GMPC

[Gidonamor]

I'm preparing to run Wrath when my group finishes the current AP (Crimson Throne). During the latter part of that AP I noticed that having a voice in the party is really helpful for me. I can close any gaps in the party loadout, thereby freeing them to play what they want, and I can give them hints and nudge them to roleplay if necessary, without it coming from the disembodied voice behind the scenes.

My players likely won't have a divine caster, the only healer being an Investigator. He will probably be able to deal with HP damage in downtime, but in-combat healing, buffs and remove X will be a rare commodity (apart from items maybe). I was thinking to provide them with a GMPC who can heal, possibly taking Hierophant and/or Marshal path to best enable them. Something like a cleric, bard, etc..

I'm reading NobodysHome's Journal, and he did have a GMPC with them, so it seems possible. On the other hand, the AP is already pretty full of NPCs who can accompany the party, and who I want them to engage with.
How doable is a GMPC in Wrath?

[Kasoh]

My preferred method is to use the NPCs in the story to accompany the PCs. Creating another character can be a lot of work, especially in combat as the mythic stuff piles on.

Early on, it won't be an issue I expect. Book one is definitely a place where PCs can use some help, but that help can be a cleric or a wand of Cure Light Wounds and some scrolls of Lesser Restoration. In book 2, there is a level appropriate cleric in the party's retinue in addition to the army of paladins who accompany them that will be able to help heal and remove conditions that the PCs accrue.

On the other hand it is very helpful to have a voice in the party, as you noted. Especially if that person is considered a full voice. Any character you portray NPC or GMPC will probably be viewed suspiciously as your mouthpiece if you suggest things that seem difficult or suicidal. I've found that playing such voices as conservative and cautious is better, but then they might take too many cues and slow down gameplay. The assumed authority of the GM shows through in ways you don't expect.

It is always nice to have someone around in the party to say 'No, that's a dumb idea. Don't you remember what the Voice in the Sky just said two seconds ago?'

[Gidonamor]

Kasoh wrote:

My preferred method is to use the NPCs in the story to accompany the PCs. Creating another character can be a lot of work, especially in combat as the mythic stuff piles on.

...

It is always nice to have someone around in the party to say 'No, that's a dumb idea. Don't you remember what the Voice in the Sky just said two seconds ago?'

Thanks for the advice again. It really helps to have someone to ask stuff, and you've been very helpful through all the threads I opened.

The NPCs seem perfect for that, and there would probably be one to fill any niche. And while I don't find the Book 2 NPCs all that compelling, I could obviously change that around. On the other hand, I kinda want in on the mythic character-building fun, and those NPCs (except for a certain Abyssal Heretic) don't become mythic. Also, a GMPC would allow me to always have a background-ish voice of reason in the party, no matter what NPCs they bring.

My main fear is that if my PCs take every NPC with them, I'm gonna have a hard time keeping up, during RP as well as combat.
Maybe I'll have my "GMPC" as part of the Party and set a hard limit on the number of NPCs they can bring (thinking 1-2, if it's one, they'll probably bring Paladin or Succubus all the time).

[Kasoh]

Gidonamor wrote:

My main fear is that if my PCs take every NPC with them, I'm gonna have a hard time keeping up, during RP as well as combat.

Maybe I'll have my "GMPC" as part of the Party and set a hard limit on the number of NPCs they can bring (thinking 1-2, if it's one, they'll probably bring Paladin or Succubus all the time).

Early on, you don't have a lot of choice. The escort mission aspects of book 1 are fairly set in stone, but after part 1 you have more freedom. As GM, I don't try to bring every NPC. You can get a feel for which NPCs your players take a shine to and bring them along.

It also depends on the party size. I have five players in my game: Ranger, Inquisitor, Arcanist, Paladin, Brawler/Barbarian. I always let them bring one NPC along and I keep the stable of NPCs fairly leveled. I tend to think of as 'Group Leadership'. For example in Book 5, exploring the prison They brought Arueshalae (Actually had to call her because none of them had a UMD high enough to read a scroll of True Resurrection) and still end up with Waxberry, Malaika, and Alderpash. And that's in the book that's mostly dungeon.

But without making NPCs mythic, they will quickly fall behind in utility though, but it does cement that the PCs are the stars of the show. I can easily imagine a version of Wrath where the GM includes Irabeth as a member of the party and the story becomes about her. Not ideal.

[Gidonamor]

Kasoh wrote:

But without making NPCs mythic, they will quickly fall behind in utility though, but it does cement that the PCs are the stars of the show. I can easily imagine a version of Wrath where the GM includes Irabeth as a member of the party and the story becomes about her. Not ideal.

I agree, it's good if the PCs are more powerful than the NPCs, they are the chosen heroes after all. And for the love of Iomedae, Irabeth (or any Iomedae Paladin) would be the worst GMPC possible, with the sword, the herald business and, y'know, being a Paladin in a Demon-Focused adventure.

I like the idea of the "group leadership", it allows them a lot of flexibility, and helps interact with multiple NPCs (one at a time). I think I'll add a GMPC to round out the party of four PCs, and give them the option to bring any one NPC with them on missions (starting in Book 2).

Thanks for the advice!