Sidekick PCs

[Tough Butter]

Has anyone ever tried something like this?

I've always pondered the idea of making a character who is extremely underpowered when compared to another, heavily min/maxed character. You know, a sidekick.

My brother tried something like this during a super-spy campaign in which he was a plain and simple getaway driver. He wasn't powerful at all, yet still fit in nicely with the group.

What do you think? Can it be done? Have any of you guys tried this before?

[caden_varn]

It depends on the group and the focus of the game. The PC wants to be able to be active within the game. If the game is heavy on the roleplay & in-character interaction between PCs it can work well, but if the game is dominated by one aspect of the game, for instance combat, PCs who cannot contribute meaningfully to that aspect are likely to be frustrating and/or boring to play.
Now, it is possible to have a sidekick character that works in such a game - a dim thug is a staple henchman type, so can work well as a sidekick in a combat focused game.

It is also important that the player with the sidekick is happy with the role. If it was their idea that is presumably fine. They also need to check that the person/people whose sidekick they want to be is happy with that too.

The main thing is to create a sidekick that still has something proactive to do in the game, and that this role comes up enough to keep the player happy - aiming for equal spotloght time between characters is generally the ideal.

[Quertus]

I have fond memories of playing a 1st level character in a 7th level game, so if course I vote "yes".

[Red Fel]

Sidekicks don't have to be underpowered, is my thing; they can be differently powered, even in a way that doesn't see a lot of use. For example, in a combat-heavy campaign, the small, wiry sidekick may not be as valuable in a fight, but will be brilliant in an escape scenario, or one that involves crawling through small spaces (e.g. ventilation shafts). And, of course, he can use being easily underestimated to his advantage. In a giant mecha campaign, the guy who doesn't pilot mecha or operate heavy weapons won't be very useful a lot of the time, but if he's a mechanic or has a natural gift for spotting structural flaws or weaknesses, he can still offer a valuable asset to the party. In an Indiana Jones-style dungeon delve adventure, the guy who can't leap or climb or use a great weapon is at a disadvantage, but if he's the only one who can decipher the ancient runes, there's a great reason to keep him around.

That's my hangup. I love the idea of sidekick characters; I loathe the idea of severely underpowering a character to pull it off.

[Grod_The_Giant]

As has been touched on, I think the important thing is to have equal narrative power. All characters should have roughly equal amounts of time in the spotlight and ability to drive the plot. It probably works best in a game with more story-based mechanics (Fate, Cortex, etc) than a more simulationist one (D&D, White Wolf games, etc)-- that way you can have less in-universe "skill" or "power" but still contribute equally.

Sidekicks don't have to be underpowered, is my thing; they can be differently powered, even in a way that doesn't see a lot of use. For example, in a combat-heavy campaign, the small, wiry sidekick may not be as valuable in a fight, but will be brilliant in an escape scenario, or one that involves crawling through small spaces (e.g. ventilation shafts). And, of course, he can use being easily underestimated to his advantage. In a giant mecha campaign, the guy who doesn't pilot mecha or operate heavy weapons won't be very useful a lot of the time, but if he's a mechanic or has a natural gift for spotting structural flaws or weaknesses, he can still offer a valuable asset to the party. In an Indiana Jones-style dungeon delve adventure, the guy who can't leap or climb or use a great weapon is at a disadvantage, but if he's the only one who can decipher the ancient runes, there's a great reason to keep him around.

Or conversely, the big dumb brawler and the smart "main" protagonist; that's always a fun pairing. I'm currently playing "Big Joey Harrington" in a Fate game (key aspects: Everyone's Favorite Goon, Big as a House and Just as Smart), spending a lot of time just kind of following the other characters around and taking orders, and it's been a good time.

[Red Fel]

Or conversely, the big dumb brawler and the smart "main" protagonist; that's always a fun pairing. I'm currently playing "Big Joey Harrington" in a Fate game (key aspects: Everyone's Favorite Goon, Big as a House and Just as Smart), spending a lot of time just kind of following the other characters around and taking orders, and it's been a good time.

More importantly, a pairing like that raises the question of, "Which one is really the sidekick?" When each character contributes differently, there may be times when the sidekick becomes the leader, and the leader the sidekick. Trading roles as the situation demands creates fun scenarios and, unless your game is actually designed to showcase a single character (really?), generally makes more enjoyment and involvement for everyone.

[Kitten Champion]

I agree that there doesn't have to be this huge gap in general ability. Something like Anakin and Obi-Wan - the difference between them wasn't really skill and certainly not overall potential - rather Obi-Wan had the temperament and experience Anakin lacked. Which, in certain situations where impulsiveness or non-orthodox thinking could be useful, isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Another example is Tiger & Bunny. Where - at least at first - the titular duo share the same exact power, and the newcomer Barnaby is portrayed generally as more intelligent and competent than Kotetsu overall. Kotetsu still eventually becomes the mentor in their relationship however, because his greater life experiences and stable optimistic personality make him more dependable and well-rounded as a Superhero if somewhat clumsy and dull.

Point being, it's a dynamic rooted in difference in experience - not RPG XP-experience experience - but the kind that's somewhat less tangible on a character sheet.