Good idea or utter trash

[Jayngfet]

So I've been playing a bunch of RPG's on my XBOX(kotor and JE mostly) and was wondering how to best do that style thing with DND 3.5, on maptools.

I was thinking for this particular variant there'd be one player who makes his own character, controlling everything by that character, backstory, conversation, combat.

Meanwhile he or she would be making allies, NPC's who start out independant, they're DM controlled RP wise but are mostly otherwise under characters control. After they join the party the player advances them in terms of level and will influence them(paladins could fall, fiends could be redeem them), but they won't have every feat/gear on the table for multiclass(a character with an aversion to athority wouldn't like becoming a knight).

You could select up to three of these followers at a time for combat with the basic CRPG rules-no swapping anyone with lasting status effects or mid combat. Since it is maptools it would be very simple to make a seperate grid with every follower's portrait and a spot to drag and drop them.

In general I'd have been hoping for a distilled console RPG feeling. The sort of mechanics like party selection and such but with much more freedom due to not needing a team for every thing(you can break any wall or somesuch).

So, is this a great idea or utter trash?

[llamamushroom]

Sounds really cool, but to me it seems insanely complicated. Not trying to dissuade you, but that sounds like the sort of hobby that will take up your spare time for the next lifetime... like DnD, I suppose.

Go for it!

[Jayngfet]

The rules variaton is actually fairly simple, I just set up a grid, stick some tokens that I use, changing characters should take thirty seconds to a minute, making the grid itself would take 20 minutes if I go slowly.

The multiclassing thing is also fairly simple "Hey, ever thought about taking (class x) levels?" "I've never got on with X, we have a bad history". This'd be mostly for classes that aren't core or are heavily restricted in some way anyway(duskblades, mystic theurges, paladins to use random examples from all angles).

[Glimbur]

The only reason I don't like it is you're playing D&D with two people then. One of the fun parts for me is watching the players interact and come up with madcap schemes.

[Yora]

Sounds really cool, but to me it seems insanely complicated. Not trying to dissuade you, but that sounds like the sort of hobby that will take up your spare time for the next lifetime... like DnD, I suppose.

Go for it!

The Neverwinter Nights games and Dragon Age offer you to do something like that. But in 3D graphics. That's a lot more complicated and time consuming.

[AstralFire]

The only reason I don't like it is you're playing D&D with two people then. One of the fun parts for me is watching the players interact and come up with madcap schemes.

there are some benefits to solo games. I've done a few solo campaign sessions - with the right chemistry, they rock as much as full party games, just differently.

[Devils_Advocate]

You could select up to three of these followers at a time for combat with the basic CRPG rules-no swapping anyone with lasting status effects or mid combat. Since it is maptools it would be very simple to make a seperate grid with every follower's portrait and a spot to drag and drop them.

In general I'd have been hoping for a distilled console RPG feeling.

So, you'd try to make it feel like a CRPG, including the standard unrealistic elements, instead of like interacting with an actual world?

I wouldn't want a tabletop RPG to be videogame-like in a way that compromised verisimilitude, personally.

[Zadus]

I think I'd bring in other players to take over those NPC's. Some people are willing to take on strongly defined roles. It would be more like acting for those people. It's also fitting for if people want to try out something they haven't played before.

For me, D&D is about hanging out with good people and having fun. I think your idea could work, but your other person would have to be really game for it though. Upside is you only need one person. Try it out and if its fun, rock rock on.