| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| jinat |
Posted - 18 Aug 2004 : 18:32:25
Has anyone here ever presented NPCs like Drizzt or Alias or Kelemvore as Playable Characters. For example the modules based on the Avatar Books my group had Cyric, Kel and Midnight as Player Characters. How has this worked for others - if there are others who have tried. Was it only for a one-shot or a campaign?
Also on another note (Perhaps this should be another topic), does anyone know the year of Cyrics Birth? I figure 1329 DR. Im basing this on that he was 29 during the Time of Troubles - but i dont remember where i got that number now. |
| 8 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| zolansilverspear |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 21:42:43
quote:
Originally posted by jinat
Good points, but the advantage here is that all the players are more fans of FR novels then FR gaming. Its like comic book fans - if playing Marvel Superheroes - then they would rather play the X-men then some 'Mutant Squad' who briefly meets the X-men. And since their fans they will role-play them to the best of their ability.
I was just wondering since weve tried this quite a few times and it works for us - but i never heard of anyone else doing it.
Well... in my opinion the pleasue I, as a DM, take from a game is seeing my Players' characters grow up and become something. And when I don't take pleasure deadly-pits-which-were-not-there-a-second-ago starts to appear. Its too unhealty if you are a player  |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 16:58:42
I would never even think of trying to play an established NPC as a character. I have 2 reasons for this:
1) No matter how well known or detailed, I'm not sure I could do the character justice, and
2) It's not my character. I may try something similar to an established character, but it wouldn't be the same. I try not to do direct copies of anything, because I prefer to be more original than that. |
| SiriusBlack |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 16:30:27
quote:
Originally posted by zolansilverspear
Considering these I don't think most players would be able to handle the characters and give justice to the role. So I never used them as PCs. And it seems I never will...
I don't blame you. This thread makes me recall Throne of Bloodstone where if my memory is correct, PCs could play some legendary figures while going through the module. |
| jinat |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 16:23:38
Good points, but the advantage here is that all the players are more fans of FR novels then FR gaming. Its like comic book fans - if playing Marvel Superheroes - then they would rather play the X-men then some 'Mutant Squad' who briefly meets the X-men. And since their fans they will role-play them to the best of their ability.
I was just wondering since weve tried this quite a few times and it works for us - but i never heard of anyone else doing it.
Question: Cyric ran away from Zhentil Keep in 1340 DR at the age of 12 then? |
| zolansilverspear |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 14:08:03
The problem with FR NPC are they are tooooo widely detailed. Most of them will behave in a certain model in certain situations. Also they are quite powerfull in their own ways. And they have all broken sweat to earn those powers.
Considering these I don't think most players would be able to handle the characters and give justice to the role. So I never used them as PCs. And it seems I never will...
On the other hand they are a good motivation if you are playing with a group of FR fans and a better surprise if your group never played FR before. So most of the time I use one or another in my Campaings... But never in combat or in a way they could affect the story directly. Remember that your players are the real heroes/villians of the story. |
| Capn Charlie |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 11:09:58
I have never attempted using realms NPCs as PCs before. In all likelyhood, I never will.
I also favor the minimal interaction of FRNPCS in my game, as I prefer to keep my game as contiguous with the published storyoline as possible. While it is totally believable that certain events might have gone on somewhere i nthe realms with no major ripples, if I had Eminster tag along on an adventure, or brought in a half dozen gods in mortal form, or such it would definitely have a much larger impact.
This is also protection for the realms npcs. I like having them in my game world, for the most part, but know my players would end upp offing them, or accidentalyl friendly-fireball them, or just palin do something incredibly stupid eeither causing the player to be offed, or the npc to go into totally metagame seclusion to save them.
So long as the NPCs remain as set pieces, in the background, and not statted up entities, this is easier. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 07:33:22
quote:
Also on another note (Perhaps this should be another topic), does anyone know the year of Cyrics Birth? I figure 1329 DR. Im basing this on that he was 29 during the Time of Troubles - but i dont remember where i got that number now.
Hall of Heroes states that Cyric was nearly 30 at the time when he first fell in with Kelemvor. 1358 DR (the Year of Shadows) is officially recognised as the period for the 'Time of Troubles', so from that, we can confer that Cyric was born most likely around 1328 DR.
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| Bookwyrm |
Posted - 19 Aug 2004 : 07:22:02
I wouldn't want it. If I liked the character, I could never do justice to him or her if I took it for my own. If the NPC stayed an NPC, though, it's less likely to be corrupted by my own desires. Even then, I'm not really in favor of a lot of big-name Faerunian NPCs in a game. Mentioned, sure. Or seen, yet not interacting with the party -- for instance, seeing a foppish personality at a Waterdavian ball performing some minor tricks, perhaps even recognizing him as Danilo Thann, but never actually speaking with him. |
