'yes'.  Surprisingly, some commercial adventure modules specifically instruct the DM to give a player from the group control of a story line NPC at a certain point, as if it were then a part of the group.  I was running a group that had an NPC with them for quite a while until a new player happened along and wished to play that particular class, at which point, that NPC 'had to return home to it's people for certain reasons'.  But during that whole time, the NPC was allowed to earn XP along with other party members, as well as level up in the process.  He became a valuable asset to the group, and got them out of a lot of trouble.   As far as a direct hireling, some times they are available for hire at the local bar or guild for a party to bring along.  In which case, they will have a stipend, or a weekly/monthly fee to perform the duties of their class, which is subtracted from loot to cover the costs. They are not allowed to receive XP or treasure items found, they are paid in full for services rendered, nothing more.  Other times, in some systems, those types of people will start to naturally gravitate and congregate around the character when they reach a certain level, in which case, it's up to that character to follow their class requirements to satisfy keeping them around (ie, providing meals, lodging, pay, building some sort of HQ/training center/church, etc).  Does this answer your question?

Kind off but that's because I left the question too vague. Long story short I'm making my own system based on 3.5/Pathfinder but the goal is to make it fell more like AD&D. One of the thing I'm adding is to add a point system that players can spend on feat like things, such as gain a mount or use your dex bonus instead of your str to hit. But some of them involve getting an inn or workshop. With the staff. At the moment I'm not sure if the feat should give you a set number or a limit on the hireling. One's the easy way, the other force you to look for someone but imply that someone without the feat can't hire somebody. I'm probably going to leave the option to the DM with the pro and con of each so it's not about that, I just kind of wanted to know what people do most of the time when a player says he wants a hireling. Do you ask how he tries to find one and if it makes sense let him find somebody in 30 sec or do you make him work over a couple of session? Since 2e and prior basically gave out NPC to player it's the best place to ask. Another way to see it is, in the AD&D 2e campaign I'm playing ATM I play a fighter/mage/thief and I want to find a squire type NPC to help me get in and out of my armor so I'm not look into one of the role. How would you deal with it as a DM since I'm technicly looking for a henchman?

Maybe apply the points for a different level of hireling.  If only one point is spent, then it would be a squire.  If all the points are spent, it might be for a champion or someone you can use to intimidate a foe or meet and win a challenge.   As far as where to find the NPC, place an ad at the local tavern, talk to your old instructor at your old alma mater for their recommendation/referral for someone they would suggest to you, or the noble family, they always know.  For story line purposes, a squire could be a trade deal from a rogue nation for diplomatic purposes, which was common practice swapping the sons of kings to be a kind of ransom so both kingdoms are sure to be on their best behavior between themselves.  That way, the lord is sure that no harm will come to the lad, by entrusting him in your care, at no cost to you or even for a small stipend to feed and clothe the boy (ala medieval child support), while at the same time he is able to learn how your people live and conduct themselves, as well as learn the squiring trade by helping you out of your armor or other similar basic assistance tasks, but not slave labor/maid service, only things you can't do for yourself, after all you're doing it as a favor for the king, the last thing you want is for the lad to paint you in a bad light for harsh treatment!

Made myself a noble. Now I just need to find a noble who's son is named Theon.

Do you require a "friendly" reaction check when your players initially meet your NPC's to make the NPC a henchman or hireling?

As an unplanned, random encounter, yes, as a potential hireling, typically no, but...if the NPC is being sent to the person looking to hire them from someone or somewhere (ie, guild, church, etc) that they trust, then very rarely would there be any adverse factors of concern.  If the NPC is coming to them via a posted ad at a local establishment, then anything could happen.  In either case, that doesn't mean that they wouldn't have an unfriendly reaction, where you know that they have a good alignment, and maybe there might be some evil aligned character(s) in the group (or vice versa) that might 'rub them the wrong way' or the group is comprised of unusual race types that might illicit some degree of racism or rude type behavior (jabs, jokes, etc).  The types of traits/characteristics of the NPC should be rolled up before-hand and depending upon the variables in the situation, it would require a logical case-by-case judgement call if need be.  Just don't give the players all the NPC stats, like alignment, keep some fun for yourself !  Just because the player is running the NPC doesn't mean you can't interject some of their dialog in situations that demand it.  They are people too, not just a stat sheet, so flesh them out with habits (good and bad), quirks, tendencies, likes, dislikes, etc.  The NPC is a vehicle by which you can communicate with your group.  Don't lose sight of all their purposes, other than an extra attack roll for the players in combat, otherwise your sessions will not be as enjoyable as they should be...a good balance of roll-playing and role-playing.  Without NPCs an RPG is not an RPG, it will be boring.

In your first topic, DM Rulings, you mention a "DM Player Notes handout," but I have not been able to find it.  I even checked in-game.  Please tell me if this is still available, and how I can access it!  Thanks!

The DM Player Notes handout is your players one-stop-shop for a number of things, and is created by the DM in their own game.  You can rename yours to whatever you like.  This in game handout is the place where you can put everything that you feel is part of your group, which can be links to places to read, names and types of books you plan on using, along with the rules.  There is another post in the forum with examples of group rules for you to revise as you see fit.  That would be a good place to start.

Thanks!!

When creating a magic item, must it have both negative effects and positive effects?

No, but the more powerful the item, the more likely it should be to have such negative effects,  until when one gets to artifact level and they ALWAYS have negative effects.  A simple item that adds +3" to one's movement rate might have nothing negative, save that the item can be lost. A average strength item might have a slight chance of a quirk, a quality that is less than desirable, like "has a tendency to float away if unsecured" or "grows warmer and warmer to the touch until untouchable", or even something positive but unrelated, like "has a strange vibration that tells you when it is working". An artifact level item might have something that causes you to slowly turn into an orc, or remove all hair as well as cause a progressive loss of charisma. Try it without it but put a time limit on the item (charged or otherwise limited in how long it lasts) and see what happens.

How about set items? for example being "attuned" with a set of items that provide more bonuses by association of one another?

There are a number of examples, and usually they grow in power, but also risk. Try to be creative enough to make the curses/bad effects/quirks related to the purpose/goals of the device if possible, but not easy to overcome if at all.  Often such negatives can't be dispelled, remove curse won't work on them if the item is continued to be used, and only a serious effect like a wish or such will likely have any effect, and again, only at the cost of never using the item again.

Keanu B. said: How about set items? for example being "attuned" with a set of items that provide more bonuses by association of one another? The rod of seven parts does that.  There is an expanding list of abilities you get depending on how many pieces of the rod you have assembled.

Nice addition, Gar.

Modifying monster stats, i find it difficult determine experience, could i award the amount of experience by how challenging the encounter is? How do you determine that? By how many of the player characters are below half health?

Some of my players would like to incorporate oriental weapons such as Katanas and other oriental weapons. im not sure how i should introduce them into my game. the way i was thinking about it is having them spend downtime days to research the weapon and form a blue print to take to a skilled blacksmith and gather the materials to do so. what are some of the suggestions you can give me about this way 

Katana = bastard sword Wakizashi = short sword No Daichi = TH sword that can be set to receive a charge Unless you're talking about weird weapon like meteor hammer, and unless you're using an extensive system like Pathfinder, it's just simpler to rename an existing weapon. Maybe give it a tiny bonus and do have him look up how to make it if the player isn't in an environment where they are close to non-existent. That is if the Katana isn't meant to be the "OMG sword that can kill/cut/slash anything". I'm assuming it's just for the shape and flavor.

I don't.  I keep track of experience.  If a player wants to see if they can train/are near to going up, they do a training routine and roll on their prime stat.  If they roll under, they know.  If they don't, they'll have to go to a trainer to find out. Keeps them from counting XP and makes the game more believable without all the math focus. If you do share XP with them (that's normal, mine is the weird system), then consider not being so tied to modifying stats vs. XP.  I often use 3rd, 2nd, 1st, and Original D&D monsters depending on continent and situation.  Don't they have different kinds of swallows (birds)?  I don't mean the coconut-laden kind.  How many different kinds of pine trees are there?  Or horses?  Why couldn't some kobolds have more hit dice? Do they have to give a higher XP reward?  I mean, artifacts don't give ANY XP at all in some of the systems. Consider saving yourself some effort and just introduce the monsters as they are and give out XP as listed unless you seriously increase some aspect (or decrease). One good guide (I hate giving just one way, just one piece of advice so forgive the book) is found in the relationship between weight and height. If you increase the dimensions of a creature to double (double height, length, width), you're NOT doubling the weight; you're multiplying it by eight.  Yep, and doubling weight doesn't double height; it just increases it a a small amount.  Check the physics. So if you double the HD, OR the AC, or some other aspect, then consider doubling the XP. There is nothing in the systems 2nd and below that take into account the health of the PCs.  If you do, the end result is that you penalize creativity, such as when they come up with a way to defeat a monster with minimal casualties to the party.  At the same time, if they find a monster trapped in a cage and stab it to death, I wouldn't award them much if any XP.

Good idea, Eddyall. Richard, consider the implications.  Anything your players ask for, you have set a precedent of adding.  Might not wish to do that. I have an open deal with my players: They know where the Asian-style campaign is located in my world; same for the DarkSun part, the Forgotten Realms part, the Greyhawk part, the Nehwon part, the etc.  Each area and style is already placed.  In each continent, the further they get from their home area (one country), the tougher it gets, so the players ultimately control the level of conflict, the level of reward, and the style of the campaign by where they go, by choice, as PCs. Character creation depends on where they are, so we don't have ninjas being created in the Moonshaes (a Celtic, British-style campaign), nor barbarian shamans in the Dalelands (a more "French" style campaign in my world). But the players can still get what they want; IF they put in the effort. Just a thought.

All on point.  Good discussion.