I'm not exactly sure if this is an issue, but my players keep adopting NPCs left and right. Currently they are on a quest to escort a prince to some peace talks so that NPC is accounted for and normal. He will eventually be leaving, but it will take a bit. A little down the road, our paladin hunted down a young bandit and offered for him to come to the party in order for him to change his ways so our paladin got a bandit for a son. This made sense and was actually in character, so I accounted for a new tag-along. With the latest session, they came across a man that was going to become a plot point later (he's essentially possessed by the big bad but they don't know it's the big bad that did it) and after fighting over it, the party was actually like "come along, we'll help you so stay in the party until we can save you."
Technically, they all make pretty good cases that would make the NPCs stay with them but at the same time, I don't think they should have so many tag-alongs. At the very least, I definitely have a way to get rid of the latest addition, but on the flip side, should I? Is this even an issue I should solve? Or should I let them continue adopting people?
If it makes sense, sure, let them. I don't see a problem either way. These don't seem to be tag-alongs that help them much in combat, so it's not like they party is gonna break the campaign or encounters by having these guys.
Personally, I'd find a way for the "young bandit" to leave. His story seems disconnected enough that, without a way to leave, he's just gonna stick with the party forever and turn into a DMPC or a sidekick. I'd start him on some sort of character arc that ends with him going his own way, but there's no rush for that at all. Maybe over the next few levels the Paladin successfully convinces the young bandit to join the Paladin's order (so he has to leave to go join the temple or whatever.) Or maybe the kid find some other calling and has to leave to pursue it. (Or maybe he turns out not to be such a good kid, and in a few days steals some things and runs. I probably wouldn't go down that path if the party's attached to him though.)
Same for the others - have a way out in mind for them. Doesn't have to be immediate, but make sure that progress towards ending their character arc keeps happening.
If they are contributing meaningfully to challenges: picking locks, fighting monster, etc., they should get an equal share of the xp, not to mention the gold. That alone usually stops players from adopting too many of them.
And remember you have the final say here. They can only adopt an NPC if you let them. You can always have the NPC say thanks, but I’ll go do my own thing. If they’re really memorable, you can always have them show up again, which can help the world feel more lived I.
I have this exact problem, I personally don't mind but it's also making it much easier for them to win battle's with no issue :/ I have to keep throwing in much harder enemies to replace the default npc monsters.
They currently have tamed 3 wolves, a giant spider, a goblin one's made a squire and attempted to with a young green dragon which I just low key made impossible. I get it's a fun concept to tame things but it's also super hard to keep the game challenging when they have an army of creatures they've picked up along the way.
Note: I'm doing the starter campaign since I'm a new DM so by default most the encounters are pretty basic one's.
I have this exact problem, I personally don't mind but it's also making it much easier for them to win battle's with no issue :/ I have to keep throwing in much harder enemies to replace the default npc monsters.
They currently have tamed 3 wolves, a giant spider, a goblin one's made a squire and attempted to with a young green dragon which I just low key made impossible. I get it's a fun concept to tame things but it's also super hard to keep the game challenging when they have an army of creatures they've picked up along the way.
Note: I'm doing the starter campaign since I'm a new DM so by default most the encounters are pretty basic one's.
See, those things to me seem too far. I don't think, in the intro adventures, the party could actually tame wolves or a spider to the point where they're useful in combat.
It's one thing to get a wolf to leave you alone for a bit. Give it some food, make a good animal handling check or have a druid cast some animal-related spell, etc. That's fine. The wolf might even like you. But actually taming a wolf to the point that it follows you around and contributes in combat? That probably takes quite a lot of work and training.
I don't even know if you *could* tame a giant spider. Spiders aren't particularly social animals.
And you certainly couldn't "tame" a dragon - a dragon is probably far more intelligent than a human. You could befriend a dragon, or more likely you could seem useful or amusing for now to the dragon, or if you're powerful enough you could enslave a dragon but I don't see how you could ever tame one. That's not "low-key impossible", that's hard impossible, like not even in the ballpark of possible.
I think the OP presented party members which make sense, but I don't think these do. What did the players DO to successfully get all these followers?
Jackal, you can always kill off their pets. A fireball or two should be able to put them down. The players may try to revive them, but they’ll soon learn the game’s action economy will punish them for losing turns to save their pets. And if they are ordering a wolf to attack, there goes their action for the round. They shouldn’t be able to attack and command a pet on the same turn, just ask a ranger. Most times, pets are cooler for flavor than they are effective in a fight.
I'm not exactly sure if this is an issue, but my players keep adopting NPCs left and right. Currently they are on a quest to escort a prince to some peace talks so that NPC is accounted for and normal. He will eventually be leaving, but it will take a bit. A little down the road, our paladin hunted down a young bandit and offered for him to come to the party in order for him to change his ways so our paladin got a bandit for a son. This made sense and was actually in character, so I accounted for a new tag-along. With the latest session, they came across a man that was going to become a plot point later (he's essentially possessed by the big bad but they don't know it's the big bad that did it) and after fighting over it, the party was actually like "come along, we'll help you so stay in the party until we can save you."
Technically, they all make pretty good cases that would make the NPCs stay with them but at the same time, I don't think they should have so many tag-alongs. At the very least, I definitely have a way to get rid of the latest addition, but on the flip side, should I? Is this even an issue I should solve? Or should I let them continue adopting people?
If you want to discourage this, then remind them that the world is a dangerous place. There is a reason why they should leave that man in the hands of a local priest or whatever while they go adventuring for a way to save them. It's called traps or orcs or whatever. If they're high enough level, throw a fireball at them: they'll all survive, but their companions will likely bite the dust. And if they try to save them, remind them that, like monsters, NPCs don't get death saves.
Remind them that not everyone is suited for jumping into dungeons for treasure. They'll get the point to leave the squishies "back at base". As long as you aren't unfair with danger, it shouldn't be too unpopular (You didn't kill the NPCs, the players' bad decision making did.)
I have this exact problem, I personally don't mind but it's also making it much easier for them to win battle's with no issue :/ I have to keep throwing in much harder enemies to replace the default npc monsters.
They currently have tamed 3 wolves, a giant spider, a goblin one's made a squire and attempted to with a young green dragon which I just low key made impossible. I get it's a fun concept to tame things but it's also super hard to keep the game challenging when they have an army of creatures they've picked up along the way.
Note: I'm doing the starter campaign since I'm a new DM so by default most the encounters are pretty basic one's.
It might sound to me that you are making it far too easy to tame wild animals. I would say that taming a wild wolf is at least 25 DC (or even more/perhaps simply not possible). Succeeding on a Animal Handling roll, should not allow you to "tame" the animal - not even on a natural 20.
Having sidekicks animals is a nightmare (in my opinion). Mainly because the players usually ONLY remembers them when they "need" them. Never when they would be a problem, which means they become you as a DM's responsibility. I often end up in situations like this: "The players are attacked by something, and of course remembers that they have the wolves. I have of course forgotten (trying to "play" the rest of the world), and suddenly asks: "Uhm... yes, but how did you get them through that city you've visited and up that cliff you've climbed?"" BUt if they work for you - cool :-)
IMO, taming a wild wolf isn't a single check. A good animal handling roll means maybe it will take a piece of meat from you and not try to tear your arm off, but it doesn't make the wolf your instant best friend. Taming the wolf would take repeated checks over - seriously - months.
It's not a big deal. If they can make realistic cases to get an NPC to join their merry band, why not. But bear in mind, they may not be helpful in combat. Maybe even detrimental if they're not a skilled fighter. And they may get targeted by an enemy and killed. And if they're involved in anything too hairy, they very well might reconsider the idea of sticking with you. Adventuring's not for everyone, after all!
Make an NPC that joins them a (rightly) wanted man (that he hasn't told them about). If anything, they'll learn that people lie. Or have him steal their stuff and run off in the night. I mean, there is a reason we were all told not to talk to strangers.
The other alternative is, they can join the party but don't actually fight. Have the NPC's stay back at camp, or at the entrance to the dungeon, or cower and fight only to defend themselves when ambushed. You could also do something to provide a safe haven for them (In one of the streams I watch, one of the players revealed there's a village populated with refugees that she helped to rescue. If you feel so inclined, you could provide something similar to that as well)
I have this exact problem, I personally don't mind but it's also making it much easier for them to win battle's with no issue :/ I have to keep throwing in much harder enemies to replace the default npc monsters.
They currently have tamed 3 wolves, a giant spider, a goblin one's made a squire and attempted to with a young green dragon which I just low key made impossible. I get it's a fun concept to tame things but it's also super hard to keep the game challenging when they have an army of creatures they've picked up along the way.
Note: I'm doing the starter campaign since I'm a new DM so by default most the encounters are pretty basic one's.
It might sound to me that you are making it far too easy to tame wild animals. I would say that taming a wild wolf is at least 25 DC (or even more/perhaps simply not possible). Succeeding on a Animal Handling roll, should not allow you to "tame" the animal - not even on a natural 20.
Having sidekicks animals is a nightmare (in my opinion). Mainly because the players usually ONLY remembers them when they "need" them. Never when they would be a problem, which means they become you as a DM's responsibility. I often end up in situations like this: "The players are attacked by something, and of course remembers that they have the wolves. I have of course forgotten (trying to "play" the rest of the world), and suddenly asks: "Uhm... yes, but how did you get them through that city you've visited and up that cliff you've climbed?"" BUt if they work for you - cool :-)
The party has gotten better the last two sessions, they've decided to send the wolves away and keep the spider. But yeah I knew a Dragon would probably be impossible so I just made that impossible seems they are their own being. You could maybe talk your way out of it fighting you but to actually "Tame" it nah! But yeah they've used them maybe once or twice in combat but they kinda just have them following doing nothing with them. Our druid and fighter have made the spider a mount so I mean they're trying to make that useful now and the rouge who keeps befriending goblins and hobgoblins now is using them in combat but it still has made it to easy for them to win. My entire campaign no one's gone down, some have been close but then they just out-do everything I throw at them XD
It is just a starter campaign with edited enemies. But I think next campaign I'll make thing harder/or impossible to tame with-in reason of course. I have been doing some reading up in my DM hand book and it's definitely given me some tips for next time :)
And as for how they got them, I didn't make it easy, I hoped they'd give up but they didn't XD Basically with the animals it was talking with animals abilities, animal handling trait and just offering them food or convincing them that being with them was more beneficial. With the goblins and hobgoblins the rouge is just super good with deceiving/persuasion and has been lucky with rolls. It took time for him to make them accept his offer and most he's sent off to a run down fort he's claimed to restore as "guards". So I guess the fact he's only got one goblin following is ok.
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DM and player since late 2018. Been interested in D&D for a few years prior.
I'm from Western Australia, androgynous female, artist, gamer and lover or all things fantasy.
Hey, one (unusual) mount and one goblin as a follower? All things considered, I'd say that's far from breaking the game (and yeah, dice rolls are dice rolls, what can you do about that lol).
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I'm not exactly sure if this is an issue, but my players keep adopting NPCs left and right. Currently they are on a quest to escort a prince to some peace talks so that NPC is accounted for and normal. He will eventually be leaving, but it will take a bit. A little down the road, our paladin hunted down a young bandit and offered for him to come to the party in order for him to change his ways so our paladin got a bandit for a son. This made sense and was actually in character, so I accounted for a new tag-along. With the latest session, they came across a man that was going to become a plot point later (he's essentially possessed by the big bad but they don't know it's the big bad that did it) and after fighting over it, the party was actually like "come along, we'll help you so stay in the party until we can save you."
Technically, they all make pretty good cases that would make the NPCs stay with them but at the same time, I don't think they should have so many tag-alongs. At the very least, I definitely have a way to get rid of the latest addition, but on the flip side, should I? Is this even an issue I should solve? Or should I let them continue adopting people?
If it makes sense, sure, let them. I don't see a problem either way. These don't seem to be tag-alongs that help them much in combat, so it's not like they party is gonna break the campaign or encounters by having these guys.
Personally, I'd find a way for the "young bandit" to leave. His story seems disconnected enough that, without a way to leave, he's just gonna stick with the party forever and turn into a DMPC or a sidekick. I'd start him on some sort of character arc that ends with him going his own way, but there's no rush for that at all. Maybe over the next few levels the Paladin successfully convinces the young bandit to join the Paladin's order (so he has to leave to go join the temple or whatever.) Or maybe the kid find some other calling and has to leave to pursue it. (Or maybe he turns out not to be such a good kid, and in a few days steals some things and runs. I probably wouldn't go down that path if the party's attached to him though.)
Same for the others - have a way out in mind for them. Doesn't have to be immediate, but make sure that progress towards ending their character arc keeps happening.
If they are contributing meaningfully to challenges: picking locks, fighting monster, etc., they should get an equal share of the xp, not to mention the gold. That alone usually stops players from adopting too many of them.
And remember you have the final say here. They can only adopt an NPC if you let them. You can always have the NPC say thanks, but I’ll go do my own thing. If they’re really memorable, you can always have them show up again, which can help the world feel more lived I.
I have this exact problem, I personally don't mind but it's also making it much easier for them to win battle's with no issue :/
I have to keep throwing in much harder enemies to replace the default npc monsters.
They currently have tamed 3 wolves, a giant spider, a goblin one's made a squire and attempted to with a young green dragon which I just low key made impossible. I get it's a fun concept to tame things but it's also super hard to keep the game challenging when they have an army of creatures they've picked up along the way.
Note: I'm doing the starter campaign since I'm a new DM so by default most the encounters are pretty basic one's.
DM and player since late 2018. Been interested in D&D for a few years prior.
I'm from Western Australia, androgynous female, artist, gamer and lover or all things fantasy.
My Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ashenonicreations
See, those things to me seem too far. I don't think, in the intro adventures, the party could actually tame wolves or a spider to the point where they're useful in combat.
It's one thing to get a wolf to leave you alone for a bit. Give it some food, make a good animal handling check or have a druid cast some animal-related spell, etc. That's fine. The wolf might even like you. But actually taming a wolf to the point that it follows you around and contributes in combat? That probably takes quite a lot of work and training.
I don't even know if you *could* tame a giant spider. Spiders aren't particularly social animals.
And you certainly couldn't "tame" a dragon - a dragon is probably far more intelligent than a human. You could befriend a dragon, or more likely you could seem useful or amusing for now to the dragon, or if you're powerful enough you could enslave a dragon but I don't see how you could ever tame one. That's not "low-key impossible", that's hard impossible, like not even in the ballpark of possible.
I think the OP presented party members which make sense, but I don't think these do. What did the players DO to successfully get all these followers?
Jackal, you can always kill off their pets. A fireball or two should be able to put them down. The players may try to revive them, but they’ll soon learn the game’s action economy will punish them for losing turns to save their pets. And if they are ordering a wolf to attack, there goes their action for the round. They shouldn’t be able to attack and command a pet on the same turn, just ask a ranger. Most times, pets are cooler for flavor than they are effective in a fight.
If you want to discourage this, then remind them that the world is a dangerous place. There is a reason why they should leave that man in the hands of a local priest or whatever while they go adventuring for a way to save them. It's called traps or orcs or whatever. If they're high enough level, throw a fireball at them: they'll all survive, but their companions will likely bite the dust. And if they try to save them, remind them that, like monsters, NPCs don't get death saves.
Remind them that not everyone is suited for jumping into dungeons for treasure. They'll get the point to leave the squishies "back at base". As long as you aren't unfair with danger, it shouldn't be too unpopular (You didn't kill the NPCs, the players' bad decision making did.)
Thanks appreciated! And yeah I'm still somewhat new to DMing so still learning how to deal with certain things like this.
DM and player since late 2018. Been interested in D&D for a few years prior.
I'm from Western Australia, androgynous female, artist, gamer and lover or all things fantasy.
My Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ashenonicreations
It might sound to me that you are making it far too easy to tame wild animals. I would say that taming a wild wolf is at least 25 DC (or even more/perhaps simply not possible). Succeeding on a Animal Handling roll, should not allow you to "tame" the animal - not even on a natural 20.
Having sidekicks animals is a nightmare (in my opinion). Mainly because the players usually ONLY remembers them when they "need" them. Never when they would be a problem, which means they become you as a DM's responsibility. I often end up in situations like this: "The players are attacked by something, and of course remembers that they have the wolves. I have of course forgotten (trying to "play" the rest of the world), and suddenly asks: "Uhm... yes, but how did you get them through that city you've visited and up that cliff you've climbed?"" BUt if they work for you - cool :-)
Ludo ergo sum!
IMO, taming a wild wolf isn't a single check. A good animal handling roll means maybe it will take a piece of meat from you and not try to tear your arm off, but it doesn't make the wolf your instant best friend. Taming the wolf would take repeated checks over - seriously - months.
It's not a big deal. If they can make realistic cases to get an NPC to join their merry band, why not. But bear in mind, they may not be helpful in combat. Maybe even detrimental if they're not a skilled fighter. And they may get targeted by an enemy and killed. And if they're involved in anything too hairy, they very well might reconsider the idea of sticking with you. Adventuring's not for everyone, after all!
Make an NPC that joins them a (rightly) wanted man (that he hasn't told them about). If anything, they'll learn that people lie. Or have him steal their stuff and run off in the night. I mean, there is a reason we were all told not to talk to strangers.
The other alternative is, they can join the party but don't actually fight. Have the NPC's stay back at camp, or at the entrance to the dungeon, or cower and fight only to defend themselves when ambushed. You could also do something to provide a safe haven for them (In one of the streams I watch, one of the players revealed there's a village populated with refugees that she helped to rescue. If you feel so inclined, you could provide something similar to that as well)
The party has gotten better the last two sessions, they've decided to send the wolves away and keep the spider.
But yeah I knew a Dragon would probably be impossible so I just made that impossible seems they are their own being. You could maybe talk your way out of it fighting you but to actually "Tame" it nah! But yeah they've used them maybe once or twice in combat but they kinda just have them following doing nothing with them. Our druid and fighter have made the spider a mount so I mean they're trying to make that useful now and the rouge who keeps befriending goblins and hobgoblins now is using them in combat but it still has made it to easy for them to win. My entire campaign no one's gone down, some have been close but then they just out-do everything I throw at them XD
It is just a starter campaign with edited enemies. But I think next campaign I'll make thing harder/or impossible to tame with-in reason of course. I have been doing some reading up in my DM hand book and it's definitely given me some tips for next time :)
And as for how they got them, I didn't make it easy, I hoped they'd give up but they didn't XD
Basically with the animals it was talking with animals abilities, animal handling trait and just offering them food or convincing them that being with them was more beneficial. With the goblins and hobgoblins the rouge is just super good with deceiving/persuasion and has been lucky with rolls. It took time for him to make them accept his offer and most he's sent off to a run down fort he's claimed to restore as "guards". So I guess the fact he's only got one goblin following is ok.
DM and player since late 2018. Been interested in D&D for a few years prior.
I'm from Western Australia, androgynous female, artist, gamer and lover or all things fantasy.
My Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ashenonicreations
Hey, one (unusual) mount and one goblin as a follower? All things considered, I'd say that's far from breaking the game (and yeah, dice rolls are dice rolls, what can you do about that lol).