Running a long-term NPC with the party

[Oramac]

How do you do it?

I have an NPC my party picked up and has kept around, and it looks like they're going to keep him around for the foreseeable future. So how do you make/play it?

Do you create an actual character sheet for the NPC? If so, do you keep it 1-2 levels behind the party, or equal level?

Do you just use steadily increasing monster stat blocks for the NPC? If so, how do you determine the "right" stat block?

Or do you do something else entirely?

[JNAProductions]

I'd build them like a PC, and have them start at or one below the level of the party. Have them gain XP like another party member.

Also, be careful with them-make sure the focus stays on the players, not on the NPC. You are not a PC-you are the DM. Don't be afraid to ask your players how you're doing to boot-see if they like the NPC or not.

[Zanthy1]

I'd build them like a PC, and have them start at or one below the level of the party. Have them gain XP like another party member.

Also, be careful with them-make sure the focus stays on the players, not on the NPC. You are not a PC-you are the DM. Don't be afraid to ask your players how you're doing to boot-see if they like the NPC or not.

Absolutely this. Treat the NPC like another party member, who doesn't have anything to say except "Sure thing guys." If he is a cleric and they need heals, "Sure thing guys." If he is a wizard and they want a fireball? "Sure thing guys." He shouldn't have much flavor to him except what the players put on him. He does what is needed of him, and doesn't have any super secret past that has him disappearing to slay the BBEG on his own type thing. If he is truly a "DM PC" then make the character, and hand a general list of what he can do to the party.

Also, make sure that he gets his cut of xp, because that is the the tradeoff for having this guy. He does what you want, he gets an even hare of xp.

[Addaran]

It seems the party picked up that NPC to join them. So it's not like the OP is trying to have his special DMPC. The party probably did it because they enjoyed the NPC's personnality/RP, so i wouldn't make it bland and flavorless.

What's the race/class/role of that NPC? It could help with suggesting if you make a full character sheet and at what lvl you'll have him follow.

[Grey Watcher]

On the other hand, you could start looking for an out for the NPC. Friends and family, a religious order, retirement from adventuring, handling some important task the PCs aren't able to (or would be boring, like training local troops): there are lots of reasons an NPC might say a bittersweet goodbye. And they can come back again for specific missions and story arcs. The Web series Critical Role has Lady Kima, a Paladin who has this sort of relationship with the PCs, and it seems to work quite well.

[Connington]

Both Addaran and Grey Watcher are spot on. DMPCs that dominate the plot are terribad. But treating the NPC as a semi-mute pile of HP and damage is dull.

If the PCs like the character's personality, keep rolling with that. If they glommed onto Nameless Goblin Fodder #14 (It happens), let them grow into something fun but not spotlight stealing. Then after an appropriate amount of time, give the NPC an arc that had them leave the party on good terms.

[RumoCrytuf]

Absolutely this. Treat the NPC like another party member, who doesn't have anything to say except "Sure thing guys." If he is a cleric and they need heals, "Sure thing guys." If he is a wizard and they want a fireball? "Sure thing guys." He shouldn't have much flavor to him except what the players put on him. He does what is needed of him, and doesn't have any super secret past that has him disappearing to slay the BBEG on his own type thing. If he is truly a "DM PC" then make the character, and hand a general list of what he can do to the party.

Also, make sure that he gets his cut of xp, because that is the the tradeoff for having this guy. He does what you want, he gets an even hare of xp.

Don't forget loot!

[Oramac]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the ideas.


It seems the party picked up that NPC to join them. So it's not like the OP is trying to have his special DMPC. The party probably did it because they enjoyed the NPC's personnality/RP, so i wouldn't make it bland and flavorless.

What's the race/class/role of that NPC? It could help with suggesting if you make a full character sheet and at what lvl you'll have him follow.

Pretty much this.

The party captured one of the goblins raiding Nightstone at the beginning of Storm King's Thunder. For the last couple sessions I've just been playing him as a tag-along mascot, but in the most recent session he asked for, and got, armor and a weapon from the party. So I think it's safe to say he's going to be around for a while. Now I'm playing him a bit like he's got Stockholm Syndrome.

My basic plan is to keep him 2 levels behind the party, and make him a ranged Battle Master Fighter, taking maneuvers that directly help the party (Trip Attack; Reposition Ally; Command Ally; etc.).

[JNAProductions]

Pretty much this.

The party captured one of the goblins raiding Nightstone at the beginning of Storm King's Thunder. For the last couple sessions I've just been playing him as a tag-along mascot, but in the most recent session he asked for, and got, armor and a weapon from the party. So I think it's safe to say he's going to be around for a while. Now I'm playing him a bit like he's got Stockholm Syndrome.

My basic plan is to keep him 2 levels behind the party, and make him a ranged Battle Master Fighter, taking maneuvers that directly help the party (Trip Attack; Reposition Ally; Command Ally; etc.).

That should work. Being lower level won't hurt as much because he's at a distance, and helpful abilities are always appreciated.

I'll second the others who say give him personality-dry NPCs are dull. Just make sure the focus is on the PCs, and the NPC stays a support character.

[Breashios]

My basic plan is to keep him 2 levels behind the party, and make him a ranged Battle Master Fighter, taking maneuvers that directly help the party (Trip Attack; Reposition Ally; Command Ally; etc.).

Sounds like you've got a good plan.

A party I DM for did a similar deal with a bugbear (a little more survivable). He was basically a mercenary they had defeated, so not automatically a bad guy. They treated him well, but as the group was already five players I did not advance him as fast as the party. They kept him healed up and well armored (actually gave him the best armor and shield available in the loot) until he approached the character that had treated him best and pointed out he liked what they were doing, but did not think he could carry his weight as battles became more and more dangerous. The party agreed he should return to his family and gave him a significant payout before seeing him on his way.

I could use him to give ideas that helped move the story, but only when they were totally stumped or going down a rabbit hole. To prevent them from using that as a crutch, I also made sure he gave input that did not help so much - but which remained consistent with his personality and realistic from his point of view.

Just to recap, I think what you plan will work fine.

In use, the maneuvers you've picked will probably be fine as well. There is just something about "command ally" and "reposition ally" that in hearing them, sound a bit like things the tactical leader would have rather than a support character. Just call them something else maybe.

[BoutsofInsanity]

Finally my Specialty

Listen well fellow Dm, if there is one thing I excel at is having the long term NPC with the party.

Current Example: Veira is a Dhampir fighter, orginally joining the party of Assassin Rogue and Bard extraordinare! She is quiet, snarky, and the most dependable companion you could ask for. She has the same exact stats and levels as the other characters. She follows all the rules of the players and can die at anytime!

Follow these rules and you will be fine!


The NPC is not special, she has the same stats and abilities as the players and follows the same rules as the players
The NPC is her own character, she has her own thoughts, motivations and ideals as if she were a living person, play her as such
Her quests should not be long or take over the story, but she should have one or two loyalty missions that will shape her relationship
The NPC is shaped by the people she hangs with, she should grow and mature based on the parties influence
Keep her simple, if she is a fighter, her focus should be charge, attack, and defend the party, the Wizard NPC should invoke, cast simple and easy to use spells, the cleric should buff then attack, keep it simple
The NPC should be there to bail out the party or cause the party emotional damage when she falls protecting them


Having a long term NPC gives extra rolls, can fill in knowledge gaps the players need, assist all the time granting advantage, and add a new element to the story. They are fun, cool, and should never overshadow the party, but instead compliment them and have the players tell stories about that one character that travelled with them all the time.

Examples: Garrus "Batman" Vakarian, Minsc and Boo, Deekin, Dog, Etc.

[Addaran]

Going to second (third?) your plan. Fighter is a simple yet resilient class and the slightly lower level won't hurt too much the survivability since he's ranged. The class even comes with a self-heal, to taken less a burden on the group's healer.

Reposition Ally will be great to save squishy in melee and the rogue/paly will love Command Ally. Breashios mentionned the leader-ish name. You could just rename both as "Distracting Strike".

[Oramac]

There is just something about "command ally" and "reposition ally" that in hearing them, sound a bit like things the tactical leader would have rather than a support character. Just call them something else maybe.

I actually wasn't planning to call them anything. Just say, "Beedo shoots Bad Guy #1 in the foot, causing him to trip." (For tripping attack)


Examples: Garrus "Batman" Vakarian

<3 Mass Effect. Good example.

Slightly unrelated: when my players met Zephyros the Eccentric Cloud Giant, I modeled his speech patterns on Mordin Solus.

[Contrast]

If he's a mascot, maybe play him as a Mastermind rogue...without sneak attack.

So he uses his actions to dash around, ducking and weaving out of combat while being pretty resilient to harm without overshadowing the party. Maybe expertise in perform and medicine for shenanigans and utility while avoiding the party palming tasks off on him.

The 9th level feature you drip feed them useful hints as well.

Remember this is an NPC not a PC so feel free to mess around with the classes and give him whatever you want.

A rogue, no sneak attack and Trip Attack? Sure why not!

I wouldn't get too caught up in the stats - I'd start out with all 10s and then see if he feels too strong or weak. You can always buff or nerf him and I think its better to err on the side of caution re what everyone else has said with regard to the main issue being making sure you're letting the PCs be the heroes/leaders.

[MBControl]

These guys have it right, but I would add one other thing. Where it makes sense story wise, don't be afraid to remove the NPC from the equation for a while. In theory the NPC has a life of it's own, and may need to leave to fulfill business or family obligations. Let them volunteer to courier a message to the King in the country next door, that kind of thing.

I would try to create a gap between the group and the NPC, so he's seen more as a loyal ally, and not as a party member.

[Tawmis]

Just like the players - it all depends on the NPC, right?

For example, the last campaign - I had - what was simply intended to be a wizard, who had his memory wiped, due to tampering by Mind Flayers. He was an old man, just wandering the desert, completely stark, raving, mad. The party came across him, and took an unusual interest in him. They (as players) thought that he was some kind of side quest, and that they were meant to help him. So suddenly, here I am thinking of something to do with him. (I tend to drop random NPCs throughout the world, just to show that events are happening around the world that the players are not involved in, so it feels more realistic). So now, with them dragging this old, memory wiped wizard around, they kept going town to town to see if anyone knew who he was, while doing other quests I had intended for them. As I stalled, and more towns didn't recognize him, the party's interest in his identity increased. So I ended up making an entire story (that became a larger epic for the entire party). But the entire time, he was only there to provide clues for the party if they were stuck (and those clues were done in the form of rambling rhymes). It was a lot of fun - for the party, and myself - for this unexpected turn of events. I didn't tell them that I had made up the big, final quest about the old man, at the very end, and that he was just intended to be someone that the party encountered, to see that there were things going on in the world, that the party wasn't involved in, and they thought I had it all planned out from the start.

[furby076]

Don't forget loot!

This and xp sharing is why i dont allow npcs in my party.
My xp
My loot

[Malifice]

Make sure he only steps in to save the PCs and show off how powerful he is. Dont forget to have him admonish the PCs as being weak when he does so (its good for them). Also useful for when the PCs arent following the plot. Have him step in and get them back on track, maybe single handedly taking down dozens of powerful monsters as he does so.

Give him tons of plot armor. Like; he should be all but immune to causation.

Bonus points for bi-colored eyes and 1 (or more) katanas.