The idea is that they're NPC's that join the party throughout their adventure. But I dont want them to be seen by other players because it will be spoilery. The idea is that there would be a toggle function on the character on the campaign list. So whenever I toggle that on/off they would visible or invisible. Ideally I don't want any names or anything like that to be seen. I also play online via aboveVTT so whenever the players login to their d&d beyond account and join the game via the above vtt extension on the browser, they can see all the current players/npc's that are in the campaign. Hope that clears things up.
This sounds like a scenario that would only come up occasionally (I.e. you don’t have these NPCs flipping back and forth every session). Is it that much of a lift to add the character to a campaign and then remove them? It’s just one click unless I’m missing something.
The idea is that they're NPC's that join the party throughout their adventure. But I dont want them to be seen by other players because it will be spoilery. The idea is that there would be a toggle function on the character on the campaign list. So whenever I toggle that on/off they would visible or invisible. Ideally I don't want any names or anything like that to be seen. I also play online via aboveVTT so whenever the players login to their d&d beyond account and join the game via the above vtt extension on the browser, they can see all the current players/npc's that are in the campaign. Hope that clears things up.
This is the wrong way to build NPCs. You should be using the Create a Monster option.
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Lightning Strike - A rebranded Fire Bolt for Wizards & Sorcerers.
Spirit Bomb - A holy fireball for Clerics, Paladins, & Divine Soul Sorcerers!
Sword Dancer - A Cleric subclass specifically for the Drow goddess Eilistraee.
The idea may seem simple and not such a big deal but the thing is that I do create NPC's using the character sheets. I dont like monster blocks for them because they're not... monsters lol. They're characters that are just not controlled by the players. They join the party just like the players. For the enemy NPC's however, I use monster blocks.
What @Surragard has mentioned:" This sounds like a scenario that would only come up occasionally (I.e. you don’t have these NPCs flipping back and forth every session). Is it that much of a lift to add the character to a campaign and then remove them? It’s just one click unless I’m missing something. "
My answer to that is yes it does only come up occasionally. But it's often enough every 10 or so sessions that an NPC will join my small squad. When we play through AboveVTT we join the game through d&d beyond and the players can see whoever's joined the squad/group. If I add a character during the session, it doesn't actually sync with the AboveVTT plugin so I actually need to refresh the page to sync the new NPC. This stops the flow of the game with music going on, delays me setting this up again and is a bit of a hassle although only minor.
It would help me as the DM with management of the game. The NPC's sheet needs to be accessible to me but the NPC just needs to not be visible under the list of party members. The characters that are classified as "Unassigned" are still visible to the players (unless I can change that somehow?)
My aim is to not have just a huge player centric focused story, but also have the NPC's have a strong influence on the players and their stories, so I end up adding in quite a few to add to their stories. It's a way for me to kinda "play" with them as opposed to being story hooks.
The idea is that they're NPC's that join the party throughout their adventure.
This is the wrong way to build NPCs. You should be using the Create a Monster option.
NPCs that join the party ought to be made as characters; the system is designed for characters on one side, monsters on the other.
No, they shouldn't. NPCs are not built the same way as PCs. Go look at any NPC stat block and you'll see.
There are three types of NPCs:
Those that will, or at least may, fight the party. You stat them up as monsters. This includes all the archmage, bandit, etc.
Those that will fight alongside the party. You stat them up as characters, because the encounter calculations are built around characters vs monsters, and a monster stat block is both weirdly tanky and underpowered in damage compared to a supposedly equivalent PC. (And the encounter builder here will screw up the calculations if you don't.)
Those who aren't likely to engage in combat. You don't bother to stat them up, or you do so as #1, because you can't stop the players from attempting murder.
Those who might be class 1 or class 2, depending on circumstance. You probably end up starting them up as type 1, and redo as type 2 if they join the party.
Nothing's stopping you for having a monster stat block fight alongside the PCs, but the mechanics discourage it.
The idea is that they're NPC's that join the party throughout their adventure.
This is the wrong way to build NPCs. You should be using the Create a Monster option.
NPCs that join the party ought to be made as characters; the system is designed for characters on one side, monsters on the other.
No, they shouldn't. NPCs are not built the same way as PCs. Go look at any NPC stat block and you'll see.
There are three types of NPCs:
Those that will, or at least may, fight the party. You stat them up as monsters. This includes all the archmage, bandit, etc.
Those that will fight alongside the party. You stat them up as characters, because the encounter calculations are built around characters vs monsters, and a monster stat block is both weirdly tanky and underpowered in damage compared to a supposedly equivalent PC. (And the encounter builder here will screw up the calculations if you don't.)
Those who aren't likely to engage in combat. You don't bother to stat them up, or you do so as #1, because you can't stop the players from attempting murder.
Those who might be class 1 or class 2, depending on circumstance. You probably end up starting them up as type 1, and redo as type 2 if they join the party.
Nothing's stopping you for having a monster stat block fight alongside the PCs, but the mechanics discourage it.
Can there be a function to allow the DM to create multiple characters for their campaign but make them completely invisble to the players please?
Saves alot of time having to have them created seperately and not within the campaign. So dont have to constantly go back and forth.
What purpose are you using these characters for, where the minimal information of a private character won't suffice?
If they're enemies, you really ought to be building them as monsters; it's how the system was designed and balanced.
The idea is that they're NPC's that join the party throughout their adventure. But I dont want them to be seen by other players because it will be spoilery. The idea is that there would be a toggle function on the character on the campaign list. So whenever I toggle that on/off they would visible or invisible. Ideally I don't want any names or anything like that to be seen. I also play online via aboveVTT so whenever the players login to their d&d beyond account and join the game via the above vtt extension on the browser, they can see all the current players/npc's that are in the campaign. Hope that clears things up.
So you want a homebrew function supported by a site that typically relies on RAW because it'd be convenient?
Because what you're talking about is homebrew.
DM, player & homebrewer(Current homebrew project is an unofficial conversion of SBURB/SGRUB from Homestuck into DND 5e)
Once made Maxwell's Silver Hammer come down upon Strahd's head to make sure he was dead.
Always study & sharpen philosophical razors. They save a lot of trouble.
This sounds like a scenario that would only come up occasionally (I.e. you don’t have these NPCs flipping back and forth every session). Is it that much of a lift to add the character to a campaign and then remove them? It’s just one click unless I’m missing something.
This is the wrong way to build NPCs. You should be using the Create a Monster option.
Lightning Strike - A rebranded Fire Bolt for Wizards & Sorcerers.
Spirit Bomb - A holy fireball for Clerics, Paladins, & Divine Soul Sorcerers!
Sword Dancer - A Cleric subclass specifically for the Drow goddess Eilistraee.
Quicksilver & The Scarlet Witch - A pair of magical firearms for your Gunslinger or Artificer.
NPCs that join the party ought to be made as characters; the system is designed for characters on one side, monsters on the other.
Sorry, don't quite see how this has anything to do with RAW or it being homebrew?
The idea may seem simple and not such a big deal but the thing is that I do create NPC's using the character sheets. I dont like monster blocks for them because they're not... monsters lol. They're characters that are just not controlled by the players. They join the party just like the players. For the enemy NPC's however, I use monster blocks.
What @Surragard has mentioned:" This sounds like a scenario that would only come up occasionally (I.e. you don’t have these NPCs flipping back and forth every session). Is it that much of a lift to add the character to a campaign and then remove them? It’s just one click unless I’m missing something. "
My answer to that is yes it does only come up occasionally. But it's often enough every 10 or so sessions that an NPC will join my small squad. When we play through AboveVTT we join the game through d&d beyond and the players can see whoever's joined the squad/group. If I add a character during the session, it doesn't actually sync with the AboveVTT plugin so I actually need to refresh the page to sync the new NPC. This stops the flow of the game with music going on, delays me setting this up again and is a bit of a hassle although only minor.
It would help me as the DM with management of the game. The NPC's sheet needs to be accessible to me but the NPC just needs to not be visible under the list of party members. The characters that are classified as "Unassigned" are still visible to the players (unless I can change that somehow?)
My aim is to not have just a huge player centric focused story, but also have the NPC's have a strong influence on the players and their stories, so I end up adding in quite a few to add to their stories. It's a way for me to kinda "play" with them as opposed to being story hooks.
No, they shouldn't. NPCs are not built the same way as PCs. Go look at any NPC stat block and you'll see.
Lightning Strike - A rebranded Fire Bolt for Wizards & Sorcerers.
Spirit Bomb - A holy fireball for Clerics, Paladins, & Divine Soul Sorcerers!
Sword Dancer - A Cleric subclass specifically for the Drow goddess Eilistraee.
Quicksilver & The Scarlet Witch - A pair of magical firearms for your Gunslinger or Artificer.
There are three types of NPCs:
Nothing's stopping you for having a monster stat block fight alongside the PCs, but the mechanics discourage it.
While this is a reasonable way to do this if it works for you, I think it's worth pointing out that the Dungeon Master's Guide has a section with advice for how to create and handle NPCs, and it's a bit different: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/dmg-2024/dms-toolbox#NonplayerCharacters
In particular, it does not advise creating them as full-on PCs, even if they're expected to join the party on a regular basis.
pronouns: he/she/they