Solo Campaign Assistance

[Merellis]

So, starting a campaign with my wife. She's new to the game, we're playing 3.5 as that is all I have. Core, Completes, MIC, Dragon Magic, SpC.

We both have hectic schedules, so planning a weekly thing with others is not an option so we're going solo for it.

I'm kinda new to DMing, and she's intent on playing a Dragon Shaman.

Would a DMPC be a viable option? Or should I look further into it to get a solo campaign that will have her with NPC's at times?

So far the best thing I did was give her NPC starting gold instead of the PC start, so she's got 900gp to spend on items, and I'm heling her look through feats so she can enjoy the character.

Any ideas Playground?

[Vladislav]

A DMPC is more likely to bore her then help. If you want to give the sole PC more staying power, give her a free animal companion she can control. A large dog or a wolf.

[kestrel404]

Let her play more than 1 character for combat scenarios while you play monsters (kind of like really complicated chess). Give her creative freedom with the plot (get her to act out not just her own part, but other NPCs as well, so that you're not controlling EVERYTHING else, get her input on where she wants things to go, etc.). Have fun with it. Tell a story together.

[Lord Vampyre]

Personally, a DMPC is really a glorified NPC, and yes running a DMPC is a viable option with this size of a group. The one thing you want to be careful of is railroading with a DMPC. The DMPC needs to fill the role of supporting cast, it becomes really easy to force a storyline upon a player when the DMPC takes away their other options.

Your best options for a DMPC is either a fighter-type character, or a heal-bot. Also, you should consider running a character in a lower tier than the player, this pretty much eliminates playing a cleric or druid, unless you tone their abilities down. You never want to outshine the star in a solo campaign.

Simply speaking from experience. I've been running a solo campaign with my wife for awhile, although I've been giving her a chance to run her own game when she feels up to it.

[Vladislav]

Also, did you explain your wife that the Dragon Shaman's main power is buffing his aliies, and thus it's probably the single worst class to play in a solo game? If she's in it for the draconic flavor, you can suggest to her the Dragonfire Adept (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060912a&page=2) instead.

[kestrel404]

Oh, yes. Dragonfire adept is much better for solo efforts. It's in Races of the Dragon, but really it's pretty nearly a warlock with a breath weapon instead of a blast attack. The feat that makes the class is Entangling breath (same book), which should be taken early (preferably at 1st level).

Also, considder a gestalt game.

[Merellis]

Thank you so far for the advice.

I'll try to introduce her to the Dragonfire Adept and see how that goes, but she is rather set on the Dragon Shaman.

As for giving her other characters to control, I could always make her a part of an organization and craft some NPC's that she can choose to take with her, all made to do specific things of course. This way, there will be reasons why she has so much gold, also give her some solo encounters, and get her into other classes as well to play.

And as for me DMPCing, I might just stick with playing the enemy/NPC's and give her a little advice on the other ones.

Thank you all for the wonderful ideas and advice! :3

[Nero24200]

I'm currently planning a solo campaign, so I know how hard it is to challenge the PC without going overboard.

I've tried giving the PC "command" of a few NPC's (much lower level than the PC). This gives the PC a chance to come up with plans and access to resources he/she would not normally have in a solo game. It seems to be working well for me so far.

[big teej]

assuming I'm not ninja'd in the process,

I recommend reading THIS
http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19905354/Lessons_from_DMing_with_my_GF?pg=1

it is far and away the best 'DM help' thread I have EVER read, bar none.

and yes, it really is worth reading the entire thread, the Man is Brilliant.