NPCs can be enemies or allies, regular folk or named monsters. However, new DMs who want a DM-PC are usually just unfamiliar with the concept playing the game without controlling a character. What you need to realise as a DM is that you already get to control multiple characters: every NPC in your campaign.
What is the best way to deal with NPC-NPC combat?
NPC vs. NPC combats played out blow-for-blow in initiative order, while the party fights other foes or just ends up watching. Is there a tried and tested better way of doing this? I want the PCs to be able to take advantage of the situation, but ideally not track HP and roll damage round for round if they decide to sit and wait.
What’s the difference between a PC and an NPC?
Technically, even if you did have a full-time “PC” in the party, any character controlled by the Dungeon Master is an NPC, not a PC (D&D 5e Dungeon Master’s Guide, p.89): A nonplayer character is any character controlled by the Dungeon Master. NPCs can be enemies or allies, regular folk or named monsters.
Can a new DM have a DMPC?
A new DM such as yourself should not have a DMPC. The DM already has the biggest job at the table, and it takes an experienced DM to handle the DM job well while also dividing their attention with a PC of their own. Aside from being a distraction, a DMPC brings special problems and risks of its own:
How to deal with different types of D & D players?
In D&D (and in life), you’ll come across many different types of players (or people), and you should know why are they behaving like that and what can you do to help them. In most cases, the solution is to talk and make them understand that their behavior is affecting the game and the whole party.
Can a player create an evil character in D & D?
Evil characters are not “banned” or forbidden in D&D, so it’s okay to let a player choose to create one. However, they must know that D&D is a roleplaying game, where a group of people get together to accomplish something (both, as a group and individually).
How to deal with Troublesome players in a game?
If you narrate any scenes between villainous NPCs to foreshadow or build tension, don’t name or describe the characters that are talking. That way the players won’t recognize them when their characters meet them. If you have one or two players that are metagaming at a more blatant level, gently call them out.
