Using Companions

[Chris_Fougere]

I get that using the various companions is something that the game encourages but how do folks actually use them? Especially if you've got a large party already (our group is 6 PCs). Just background and come forth when their personal plot is triggered? Have them run kingdom stuff in the background? Adventure with the PCs so the players feel a connection to them?

[Phntm888]

I'm going to be doing a Session 0 for this in about a week and a half, but I planned on giving my players a choice on whether or not we use them at all. If they aren't interested in having them around, I'm not going to put the effort into trying to keep them there.

Since you have 6 PCs already, I wouldn't have them actively adventure with the group. You could, however, have the PCs randomly meet up with them at Oleg's or share a campsite with them if you're using the Camping rules, to give the PCs time to build connections with them. Heck, maybe you could get entire RP sessions out of that. Once the kingdom is established, they can be largely background until their personal plot is triggered, whether running Kingdom stuff or just living there. Heck, if none of them are in Kingdom roles, the companions could be the Adventurers the PCs hire when they use the Hire Adventurers kingdom action.

[VanceMadrox]

There's not going to be a one size fits all answer here.

For my group they're going to adventure with the party some, and also guard whatever home base is at the time.

They're also great for filling in when a player misses a session.

[Fireybanana42]

I had 3 players, then one dropped out, so I let my players pick up to 2 companions to travel with, with the understanding that I would compensate if they chose otherwise. They can travel and camp with as many as they like (though presently they only have enough horses for 4, so taking more would slow them down). The remaining companions will stay at Oleg's/The Capital/some other third location as needed. I try my hardest to not have the companions be stereotypical problematic DMPCs, the players are always in the lead and the companions help or give advice when prompted.

[IcedMik]

Nearing a few dozen sessions in with a party of 5, generally the companions need to take a non-combat seat.

With exploration, the in-game explanation is that the PCs are doing the main exploring, while the companions make up another group that follows and maps out the region. They then join up to camp, giving opportunities to use their abilities and have conversations with them, but because too large of a campsite will attract large beasts, they sleep further away and don't engage in any night events.

In the kingdom, I really like the special companion kingdom actions, so I allow the PCs to use them if they've maxed out the influence track instead of only being in a kingdom role. I also use my Courtiers variant to utilize the companions a lot more actively. https://paizo.com/threads/rzs43qxz?Expanded-Kingdom-Rules-Courtiers

[Weunty]

I use them also as background action... like when they explored old sycamore, the companions stayed outside and made sure that no one would catch the PC from behind.

Or use them to add to the story, bring informations or when a friend wants to play a one-shot game, he plays a companion!:)

[Snake0202]

I'm using the Stag Lord chapter to introduce all the companions. Right now we're having adventure of the week sessions aka season 1 of Smallville. Each session the players meet one of the companions, they get introduced to their personality, do a quest with them, introduce their overall goal and quest line, then at the end of the session the companion departs. This chapter will come to an end when they assault the Stag Lord fort, and depending on how that fight goes I'll have some companions waiting in the wing to help if it's looking like a TPK. Then once they establish their own Kingdom, the companions will move in and come and go as they please. The party will be able to bring 1 along at a time on a particular quest if they want to, and I will throw companion hooks at them if they want. It's such a sandbox I want them to decide who they want to spend time with and who they dont.

[Goblin Slayer in Brevoy]

A large party doesn't need them, but they may still want henchmen and other assistants later.

[JohannVonUlm]

Just started my own run through our local PFS chapter. I started with a 6 player group. One very industrious player got the party enough influence on Linzi that her being a companion made sense. I allowed another local PFS player to join as companion Linzi (bringing us to 7 players). As luck would have it, one of the other players is moving and we are down to 6 again. But the Linzi player will have some of the companion rules. I even turned her favorite meal (sweet pancakes) into a small quest for the group.