PNPCs

[Ratter]

Some people Im playing with decided to add something to this massive game we've got going, PNPCs, these are retired characters/merchant characters that dont adventure, but still contribute, here is the system: PNPC = playable non-playable character, works as a NPC but is roleplayed by a player and not the GM.
Any PC can become a PNPC but a player can have only one PNPC at a given time.
When a player decides to retire a PC and make it a PNPC the PNPC gets a level = 3 + PC’s level / 5 (round down)
To level up as a merchant you need an amout of gold not xp.
The table goes:
1- 3 gp
2- 9 gp
3- 27 gp
4- 81 gp
5- 243 gp
6- 729 gp
7- 2187 gp
8- 6561 gp
9- 19683 gp
The actual subclasses for Merchant PNPCs are:
Trader
Crafter
Service
Caster
By picking a subclass as your first and main subclass you get
Trader: Expertise in the persuasion skill
Crafter: One tool proficiency of your choice
Caster: 2 cantrips of your choice from any spell list.
Features
Trader Feature:
Business Contract: Once per level you can have a special route for a single common and/or simple item, this item can be bought by half its price due to your contacts.You can sell the item by whatever price you want to.
Crafter/Service Feature:
Knowledge to Give and Sell: You can teach someone to do what you do, the person will do as good as you did when taught. You can also have an apprentice and keep on teaching him as you skills get better, making his skills better to.
Crafter Feature:
Expert crafter: You and your employees can craft items worth one more Gold Piece per level you take in Crafter
Trader/Service Feature:
Hey I know you: Your name is known around the entire region, your prices dictate the prices of all services alike yours and if someone has to choose between you and all the other places they could get that same service they'll automatically choose you.
Service Feature:
Smart Head: You pick a skill expertise, tool proficiency, language proficiency or musical instrument proficiency of your choice.
Caster feature:
Mighty Mage: As you pick this feat you level up in your casting, each time you pick this feat you gain a spell and 2 spell slots of that spell level, the level is always one single level higher than your actual level. You also have the information you need to know where to find any material components. If you already have spells and spell slots of that level you get this feat as an extra.

[Cluedrew]

PNPC = playable non-playable characterWhat?

Could I suggest you stop adding letters, it does make sense when you break it down but just reading that expansion hurts a little bit, and go for something like PSC? Or SPC? Playable Side Character and Side/Supporting Player Character respectively. I think Supporting Player Character is my favourite of those.

[Anymage]

Ars Magica did this, where there's a pool of minor characters that people can role play as to enhance the story of their main characters. And I remember, back in some 2e book of ideas, mentioning that the setting can be enhanced if offscreen players could step into the shoes of minor characters instead of expecting the DM to be the entirety of the world.

Having said that, when you have more than the most basic rule skeleton for minor characters, they stop being minor characters. If a player is invested in "their" NPC, for all practical purposes it stops being an NPC.

[Goaty14]

So a player retires a character and the character decides that, instead of settling down with 15 wizard levels, he will be a level 3 merchant, and lose his spellcasting (!) for the rest of his sad, boring life.

Why is this an option?

[Fable Wright]

And here I was hoping for a thread about Pen N' Paper Characters as differentiated from CRPG characters. I am disappointed.

[tensai_oni]

This is the allies/followers system that many rpgs have, only with an explicit statement that it's the players who control the ally, not the GM - something many parties do by their own already. No need to reinvent the wheel.

[RazorChain]

And you can also do things if you like troupe style of play such as delegate you GMing duties.

Couple of players really want to take their characters shopping at the blacksmith and roleplay it, the others can't be bothered. Now you delegate the blacksmith to one player and his apprentice to another. With players that aren't total idiots or jerkbags this can really liven up the session and get everyone involved.