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Reading up the Jade Regent players guide, I noticed that it allows players to be related to some NPCs, making them family.
So does the ideal of a "Adventuring Family", where the characters are all related to one another works?
And if so how do you sell/implement this ideal for your players?
Note: By "Adventuring Family" I mean, not just as cousins, but as Mommy, Daddy, Grandpa, Grandma and Sisters and Brothers.
I have a pari of characters right now how are brother and sister in game. Works just fine. I find that it made somethings easier to manage. Getting the party together, establishing hooks. Two characters with an intertwined character goal. Which mean I have one character plot to manage rather than two.
Also having relatives who are not in the party but are prominent local officials makes for some quests being more reasonable. Their mother who is part of a local guild might recommend them to the city elders to help with the growing menace in the sewers rather than a stranger giving a bunch of strangers access to vital parts of the city and investigate and operate with leathal force simply because they look handy with a sword.
One of th games I'm in now has two fighters that are twin brothers. The players are good enough friends and dedicated enough RP'ers that they are a solid team, and are the source of great mirth. It also helps that one of them is an obsessive optimizer, and has been helping his 'brother' with his build so that they can both do their job right.
As a plot twist, we have recently discovered that the two brothers are the last in the line of the rightful emperor (who was deposed many years ago by foreign treachery), so we have the added dynamic of a possible civil war...in our party. Luckily, one of the brothers hates the idea of responsibility, while the other is a career soldier and is trained for it. It's gonna work out okay, we hope.
I would say generally, "Good Idea!" I've GMed for 15 years, and generally encouraged parties to set up as "friends and family." I mean, if your going out into a really dangerous place, that's who you'd take. I've got this buddy who is former marine recon. He's my muscle. Not some random guy I hire from the back of soldier of fortune magazine. And I trust him. His wife would kill him if he left me to die.
My current game has two players whose characters are half-sisters and really close, another who is a longtime servant of the family. The rest are acquantances and friends of that trio. It helps to give players a reason to work together and not in-fight.
In my campaign with 15 year old students, two of the characters are half-brothers as well. Again, the same gelling effect and lack of party infighting. If that's what you are looking for, family and friends is great for gaming.
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Thanks for the replies.
I do notice that in most cases, the players are playing "brother-sister" characters. This makes for equal "seniority" between the 2 characters/players.
But what about cases where the players are playing Dad/Mom - Son/Daughter relationships? What happens if the Dad or Mom starts "commanding" the Son/Daughter?
For example, in the most extreme case, what if the grandpa who is the family patriarch gives a order to the grandson or daughter?
What should a DM allow/enforce in such a case?
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On a Side note (just a fyi): Family is quite important in East Asian cultures, which could lead to interesting stories if set in a Asian setting like the Dragon Empires.
If a family Patriarch/Matriarch gives an order or express a certain wish, the younger members of the family would, due to respect for the head of the family, usually carry out the Patriarch/Matriarch wishes/order.
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I remember my teenage years. My Dad telling me to do something just about guaranteed that I'd do the opposite. I'd allow the patriarch to issue orders then leave it up to the PCs to cooperate. Of course there may be some consequences for both parties in their interactions with NPCs as in "What a rude kid," or "Gosh, that old guy is pushy."
Remember that a core rule of roleplaying is that the player gets to determine his character's actions. If that decision making winds up being hijacked by a micromanager (either GM or other player), then the game is less fun for the player of the managed character.
Good point there!
Guess free-will is the "best" option for such cases.
Greetings, fellow travellers.
I'm playing in a group where two players are father (wizard) and son (fighter).
Most of the times it works out O.K. but there are times when I think the pair has gone too far.
- stats; the wizard has a STR of 4 - Hey, son, please carry this for me..; the fighter relies on his dad's INT and WIS...
- loot; Nevermind, I'll take that for my dad/son...
Ruyan.
Certain areas can have specific laws regarding familial duty, obedience towards parents or older siblings (especially brother-sister). Make sure to decide that before game and that all are ok with that degree of authority. Or scrap it if they are not, but clarify that before game to avoid situation where one PC has reason to claim life-and-death authority over another PC without all players knowing that in advance.
In part one of Jade Regent
I remember my teenage years. My Dad telling me to do something just about guaranteed that I'd do the opposite. I'd allow the patriarch to issue orders then leave it up to the PCs to cooperate. Of course there may be some consequences for both parties in their interactions with NPCs as in "What a rude kid," or "Gosh, that old guy is pushy."
Remember that a core rule of roleplaying is that the player gets to determine his character's actions. If that decision making winds up being hijacked by a micromanager (either GM or other player), then the game is less fun for the player of the managed character.
Yes, but I rather hope that if there's danger, such as something attacking us, then my kids would follow orders (sensible ones anyway).
Well, it certainly gives a reason for a band as dysfunctional as most adventuring parties not to kill each other, take their loot and eat them as a victory feast...
Well, it certainly gives a reason for a band as dysfunctional as most adventuring parties not to kill each other, take their loot and eat them as a victory feast...
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.That could still be a ritual to honor the deads (take their stuff, eat their remains, etc...)
I was in a kingmaker game where three of us were related. The eldest daughter was an elf oracle who had a vision prompting her and her father to move to restov where they happened upon a woman being raped by an orc, the Father saved the woman, but she was pregnant. After birthing the child, the woman and elf fell in love and had another half elf child. The three children all adventured together. (We considered having another player be an older human son, but didn't).
It. Was. Awesome. The two brothers were warriors enamored with the swordlords always trying to best each other in battle (get more kills, kill the biggest enemy, etc), they'd tease each other about not being able to beat an enemy before helping, but were always there for each other. While the sister was, well, the big sister. She kept everyone in line, becoming the ruler of the kingdom which came with a complete royal family.
Oh, and way back when I played a monk who had started a religion and was working towards sainthood while my brother (A PC) mirrored me in evilness turning more into a monster as I grew gooder.
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I think it can work and work very well. But the players REALLY need to buy into the idea and concept and be willing to play it out. Mom and Dad don't have to be in charge all the time either. Kids can rebel and prove they know what they are doing. I mean it happens in real life where one of the kids runs a business and one of the parents work for them cause they are better at it.
But the players really really need to be cool with it or I think it will be a train wreck and kill the campaign.
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My gaming group tried this. They all wanted to be brothers and sisters. I think it could have worked, but they tended to focus on disagreeing instead of working together. The roleplaying at times was downright childish. We all agreed to abandon the whole thing very quickly and we still laugh about "our worst campaign ever" even today. So.... It could work, but wow! can it ever fail.
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In my group (we are currently playing Curse of the Crimson Throne) two characters are actually siblings from a very minor noble house. They began the campaign with their brother-in-law (who was widowed before the campaign started) and their cousin. The group also consists of a member of the city guard, a former servant turned smuggler and a Galtian noblewoman.
However, the group feels much like a family affair and works very well. It gave us strong links from the beginning and these have become the foundation of the group. I would highly recommend it, but it does take some initial work as group to bring the party to life.
Even adventuring family members can mess up. Look at The lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. The younger male sibling betrays the rest of the family (though he probably did not see it that way at the time) because he was tired of living in his overbearing older brothers shadow all the time and being constantly told what to do.