playing multiple PCs

[AxeMental]

Before I was on the web I always thought a player controling mult PCs was breaking some kind of unofficial rule of "only have 1 PC at a time". Since then I have been informed a player controlling many PCs is common. Still I held back (holding to the idea that its impossible to "go deep" sharing focus) until last weekend when it was time to clean out my folder with 20 or so active PCs at different levels ranging from 1-10.

My DM wanted to put me on a game we played back in highschool that he designed (around 83 or so) that was a killer. OF the 15 that started (of my PCs) only 6 remain (all the high level guys died and the mid to low are soon to follow I fear). Anyhow, My thoughts on running multiple PCs has completely changed, and I may play mutltiple PCs from now on. One reason is you get mixed groups (in level) more this way I think (which is likely more realistic in a way.

Perhaps the good experiance was more of a result of familiarity with all my PCs which I've played over the last 2 years. Chances are if I made up NPCs and played them it wouldn't work as well. We'll see.

So, do most of you keep to one PC (per game) or do you run multiple?

[Semaj The Silent]

It's no big chore. Listen: when I started playing, there were exactly two people into AD&D in our small town...myself and my best friend. Eventually, we had a long running campaign in which we each rolled up three PCs. One person would DM while the other played his PCs with the DMs PCs as...well...NPCs. The next playtime we'd switch. We had great fun, and I developed MPD...but hey...

[dzubak]

Axe,
For me it was really a matter of the particular game. When we had a lot of players we generally used 1PC. However when there were only 3-4 players we would each control 2 PCs. The latter was more common then the former.

I went through the Temple of Elemental Evil with a dwarf fighter and a half-elf cleric/fighter/magic-user (this guy replaced my illusionist who was killed by Lareth).

I think the only people that have a problem with it would be the amateur thesbians.

[foster1941]

When I started out there were two of us and we played just like Semaj describes (one player would run 3 or so characters, the other would DM and run his 3 characters as NPCs, switch off after each adventure/module). A couple years later we had 4 people and played like dzubak describes (the DM didn't run any characters (except for hirelings and NPCs who were part of the adventure and such), each of the players generally ran 2 characters each). Once we got to the point where we regularly had 4+ players showing up, they only ran one character apiece at a time (though some players kept a couple back-up characters). IME one player running a bunch of characters (picture Gary Gygax on RJK's Iron Golem adventure (WG5), running 5 characters -- Mordenkainen, Bigby, Yrag, Riggby, Felnorith) actually works better than several players running 2-3 characters each, because in the latter case the characters of the same player will tend to help each other out more than the characters of the other players (for instance, it eventually got that all of my players had their second character be a cleric, because nobody's cleric would heal any of the other players' characters). Nowadays if I were to let a player run more than 1 character at a time I think I'd make all but one of the characters be 'technically' NPCs -- for the most part the player could play him as a second character, but if I thought he was playing the character inappropriately (with too little self-interest) I'd reserve the right to impose certain actions.

[AxeMental]

I'm definitly going to continue running more then one PC at a time for a while to give it a fare shake. The problem I have with multiple PCs (and my original DM drilled this idea into our heads) wasn't so much thespian acting skills, but rather if you have several PCs you are less likely to care if one dies; also it seems more difficult to get "in to character" and thus your PCs might start feeling more like war game pieces then "you". For instance, in the game we played last week I had my barbarian (MM berserker) who was CN run from battle while the 7th level paladin got ripped to pieces (one of my all time favorite PCs). To have had the barbarian run in and help the paladin would have been out of character, but oh so easy to have done.

The "old days"(79-86 or so) were brutal. Each player had one PC at a time only (there were no back up PCs, just the one you had) and the DM controlled only NPCs (almost always self interested, and first to run in a serious show down). If a PC died the player was out of the game for the night, and was out until the module/adventure was over. But yeah we had a good 7-8 players per game. After we got into college we gradually were down to 2 players and one DM. At that point we stuck to one player but had back ups ready to go. Also, the DM job switched frequently between us, so DMs always played their PCs to keep up with the rest of the group (and were thus always suspect of not staying neutral).

Situations change, and with fewer players have to do something; but I'd still have to say my favorite way of playing is with a DM who controls only NPCs and about 5 self interested players with one PC each. If a PC dies your out for the night (unless the group gets wasted). In this setting there is that constant pull between fighting as a group and fighting for yourself

[grodog]

In most of the games I've played, we played multiple PCs: generally a main PC, and a secondary PC (in a Troupe-Style-ish manner, though we generally weren't playing Ars Magica). Generally, having multiple PCs meant that we had disparate PC alignments and such, and allied with other players' PCs against our own characters

In my home campaign, my two brothers and I played (our friend Alex played irregularly):

• me (DM): two PCs (Cyphlorenth of Aleval CE/CN drowic F/MU 7/8, Oldarion Nolen CG/n elven MU/T 7/8), and sometimes a shade NPC (Adourain Darklock NG/N elven shade Bard 8 [F5/Thief-Acrobat 6])
  
• Phil: six PCs (Grog N half ogre F 7, Kato Soulspewer CE halfling F/A 7/8, Loydrean N(e) elven F/Drd 8/8, Archaen NG elven MU/C 7/8, Nezhoz NG(l) human R 8, Sepicer N(g) human Timelord 8/Dreamer 3)
  
• Brian: two PCs (Staton CN/CE half elf F/MU 7/9, Montag N(g) human F 7)
  
• Alex: two PCs (Dzhot Dzhaggoth LN human MU 8, Tech CN human F 7)
  

In the group of 10-14 players I DM'd at PSU, most players only had 1 PC due to the number of players, but a few played more than one; this group also sended toward evil:

• Jeff: Saraphen N(C) drowic F/MU 4/3 (? levels not written in my latest log entry)
  
• Karen: Adella CN human f A 5
  
• Michael: Father Hennon NG human C 6, Basil Flourev Erac-Dray CN elven MU 4
  
• me (DM): Adourain Darklock elven Bard 2 (F5/Thief-Acrobat 6; same as the NPC above, in his pre-shade days)
  
• Julia: Lukara teareen Syralythaenn CE(n) elven f F/MU 5/5
  
• Tony: Cassandra NE human f witch 5, Jhaelen Xavier Mirzanduloac Zindel NG human paladin 4
  
• Mike (fuzzy): Pharryn Caledras Lorian CN(e) elven MU 6, Candido Vandoubler CE deep gnome Illu/Assn 5/5, Bidrellim NE(l) half-elf C/F 6/6
  
• Allen (DM of the group below): Amadeus Sebastian Something or Other CE human Timelord 5
  
• Mike (finky): Riis Von Bek ?
  
• Rob: Lithe N half-elf Thief-Acrobat 6
  
• Brian: Koraan CN half-elf F/T 5/5
  
• Scott: Ekton Gasteel LE(N) F/A 4/4
  

In the group of about 8-12 players I played with in Allen's game, most players ran one to two PCs, and Allen the DM played at least two regular NPCs (Allen didn't allow multiclass at all, but all classes were open to all races with no level limits). I don't have all of the numbers for that party and I'm probably forgetting several players and PCs, but here's my guess about the party composition at the time we stopped playing:

• Mike (Finky): Adrrisiac Nightshade, NE elven Wu Jen 16 or so
  
• Mike (fuzzy): Devlin CN Fantra (paladin) 9 or so (died), later Gareth CN human Illu 13 or so
  
• Allen: Malachi Vordebrax NE Cleric 15 of Lurk (god of death and darkness), Tobias Something or Other NG MU 15 or so
  
• me: Iscladoc the Dark, N(E) drowic MU 15, Morwin (?) LG human Cleric 11
  
• Rusty: Jasper Andromeda CN human MU 14 or so (has Queen Ehlissa's Marvellous Nightingale!), and a paladin later too
  
• Rhaat: Rhaat CN human Assassin 12 or so
  
• Karen: Morgan CN f human Assassin 12 or so, and a human druid later too
  
• Tony: Jaroo, a N half-jann Fighter 12 or so (can't recall Tony's primary PC)
  

Anyway, I hope this helps on the playing multiple PCs front

[Jerry Mapes]

Hey Grodog, i am guessing your PSU is Penn State?
My PSU is Pittsburg State (notice NO "H") Heh.

I just thought it owuld have/be funny if both our PSU's were the same and we sat at each others tables at out games on campus. Honestly most of the games we held i couldnt tell you WHO all was playing. Most weeks in those days were were starting to get upawards of 12-15 players per game. we definately only ran one character in those games unless absoultely necessary to run a 2nd.

our side games were normally 4-6 people and unless under specific request of the DM, we would run anywhere from 2-4 characters each. Ii think it did make for a better game with fewer people playing. Plus i really enjoyed the diversity of the levels amongst the PCs. I think we kinda lost something when we started playing more with 1 person - 1 PC (even if only 4 or 5 people playing)

J.

[grodog]

Jerry---

Yep, I attended Penn State for my undergrad schooling, but I noticed that you're in SE KS now---my wife and I will be moving to Wichita soon (she and Ethan by month-end, me by the end of October or so). You happen to be local?

[AxeMental]

Another advantage to multiple PCs last week was people die fast. With one PC each it seems like people manage to hang on when perhaps they shouldn't. This might be due to the DM not wanting the player to be out of the game completely (I suspect Mistere was being nice when Finrod (the PC I control in his B2 game) wasn't outright killed). That is of course the DMs perogative. Still though, I wonder if I had a secondary PC in M's game, if he might have just had ol' finrod get his head lobbed off and stuck on the end of a pole to be placed outside the orc's dungeon entrance.

[AxeMental]

Well, I finished the game tonight. Had to go back and get 3 more PCs. Out of 9 of my PCs and 6 of the other players (7th paladin, 3/3 FC, 1/1 TC, 1st Pal, 3/3FM, 1/1TC, 2nd Pal, 5th Barbarian, 6th Ranger) and (10th MU, 2nd Fighter, 3rd Fighter, 4th Thief, 4th MU, and 1st MU). The barbarian, 2nd level Paladin, and 10th level MU made it. Also a 9th level cleric who put the group together got out alive (an NPC) and the Kings daughter was rescued. Also about 10 first level NPC fighters got waisted along the way.

It was tough loosing that many cool PCs (each with cool histories) that quickly. And the main villian getting away to boot).

We all saled back to civilization and lived happily ever after.

[Jerry Mapes]

Adventuring for a living is not a simple walk in the park, Son. Good people die just as easily as the stoopid ones. But for us here good and smart folk we dont die near as ofen as those dumb adventurers out there running amok...

Now quit daydreaming about slaying dragons and saving princesses and get back to muckin out those stalls and don't forget to clean up around the hitchin posts. The Baron Hisself is on the road tonight and there is a good chance he will end up staying here....

And, he dont like sh!t on his boots!

*shakes head* *mumbles* kids these days...

[Jerry Mapes]

grodog said:

Jerry---

..., but I noticed that you're in SE KS now---my wife and I will be moving to Wichita soon (she and Ethan by month-end, me by the end of October or so). You happen to be local?

Unfortunatley Wichita is more Mid-south Central. i am about 4 hours/178 miles from there. maybe we can arrange something after i get back "on my feet" and you get settled in. Course if the guys in the guild are real lucky, there might be a Gorilla Con III in Pittsburg KS come Spring. Always chaffes the turd edition folks' butts to have a FUN old school game going on in thier midst.

[grodog]

admin said:

Unfortunatley Wichita is more Mid-south Central. i am about 4 hours/178 miles from there. maybe we can arrange something after i get back "on my feet" and you get settled in.

Sounds good. Things are moving slower than I'd hoped, though: I'm now hoping to be moved permanently to KS by November....

Course if the guys in the guild are real lucky, there might be a Gorilla Con III in Pittsburg KS come Spring. Always chaffes the turd edition folks' butts to have a FUN old school game going on in thier midst.

How close is Pittsburg to Wichita?

[Jerry Mapes]

Pittsburg is same distance give or take 14 miles depending on if you come into the area via US400 or US54.
as for the Con, it appears it is a go, most likely 3rd weekend of March (this may change by a weekend though)