So, one of the things that I've enjoyed doing occasionally in my campaigns is to create a "party" of antagonist NPCs. Like, literally choose 4 classes, roll up character sheets for them like actual PCs (following all the same character creation rules I impose on the players), and blammo, instant villains. To be fair, I started doing this back before we had umpteen new monsters introduced through various source books, but I still sometimes find it fun to come up with synergistic parties that use different kinds of tactics to trip up my complacent/overconfident heroes.
So, I was wondering, has anyone else experimented with this? What kinds of combinations did you use? What did you find was an appropriate level for your "DMPC's" to be at to challenge your PCs? Any fun stories?
Thanks, and happy gaming!
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"I saw her first. Go find your own genetic time-capsule or, so help me, I'll cut you."
12 years playing an amazing campaign in Harnworld (AD&D rules)
The Anti-Party was in the core of the campaign along with an epic quest. Two groups had almost the same goals. We crossed them time to time and they evolved with us. Some of their members were past members members of our own team. It was fantastic. It flesh out the NPCs like nothing else. They are not the BBEG but a competing group. Must have !
Former members joining the other team. Love it. Gonna use that some day. Well, once I did have a former group member become an antagonist after there was a falling out in the group, but that was a one time event. What you’re taking about sound more organic and ongoing.
I've used this tactic a lot in superhero games (champions), and some in others. The 2nd party becomes a "foil" to the first. In some cases, they can be used to apply pressure in that they may explore a dungeon first and end up with the loot -- this can start a rivalry.
I generally kept them around the same power level (or just a hair higher) than the PCs, with similar though not identical abilities. So both groups may have someone with stealth but they could be different classes. Or both groups have a "tank" type character, but one is a barbarian and another is a battlemaster etc.
I think it's a fun mechanic.
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"An' things ha' come to a pretty pass, ye ken, if people are going to leave stuff like that aroound where innocent people could accidentally smash the door doon and lever the bars aside and take the big chain off'f the cupboard and pick the lock and drink it!"
I think for a D&D anti-party, you might want to do the same classes but different subclasses. Party has a Wild Magic Sorcerer, Anti-Party has a Divine Soul. Party has a LG Light cleric, Anti-party has a NE Death cleric. And so on.
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WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I like doing that as it can provide some depth to the adversaries. I am running a GoS campaign where there is an evil party that works for the BBEG and a competitive party that is a rival. BBEG party is 1 fewer party members but 1 level higher, and the rival party is 1 level lower.
Using the Acquisitions Inc. book makes it even better for the rival party. They are just a different company trying to make money. They are not evil, just not that good.
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Hi all!
So, one of the things that I've enjoyed doing occasionally in my campaigns is to create a "party" of antagonist NPCs. Like, literally choose 4 classes, roll up character sheets for them like actual PCs (following all the same character creation rules I impose on the players), and blammo, instant villains. To be fair, I started doing this back before we had umpteen new monsters introduced through various source books, but I still sometimes find it fun to come up with synergistic parties that use different kinds of tactics to trip up my complacent/overconfident heroes.
So, I was wondering, has anyone else experimented with this? What kinds of combinations did you use? What did you find was an appropriate level for your "DMPC's" to be at to challenge your PCs? Any fun stories?
Thanks, and happy gaming!
"I saw her first. Go find your own genetic time-capsule or, so help me, I'll cut you."
It wasn't D&D, but in Rolemaster the one GM created an anti-party using the exact same class combos we had. Different races though.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
12 years playing an amazing campaign in Harnworld (AD&D rules)
The Anti-Party was in the core of the campaign along with an epic quest. Two groups had almost the same goals. We crossed them time to time and they evolved with us. Some of their members were past members members of our own team. It was fantastic. It flesh out the NPCs like nothing else. They are not the BBEG but a competing group. Must have !
Former members joining the other team. Love it. Gonna use that some day. Well, once I did have a former group member become an antagonist after there was a falling out in the group, but that was a one time event. What you’re taking about sound more organic and ongoing.
I've used this tactic a lot in superhero games (champions), and some in others. The 2nd party becomes a "foil" to the first. In some cases, they can be used to apply pressure in that they may explore a dungeon first and end up with the loot -- this can start a rivalry.
I generally kept them around the same power level (or just a hair higher) than the PCs, with similar though not identical abilities. So both groups may have someone with stealth but they could be different classes. Or both groups have a "tank" type character, but one is a barbarian and another is a battlemaster etc.
I think it's a fun mechanic.
"An' things ha' come to a pretty pass, ye ken, if people are going to leave stuff like that aroound where innocent people could accidentally smash the door doon and lever the bars aside and take the big chain off'f the cupboard and pick the lock and drink it!"
I think for a D&D anti-party, you might want to do the same classes but different subclasses. Party has a Wild Magic Sorcerer, Anti-Party has a Divine Soul. Party has a LG Light cleric, Anti-party has a NE Death cleric. And so on.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I like doing that as it can provide some depth to the adversaries. I am running a GoS campaign where there is an evil party that works for the BBEG and a competitive party that is a rival. BBEG party is 1 fewer party members but 1 level higher, and the rival party is 1 level lower.
Using the Acquisitions Inc. book makes it even better for the rival party. They are just a different company trying to make money. They are not evil, just not that good.