I want to make AND play a campaign

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Here is my problem, I have thought of a brilliant concept for a campaign based a little bit on the plot of Half Life 2. Basically a group of CN to CG to NG freedom fighters take it upon themselves to overthrow an opressive government of invading LE cloud giants, moving about the world just as Gordon Freeman did, using more or less of an underground railroad to invade and do away with the cloud giant citidel. The problem is, I think I'm the only one of the people I know that can even make this (because I'm the only one of my friends willing to pick up an Xbox controller), but I want to play it so badly. I'm preparing myself for the fact this is an inescapable dilema and I can either make it and DM, or have someone else make it and expect something not as good as what I have envisioned. One important detail I almost forgot, I hate DMPC's, I find them somewhat objectional.

[Miles Invictus]

Stat it out! Here, I mean. As many people as there are here, you've got good odds on finding someone who can do it justice that is willing to DM a game on the board.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Stat it out! Here, I mean. As many people as there are here, you've got good odds on finding someone who can do it justice that is willing to DM a game on the board.

Another little snag there. My friend and I already have character concepts and we're both heavy set on doing this with our little group of friends on a tabletop. Not to mention only one other person in this small group of friends is at all willing to join any message boards...My friends are so lame... D:

[Miles Invictus]

Maybe you and your friend should alternate DM'ing, since it sounds like both of you are pretty enthusiastic about the idea. That way, you'd get to play, but it won't get too far off-track.

[OOTS_Rules.]

Be an NPC. That is what I always do.

[Matthew]

Not really sure I see the problem. You get to play 'everybody else' when you are the DM. If it is that you want to be surprised by plot twists and turns, then really you have to hope someone else will run it. Chances are, though, that they won't run it how you imagined it.

Consider writing as an outlet...

[Renegade Paladin]

I've had this problem before. Came up with a campaign idea, turned it over to a different DM, and watched him royally screw it up. (And no, he didn't just screw up my idea; he screwed up the game completely. Six levels of XP all at once and then turning Thay and the Zhents loose on us at the same time... Ouch.)

[clericwithnogod]

You can, if you're careful, pull this off as a DMPC/NPC. Some things that are difficult to do right can really turn out well and this is one of them.

Consider avoiding:
1) Being a spellcaster. You don't want to be the guy with the right spell always prepared for the situation and it's a fuzzy line between what you would figure out as a player and what you know as a DM.
2) Being a rogue or other scout. Again, you don't want to be the guy that scouts around for the things you've prepared like ambushes and traps. If you find them, it looks bad. If you don't find them, it looks worse.
3) Taking a lead in NPC interactions or decision making for the party.

Consider doing:
1) Playing something like a warblade. You get a fun varied character that doesn't necessarily have to be involved in plot decisions. Lack of Sense Motive, Spot and Listen keeps him out of the figuring out what is going on role, but you can still use Intimidate or Diplomacy to handle NPC interactions via dice roll rather than DM decision.
2) Preparation. Plan if-then results on events in advance and stick to them. This allows the actions/success/failure of the party to determine plot twists. Set DCs for certain certain NPC actions associated to outcomes of events and set events to happen on based upon rolls related to the actions of the party. Create things that happen on a timeline with the timeline based upon both actions of the party and an INT roll, WILL save or somesuch, to make the exact course of events a surprise even to you.
3) Play a character with an agenda hidden from the rest of the party and include suitable members of the party individually in bits and pieces of your personal plots.

[Jack Zander]

DMPCs can be any class. Just make sure that if they are a rogue or the like that they only search for traps when asked by the party. And avoid playing wizard and go sorcerer if you want an arcane spellcaster. Even a DMPC can't switch his sorcerer spells each day to optimize. And don't buy scrolls either.

[Viscount Einstrauss]

Actually, I have several DMA's in my present campaign that are rogues. Most of them are just total jerks to the players and have a habit of either not telling them everything they really need to know or purposely putting the party in danger for their own benefit.

If my DMA's cast spells, I set them up with spells based on contingency, not on "winning". I give them a good list that could apply to many situations without applying any serious cheese. Thus, I try to let the other players outshine my DMA's so that I can play without interfering with the other guys playing.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

The character I thought of and created for fun as an 11th level character is a Barbarian/Hellreaver. So spellcasting isn't a problem.

[Tellah]

DMPCs are a bad idea. In a normal campaign, each player gets a certain share of the spotlight, while the DM gets a significantly larger share. Add in a DMPC, and your players don't even have the monopoly on fighting the monsters. Why invite other people to play at all?

A better idea is to have mercenaries the players can hire when the going gets tough. Let the players choose if there will be DMPCs or not. If your players are anything like those I've known, they'll probably prefer to do it on their own.

[Viscount Einstrauss]

Or just treat them like standard NPC's- they don't just offer to join the party or some nonsense like that, but are actually a driving force in the story that can be ignored/fought/allied with as the players see fit. Really, the only difference there ought to be between an NPC and a DMA is the care the DM puts into crafting his avatars.

[prufock]

DMPCs are a bad idea. In a normal campaign, each player gets a certain share of the spotlight, while the DM gets a significantly larger share. Add in a DMPC, and your players don't even have the monopoly on fighting the monsters. Why invite other people to play at all?

A better idea is to have mercenaries the players can hire when the going gets tough. Let the players choose if there will be DMPCs or not. If your players are anything like those I've known, they'll probably prefer to do it on their own.

Yeah, but who plays the mercenaries?

DMCs are fine if you can handle not hogging the spotlight.

[TheOOB]

I'm acually playing in a campaign now with multiple GMs, we trade off every once in awhile. It acually works quite well.

[Hallavast]

You are doomed, my dear Krimm. No one will DM this situation like you want them to, and noone will play it out well either. It's also not very fun to make a campaign and play it yourself. You are thoroughly screwed, and I know exactly how you feel.

I was in a similar situation. I had the perfect character fleshed out. His story was awesome. I had a perfect campaign planned for him to play in, but nobody could DM it right. The other players were not as fleshed out as my own and they didn't fit with his story. The character is my username's namesake, and he has been collecting dust for months. I eventually plan to play him in a different setting, but it won't be as perfect as the one I planned out for him. So now I'm writing a novel about it. ah... memories...