[DM] Pre-generated characters

[CTrees]

I've been musing over an idea lately, and I'm wondering about the Playground's opinions.

Essentially, the party knows that there's another group out adventuring to parallel, but opposite, ends (somewhat linear guild, I know), but has largely been too busy to focus on that probelm. Said antagonist party has one or two known members, but the party only has hints as to the rest. In the event of a TPK, I'm considering simply letting my players take over for that antagonist party.

Plan is, I'd make up several pre-generated characters and simply let the players fight over who wants what. I have three regular players and three who rotate in and out (complex scheduling), so I average 4-5 players at any given session. I was thinking I'd create about ten characters, for plenty of options (seems like a lot, but creating characters is honestly my favorite activity in D&D, so this is partly an excuse for tons of fun). Make them highly varied and exotic - the antagonist party was alway going to have some level adjustment on every character, and be an oddball mix of archetypes/multiclassing. If I'm controlling this, I can keep everything at roughly the same power level, and if everyone is using LA+2 races, suddenly it doesn't make any difference at all.

This group tends to get really bogged down in character creation, with two players who seem to enjoy it, one who just kind of plops whatever down, and the rest who 1) don't enjoy it and 2) need a lot of assistance. Also, even the first two in that list tend to go for very generic options. Pre-generated characters would, of course, obviate character creation time, and the oddities would definitely spice things up. Power level can be kept fair (another current problem with the party), while levels of complexity of play can vary (barbarian v. druid, for example), so no one is either overwhelmed by options or bored by lack thereof. I'm also planning on giving zero guidance on personality or backstory beyond the past few weeks of in-game time (so players can make their own choices for personification), and leaving a good chunk of WBL open to whatever they feel like adding for general adventuring gear.

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So, from the recent character creation threads, I know some of you will chafe at any restrictions at all, let alone pre-generated characters, but regardless: What do you all think of this idea? Thoughts, opinions, input, suggestions, etc.

[Pilo]

Planning to kill all the characters of your players is bad!

However having pre-generated character is a good thing in case of the death of one of them.

I don't think, as a DM, that I would like my characters to be played by other people because they will not be played as I thought I would have played them. And it will anger me.

As a player I don't think I would like to play somebody to help him/her to succeed what I fought to prevent.

I think pre-generated will be a good idea for your players whom don't like to create their own and it may seduce the others but if they want to create their own, why would you prevent them to do it.
I am currently playing a game where characters were half-pregenerated (their role, their characteristics, their backgroud and a part of their personnality were defined by DM but the rest (mainly the remaining skills points and some choice between a few feats) was up to us to decide) and it is fun because scenarii include some character-specific parts.

So I am not against pre-generated character, but I am against playing old antagonists.

[CTrees]

Planning to kill all the characters of your players is bad!

I'm not, but this group is less predictably than a bus full of methed-out slaad, and my players have started a drinking game revolving around the hilarious failures of any plans one guy makes (they usually involve vast quantities of fire, "I'm going to try to steal his pants," or both), so... I could easily see them dying, through no fault of my own (see: sneaking into a military base, taking boats in ultra stealthily... and then making the largest, most obvious display possible, in front of as many flying sentries as possible... it was handwaving/being too nice that they were able to escape at all).

I'm just saying, I'm giving them challenges ranging from reasonable to difficult, but that means little.


So I am not against pre-generated character, but I am against playing old antagonists.

To be fair, only two members of the antagonist party have been encountered. The first was captured but not fought, and roleplayed with briefly. The second was an old PC who turned on the rest of the group, then broke the first out of jail. The two parties have crossed paths a bit, and the party has some inkling of where they're heading, but I've given my players enough options that they've really not followed any of the leads which would tell them what the antagonist group has been up to. So... writing-wise, and background events, occuring while the party is off faffing about? It's a group of antagonists. What my players have seen? They're basically unknown, outside of the one which used to be a PC.

[shimmercat]

I feel like the response your group would have to pre-generated characters depends heavily on who your group is. I've played with people who would have a blast playing pre-generated characters, and I've played with people who would be terribly offended that you even offered. But don't let that dissuade you.

A lot of it depends on how serious your players (and you) take the game. It sounds like you're a pretty fun, casual group so it should be fine. And it would give the players a chance to play something wild and crazy (races with +2 LA is wild and crazy imo!) that they otherwise wouldn't dare.

I say go for it!

Edit: And I'd want to mention that I am an experienced player who still hates character generation (I enjoy coming up with the RP concept but I hate making spell lists, deciding feats, etc), so that may be biasing me. XD But trying something new never hurt anyone. So there.