Hey everyone. I'm rather new to all of this and have taken in upon myself to start DMing a game with my girlfriend. I'll be running us through THE CURSE OF STRAHD campaign. I understand that there needs to be more than 1 PC in the game and wanted everyone's input on a DM running a game and also making a PC that I'll also be playing as. My GF has indicated that she is willing to run 2 PC's.
Now the real question is this. Is it frowned upon for a DM to have a PC? Also does anyone have any experience doing this on their own and did it cause any issues aside from the added load of having to be all the NPC's and have your own PC to juggle?
I am semi-new to DMing myself... but i do pay a legit PC in the campaign with my BF and our friend (cuz 2 pcs is just no fun... right?).
From what I understand it is kind of frowned upon (you already know whats going to happen, where stuff is etc). They way I do it is any information like that I play my character as if I don't know that information. It's hard and some times my PC gets sidelined a bit in the RP action as I am focused on the NPCs, but I am ok with that cuz my character is kind of outspoken and quiet anyways lol. But I try to counteract the knowing of information by calling for more rolls from myself than i would the others. Especially when it comes to I know all the stat blocks for the monsters. So I know, for sure, that a certain monster is immune to fire. But... unless I can explain why my character knows this, or pass an intelligence check (varying DC depending on the info). But I put this into play for my players as well, because I have one player who as soon as they know what the monster is, they look up it's stat block. No metagaming at my table :P
EXAMPLE: Say we are in a room and it says in the text that there is something on the bookshelf. I describe the room and I do mention the bookshelf as the DM but they aren't looking there. I call for myself to make a DC 10-12 perception check. If i succeed, i notice the bookshelf and check it and then go from there.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE: We were playing just the other day, doing the Hoard of the Dragon Queen. We were on the long travel mission part, and some one in our caravan was murdered and one of our PCs was accused, so as the three of us sat around discussing what could have happened, it says in the book that a certain NPC we have interacted with was the murder. I, as DM, obviously knew this information. My PCs did not, nor did they make the connections. So I rolled a DC 15 Insight check on myself. I passed said check, so my PC spoke up "hear me out... could it have been (insert NPC here)" and then let them put 2 and 2 together from there.
In battle... however... is a different case. As with any battle sometimes your PCs can feel targeted so I use a very clear system for who is being targeted. A long time DM buddy of mine of suggested it to me. They suggested that most importantly It attacks the last person who attacked it (even if it has to move to them, disengaging in battle with some one else). If it hasn't been attacked yet, closest player within range (if more than 1 are equadistant, each player rolls a d20, lowest roll is the one attacked). Set it up however you want, but I did find that having set combat rules can prevent anyone calling BS on anything. Granted, one of my payers keeps saying "oh you never target yourself" - but He and the other PC in the party (a ranger and a paladin) always rush in to melee combat while I (a wizard/cleric) tend to stay back and use spells...
Ultimately, I personally see no issue with it as long as you can keep your PC separate from your DM info. Worst case... call for a roll :D That's what I do.
In terms of the added workload, that varies from person to person. I don't find it too much extra outside of the RP aspect. I sometimes get wrapped up as an NPC in conversation with the others that I forget my little elf wizard is standing there silently lol
Whatever you decide, however you do it, biggest thing is to have fun and keep things fair for you and your players :D Good luck, and happy travels! :D
I would highly recommend that your girlfriend runs one PC, I've been DMing for a good stretch of time now, and I can say that players should play one character (it really helps with roleplaying). Now, if she wanted to play two characters, that would be fine, but if she's a first time player, I recommend one character.
DMPCs are generally a hard thing to pull off, but in the context you've described, it would be just fine to have one (you've just gotta keep yourself from metagaming). If you're worried about it, try to play it like a Sherlock/Watson thing. Her PC would be the main character, and your DMPC is there to provide backup.
One tidbit of advice, since there are going to be bits of conversation between your DMPC and NPCs, you might want to give one or the other a voice (though that's not essential, I highly recommend you give all NPCs voices, it helps with immersion, and my table has had fits of laughter multiple times over strange accents)
My first real campaign DMing was Curse of Strahd, and I highly recommend you use this guide.
Also, quick mention, you have a small party, in a campaign already notorious for being incredibly difficult.
You need to nerf some of the encounters (if not all of them, and many of them quite drastically). If not, you have a guaranteed TPK on your hands.
Other than that, know the rules, and remember not to overprep, your players are 100% going to do something you don't plan eventually, so just prepare to improvise a bit. Have an outline of the session, and go off of that (at least, that's my personal method, everyone has their own style of DMing).
Thank you for your input, using a few of your suggestions and making other little changes. I have been able to have a few sessions and me and my wife are having a great time with the campaign. Thanks again for the advice
I stay far away as possible from running a dmpc. Can't stand it.
My group persuaded a high level npc to join them, I rolled bad against it, I wasn't happy with it. It worked out cause a player died and the npc had the wish spell and brought them back to life. But when you have 4 players and 5 enemies to run having to run the npc they brought along who was way over powered was trivial. It worked out but technically I had to run 6 things and the players are all waiting for their turn.
If you handle the game properly it can be fine. But it's up to you. It's your game. Give it a shot and if it doesn't work out then at least you'll learn if it's fun for you all.
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Hey everyone. I'm rather new to all of this and have taken in upon myself to start DMing a game with my girlfriend. I'll be running us through THE CURSE OF STRAHD campaign. I understand that there needs to be more than 1 PC in the game and wanted everyone's input on a DM running a game and also making a PC that I'll also be playing as. My GF has indicated that she is willing to run 2 PC's.
Now the real question is this. Is it frowned upon for a DM to have a PC? Also does anyone have any experience doing this on their own and did it cause any issues aside from the added load of having to be all the NPC's and have your own PC to juggle?
Thanks in advance and cheers.
I am semi-new to DMing myself... but i do pay a legit PC in the campaign with my BF and our friend (cuz 2 pcs is just no fun... right?).
From what I understand it is kind of frowned upon (you already know whats going to happen, where stuff is etc). They way I do it is any information like that I play my character as if I don't know that information. It's hard and some times my PC gets sidelined a bit in the RP action as I am focused on the NPCs, but I am ok with that cuz my character is kind of outspoken and quiet anyways lol. But I try to counteract the knowing of information by calling for more rolls from myself than i would the others. Especially when it comes to I know all the stat blocks for the monsters. So I know, for sure, that a certain monster is immune to fire. But... unless I can explain why my character knows this, or pass an intelligence check (varying DC depending on the info). But I put this into play for my players as well, because I have one player who as soon as they know what the monster is, they look up it's stat block. No metagaming at my table :P
EXAMPLE: Say we are in a room and it says in the text that there is something on the bookshelf. I describe the room and I do mention the bookshelf as the DM but they aren't looking there. I call for myself to make a DC 10-12 perception check. If i succeed, i notice the bookshelf and check it and then go from there.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE: We were playing just the other day, doing the Hoard of the Dragon Queen. We were on the long travel mission part, and some one in our caravan was murdered and one of our PCs was accused, so as the three of us sat around discussing what could have happened, it says in the book that a certain NPC we have interacted with was the murder. I, as DM, obviously knew this information. My PCs did not, nor did they make the connections. So I rolled a DC 15 Insight check on myself. I passed said check, so my PC spoke up "hear me out... could it have been (insert NPC here)" and then let them put 2 and 2 together from there.
In battle... however... is a different case. As with any battle sometimes your PCs can feel targeted so I use a very clear system for who is being targeted. A long time DM buddy of mine of suggested it to me. They suggested that most importantly It attacks the last person who attacked it (even if it has to move to them, disengaging in battle with some one else). If it hasn't been attacked yet, closest player within range (if more than 1 are equadistant, each player rolls a d20, lowest roll is the one attacked). Set it up however you want, but I did find that having set combat rules can prevent anyone calling BS on anything. Granted, one of my payers keeps saying "oh you never target yourself" - but He and the other PC in the party (a ranger and a paladin) always rush in to melee combat while I (a wizard/cleric) tend to stay back and use spells...
Ultimately, I personally see no issue with it as long as you can keep your PC separate from your DM info. Worst case... call for a roll :D That's what I do.
In terms of the added workload, that varies from person to person. I don't find it too much extra outside of the RP aspect. I sometimes get wrapped up as an NPC in conversation with the others that I forget my little elf wizard is standing there silently lol
Whatever you decide, however you do it, biggest thing is to have fun and keep things fair for you and your players :D Good luck, and happy travels! :D
I would highly recommend that your girlfriend runs one PC, I've been DMing for a good stretch of time now, and I can say that players should play one character (it really helps with roleplaying). Now, if she wanted to play two characters, that would be fine, but if she's a first time player, I recommend one character.
DMPCs are generally a hard thing to pull off, but in the context you've described, it would be just fine to have one (you've just gotta keep yourself from metagaming). If you're worried about it, try to play it like a Sherlock/Watson thing. Her PC would be the main character, and your DMPC is there to provide backup.
One tidbit of advice, since there are going to be bits of conversation between your DMPC and NPCs, you might want to give one or the other a voice (though that's not essential, I highly recommend you give all NPCs voices, it helps with immersion, and my table has had fits of laughter multiple times over strange accents)
My first real campaign DMing was Curse of Strahd, and I highly recommend you use this guide.
Also, quick mention, you have a small party, in a campaign already notorious for being incredibly difficult.
You need to nerf some of the encounters (if not all of them, and many of them quite drastically). If not, you have a guaranteed TPK on your hands.
Other than that, know the rules, and remember not to overprep, your players are 100% going to do something you don't plan eventually, so just prepare to improvise a bit. Have an outline of the session, and go off of that (at least, that's my personal method, everyone has their own style of DMing).
(https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlUk42GiU2guNzWBzxn7hs8MaV7ELLCP_ ---- This is the best resource for new DMs around)
As said above, remember that D&D is all about fun, if there's something you don't like about CoS, just change it.
Good luck! I think I speak for all of the DMs here at D&D Beyond when I say we're happy to have you!
"Players beware, the DM is here!" - Probably Some 80's Cartoon
Thank you for your input, using a few of your suggestions and making other little changes. I have been able to have a few sessions and me and my wife are having a great time with the campaign. Thanks again for the advice
I stay far away as possible from running a dmpc. Can't stand it.
My group persuaded a high level npc to join them, I rolled bad against it, I wasn't happy with it. It worked out cause a player died and the npc had the wish spell and brought them back to life. But when you have 4 players and 5 enemies to run having to run the npc they brought along who was way over powered was trivial. It worked out but technically I had to run 6 things and the players are all waiting for their turn.
If you handle the game properly it can be fine. But it's up to you. It's your game. Give it a shot and if it doesn't work out then at least you'll learn if it's fun for you all.