NPC Companion System Idea

[Sredni Vashtar]

I've updated the Companion System document, linked in the original post, with variant rules for familiars and my own version of the beast master, inspired by the one Stavrost put together.

And you did it better, too... I must destroy you now.

[Mrmox42]

Excellent Work. Consider it used in my current campaign.

[Goober4473]

I've just added a bit about aging for baby monster companions, and have finished up the Out of the Abyss companions.

[Edit]: I've also added a possibility of companion injury when you fail a save against area damage. What do you all think of that?

And you did it better, too... I must destroy you now.

[Goober4473]

I've added a number of small improvements to the rules. Updated wording, a way for healing magic to apply to companions, mounts as companions, and some changes to the ranger variant's level 15 ability.

[Goober4473]

And I've now updated the OotA companions document with some I missed.

Spoiler: Out of the Abyss Spoilers

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Hemeth can be rescued in Sloobludop.

Amarith Coppervein and Ougalop can be found right after Mantol-Derith. I'm planning to have Ougalop tag along if they let him, despite what the book says

Khalessa Draga and Aljanor Keenblade may end up joining them. My plan was the have them usually stay with the main expedition force (see below), but they will likely be with the PCs on occasion. As such, they are pretty potent. If you want them sticking with the players for most of the time, you may want to tone them down.

The players may end up with a shield guardian. I was planning to have the other followers they gain from Gauntlgrym be a bit more numerous, and mostly make up the main expeditionary force, providing some safety when the players can rest at one of their base camps in a sort of Dragon Age: Inquisition way.

[mgshamster]

So I used this system for my OotA campaign (started last night).

My players loved it.

There are 9 starting NPCs (10 with topsy and turvy, but we count them as one), and I started holding all the cards. They were actually clipped to the DM screen so my players could see the artwork.

Once the players interacted with an NPC in a friendly manner and gained their trust, then the party would take the card and gain access to the NPC's abilities. Each NPC would be assigned to a single PC, granting only that PC their abilities (unless it took effect in an area, like Stool's). A PC can attach as many NPCs as they like, up to their charisma modifier (minimum 1). And they can switch out which NPC is attached to them at any time so long as they're not in a stressful situation.

I did not require each individual PC to roleplay with each individual NPC, but rather allowed the entire party access to an NPC once one of the PCs befriended them. This may change in the future if the PCs split up for whatever reason.

If a PC's actions or attitude towards an NPC becomes rude, hostile, or negative, they may lose access to the card (at which point I take the card back and they become a normal NPC). They will also lose the card anytime the NPC goes unconscious from injuries. They gain the cards back through roleplaying. Once they achieve loyal status this will change.

By the end of the first session, they had all the starting cards except Eldeth (she did not start friendly due to one of the PC's backstory).

Not only did my players love this, but this has been one of the best roleplaying sessions our group has had since we got together.

[Madeiner]

I also am preparing a modified version for this companion system.
I'll post it when it's ready in case anyone wants to have a look at it.

I removed injuries and loyalty. Abilities are mostly used by either player action, which can be substituted by an NPC inspiration. Some abilities are free, but limited per encounter. The idea is that you might want to use an action occasionally in order to have the NPC perform something, and when you are down/crowdcontrolled/not in a position to do anything, you can use the NPC's abilities by using your action even when you cannot act.
If you have a tough fight, you can use NPC's inspirations to increase action economy.
Also, i added a way for NPCs to be more powerful (free actions) when we are missing players.

[Goober4473]

So I used this system for my OotA campaign (started last night).

My players loved it.

There are 9 starting NPCs (10 with topsy and turvy, but we count them as one), and I started holding all the cards. They were actually clipped to the DM screen so my players could see the artwork.

Once the players interacted with an NPC in a friendly manner and gained their trust, then the party would take the card and gain access to the NPC's abilities. Each NPC would be assigned to a single PC, granting only that PC their abilities (unless it took effect in an area, like Stool's). A PC can attach as many NPCs as they like, up to their charisma modifier (minimum 1). And they can switch out which NPC is attached to them at any time so long as they're not in a stressful situation.

I did not require each individual PC to roleplay with each individual NPC, but rather allowed the entire party access to an NPC once one of the PCs befriended them. This may change in the future if the PCs split up for whatever reason.

If a PC's actions or attitude towards an NPC becomes rude, hostile, or negative, they may lose access to the card (at which point I take the card back and they become a normal NPC). They will also lose the card anytime the NPC goes unconscious from injuries. They gain the cards back through roleplaying. Once they achieve loyal status this will change.

By the end of the first session, they had all the starting cards except Eldeth (she did not start friendly due to one of the PC's backstory).

Not only did my players love this, but this has been one of the best roleplaying sessions our group has had since we got together.

That's awesome! I'm glad it worked out so well.

My plan had also always been to have the companions "join" and "become loyal" for the whole party, and let them trade them around as needed, or as makes sense for the story.

I'd be curious to see how the Charisma modifier limit works out in the long run. I'm not sure I'd want to punish characters who didn't happen to have much Charisma, but it does seem thematically appropriate.

I also am preparing a modified version for this companion system.
I'll post it when it's ready in case anyone wants to have a look at it.

I removed injuries and loyalty. Abilities are mostly used by either player action, which can be substituted by an NPC inspiration. Some abilities are free, but limited per encounter. The idea is that you might want to use an action occasionally in order to have the NPC perform something, and when you are down/crowdcontrolled/not in a position to do anything, you can use the NPC's abilities by using your action even when you cannot act.
If you have a tough fight, you can use NPC's inspirations to increase action economy.
Also, i added a way for NPCs to be more powerful (free actions) when we are missing players.

Nice. I tried to design the system to be extremely flexible, allowing for the design of companions however makes sense for an individual game.

[mgshamster]

So my party has rescued some escaped slaves, and I was thinking of writing up a card for them.

I'm open for help, but here's what I have so far:

"What was that?" The slaves give you advantage on the first passive perception check you need to make; resets every short rest.

"I'd take a bullet for you." The escaped slaves can spend inspiration to take one attack for you in exchange for an injury.

Throwing Rocks: If the escaped slaves have loyalty, then once per encounter they can deal 1d6 +1d6/2 levels to one 10' radius area.

Special: The escaped slaves do not recover from injuries normally. Each injury box represents the death of one slave; to recovery injuries you have to rescue more slaves. They start with 8 injury boxes.

[Goober4473]

So my party has rescued some escaped slaves, and I was thinking of writing up a card for them.

I'm open for help, but here's what I have so far:

"What was that?" The slaves give you advantage on the first passive perception check you need to make; resets every short rest.

"I'd take a bullet for you." The escaped slaves can spend inspiration to take one attack for you in exchange for an injury.

Throwing Rocks: If the escaped slaves have loyalty, then once per encounter they can deal 1d6 +1d6/2 levels to one 10' radius area.

Special: The escaped slaves do not recover from injuries normally. Each injury box represents the death of one slave; to recovery injuries you have to rescue more slaves. They start with 8 injury boxes.

I like it! For the first ability, I might have it instead grant advantage on initiative, and if you would have been surprised, you instead aren't. Still per short rest. I have a similar ability for a companion in another game.

Speaking of my other game, here are some less spoilery companion examples, made for a D&D in Space game I'm running: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bwi...ew?usp=sharing

[mgshamster]

Thanks for the advice!

I added the escaped slaves to the list. I also did some editorial work on the original document.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8...EUyY0RhVEY1bjQ

Were you planning on making the cards for the NPC units available in chapter 8?

[Goober4473]

Note: I've updated my companions document. No big changes, just some tweaks.

Thanks for the advice!

I added the escaped slaves to the list. I also did some editorial work on the original document.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8...EUyY0RhVEY1bjQ

Were you planning on making the cards for the NPC units available in chapter 8?

I'm still not exactly sure how I want to handle the latter half of the adventure, so I haven't made companion cards for the various soldiers. I think the way I'd like to do it is to have a sort of caravan/basecamp, which the PCs travel with, but split off from to do missions. The main expedition force would, in this case, likely be much larger, but with fewer random soldiers accompanying the PCs specifically. They may also establish various camps around the underdark as they go, which they can return to for safety. While in a camp or traveling with a caravan, they'd be safer from ambush, have access to extra supplies, and have assistance from soldiers and commanders should a fight break out there.

My thought was to perhaps treat soldiers like the final battle in Blingdenstone, where the artillery and ghosts provide some small bonuses, but aren't full companions. It might still be worth writing cards for them though, in which case I might want to make cards for the artillery and ghosts at Blingdenstone too.

I may also write up cards for some of the faction leaders, who, along with Khalessa and Aljanor, would generally stay with the main camp/caravan, joining combat only when a fight happens there.

One thought I had was, should an encounter occur while in camp, shuffle up all the companions, including commanders (and soldier groups, if they're cards), and deal one or two to each player, to see who happens to arrive on the scene in time to do something about it.

[jkat718]

You could possibly base something off of the number of units accompanying the PCs, such as "the Zhentarim agents deal a number of points of slashing damage equal to 4 times the number of Zhents present." That exact wording also includes any Zhents you pick up along the way and even Zhentarim PCs, giving added incentive to both jointing a faction and to getting your faction's troops.

Alternatively (or additionally), you could just treat them similarly to a mob: they take damage at a slower rate the more of them that are present.

[mgshamster]

My players made a suggestion to the escaped slaves during game tonight. Instead of 1d6 + 1d6/2 levels, they suggested 1d6+1d6/3 slaves. This better represents damage with more people. It also has precedent with the twins. Having it become better with increased level sets a new precedent that my players didn't like.

They also lost a slave tonight. They had an unexpected lava event, and one of the slaves sacrificed his life to save the PC. The concepts of 1 injury = 1 slave turns out to work very well.

[mgshamster]

Just thought of something else. My group has never defined how the NPC Cards gain inspiration.

Tonight, we decided that in order to grant an NPC card inspiration, they Player has to do a side-bar explaining – in 2-5 minutes – a scene with them roleplaying with the NPC. If they do it to the muster of the entire group, then the NPC card has inspiration, which a player can use to gain the inspiration ability on the card.

For example, one of my players had his PC start with the Slave Background, and he was a slave to Eldeth's family. Tonight, he weaved a story of how he forgave her and her family for keeping him as a slave, and our group loved it. This granted her inspiration which anyone "attuned" to that NPC could use to gain her inspiration ability.

[Goober4473]

Just thought of something else. My group has never defined how the NPC Cards gain inspiration.

Tonight, we decided that in order to grant an NPC card inspiration, they Player has to do a side-bar explaining – in 2-5 minutes – a scene with them roleplaying with the NPC. If they do it to the muster of the entire group, then the NPC card has inspiration, which a player can use to gain the inspiration ability on the card.

For example, one of my players had his PC start with the Slave Background, and he was a slave to Eldeth's family. Tonight, he weaved a story of how he forgave her and her family for keeping him as a slave, and our group loved it. This granted her inspiration which anyone "attuned" to that NPC could use to gain her inspiration ability.

That's a pretty good way to handle it. What I have in the document is: "A companion gains inspiration after any meaningful conversation with a PC, whenever a PC helps the companion accomplish a significant personal goal, or any other time the DM feels is appropriate." The way I'm running it is very lenient. Any real conversation counts, so long as it's more than like, saying hi.

I've updated my OotA companions document again, now with the faction leaders (except the noble, who will not be accompanying the party) and the regular soldiers/mounts.

[SMac8988]

Thinking about stealing this idea, mild tweaks, for my upcoming campaign. I plan to give the group a Mercenary guide house to run, and let them take one NPC with them as they want, or maybe given them like a cost system so they can take two weaker or one strong. But this is so awesome and definitely will help with that system.

Awesome work!

[Goober4473]

I've made some additions to my OotA companions document. In addition to minor tweaks:

Spoiler

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- Added Pelek, the ghost that can be found in Buppido's lair.
- Added Hanne Hellen, of the Dark Hunters, who can be found in the Wormwrithings.
- Added Grin Ousstyr, since he'll likely be tagging along with the party at least briefly.
- Added "svirfneblin archers" and "ghosts" cards to hand out during the battle for Blingdenstone. Print out one of each for each player.
- Added a carrion crawler card, in case the players run into one with a saddle and no rider.
- Added a loyalty ability to riding lizards.
- Added Modron March card, in case the modrons in the labyrinth join the party.
- Added myconid warriors card for the battle with Juiblex. They are assigned to the whole party, so print just one card and give it to whoever wants to keep track of it.

Thinking about stealing this idea, mild tweaks, for my upcoming campaign. I plan to give the group a Mercenary guide house to run, and let them take one NPC with them as they want, or maybe given them like a cost system so they can take two weaker or one strong. But this is so awesome and definitely will help with that system.

Awesome work!

Nice. That sounds like a perfect use of this system. In my D&D In Space game, I'm having the players choose a landing crew when they go on a mission: each player has two characters to choose from, and then they each get to pick one companion to bring. We haven't been playing long, but it's been working well.

[SMac8988]

I just need to come up with the characters, and what they can all do in and out of combat

[mgshamster]

One of my players wants to use this idea to convert some of the NPCs from PotA into cards. I'll send in an update when he does them.

[Goober4473]

One of my players wants to use this idea to convert some of the NPCs from PotA into cards. I'll send in an update when he does them.

make sure to keep them in spoiler tags though. I'm actually playing in a PotA game right now. I'll pass anything you come up with on to my DM though.

[mgshamster]

One of the escaped slaves from the Escaped Slaves Companion Card I made has become a named character. I'd like to make him a specific companion, but I'm at a loss for what to have him do.

He's likely a fighter (maybe a squire?) or a scrapper. High strength (16) very low wisdom (4), rest of his stats are average. He's very loyal to the group (so he'll likely be starting off with the loyalty ability).

Thoughts?

[Mikkles]

Made an account just for this thread. My group is using the companions rules and are loving it so far.

My current issue is, there are so many NPC personalities to track in Out of the Abyss, that it's hard to remember everyone's personalities and personal goals. Thus, it's difficult to figure out how the companions gain loyalty and inspiration. Some have a miniquest in their paragraph, which I would reward with loyalty, but others are less developed.

So I decided to start a list of personalities! These are, of course, just my personal takes on the characters and I encourage every DM to change them to suit their party, but it helps me to have a few words on a sheet to reference when I have to go "wait, which one was Turvy again?"

Spoiler: OotA NPC spoilers

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Buppido - Derro, 120yo (Old). Undercommon.
Upbeat, mildly higher pitched, kindly, not all there.
Says everything is part of his divine plan, but dismisses it as an old derro thinking out loud.
Likes: Being vicious to foes. Giving him the utmost respect.
Loyalty: Impossible, due to events in Grack-etc.

Derendil - Quaggoth/Elf, Says 150yo (Young adult). Elvish, understands Undercommon.
Haughty, princely, droning English accent.
Tries to keep fur cleaned and combed. Distasteful of roughing it, often comments on poor food and water. Laments that he loses himself to quaggoth savagery. Goes "savage" (unattaches from PC and becomes neutral NPC) if given injury mark. Only returns after battle or someone reinforced "true identity"
Claims prince of Nelrindenvane in High Forest; usurper Terrestor.
Likes: Telling his story of Nelrindenvane and having people believe him. Being pampered, such as improving taste with prestig.
Loyalty: After a few savage modes, if he's alive, he breaks down, thinking to remove himself from party. Gain loyalty if party convinces him to keep going.

Eldeth - Dwarf, 55yo (Young adult). Common, dwarven.
Talks quickly. Stubborn, gets exasperated easily, quick to laugh.
Proud of heritage. Defiant and self-sacrificing. Will volunteer for things like holding ropes or climbing cliffs if a PC doesn't immediately volunteer.
Despises drow and underdark, "corrupt dark dwellers"
Likes: Doubting underdark dwellers, trying to help others (other than underdarkers)
Loyalty: Bringing her home.

Jimjar - Deep gnome. Can't remember age, but young adult. Common, Undercommon
(NOTE: I'm using the optional Jimjar's Last Stand variant in the back of the book)
Jersey accent. Gregarious, devil-may-care, lazy. Bets on everything. Keeps mental track of debts and credits. Not above pocketing coin. Fine with visiting interesting places. Seems nonplussed when Demon Lords appear, but always votes on the path that opposes the demon lords.
Likes: Taking and completing interesting wagers (win or lose), especially if unexpected results occur. Visiting exciting locations. Opposing demon lords (as opposed to just fleeing or trying to escape underdark)
Loyalty: PCs agree to return to underdark after escaping.

Ront I'm killing off so I don't have one for him.

Sarith - Drow young adult. Undercommon. (Please note I know very little about the drow)
Low, smooth voice, very slight southern lilt.
Disgraced by drow, but believes he is still higher in status than non-drow. Dislikes talking to the party. If asked about his murder, he varies between it being a setup to discredit him and believing it to be true. Refuses to talk about the rash on his forehead.
Likes: (I need to learn more about Drow)
Lotalty: He gets killed off later, and is stubbornly racist to the end.

I've run out of time, but I plan on writing notes for myself for every NPC. They've successfully recruited Yuk Yuk and Spiderbait, Fargas, Glabbagool, Dawnbringer, and Hemeth; none of which have very in-depth personalities given, and no real goals to my knowledge.

(Glabbagool is just chill. He holds pretty normal conversation, but stops when he realizes a new concept, always saying Oh, thing, neat. "Oh! You have feet! Neat!" or "Oh! The concept of death! Neat!")

[Goober4473]

So I decided to start a list of personalities! These are, of course, just my personal takes on the characters and I encourage every DM to change them to suit their party, but it helps me to have a few words on a sheet to reference when I have to go "wait, which one was Turvy again?"

Looks good. I've been keeping similar, if more abridged, notes. I generally note character stuff in the form of Fate aspects, and I found knowing what languages they all speak was helpful. My notes looks like this:

Spoiler

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Eldeth - Rude, Speaks in Questions?, Mistrusts Non-Surfacers, (Common, Dwarvish)
Stool - Kid, Precious Cinnamon Roll, (Spore Telepathy)
Shuushar - Fish Man (flappy mouth), Enlightened, (Undercommon, Dwarvish, Elvish, Celestial, Deep Speech)
Buppido - Southern Bumpkin, Murderer, (Undercommon, Dwarvish)
Derendil - Posh Snob, Bouts of Bestial Rage, (Undercommon, Elvish)
Jimjar - Devil-May-Care, I Ain't No Welcher, Gambler (Common, Undercommon, Gnomish)
Ront - Bully, Wants to Redeem Himself, Bloodskull Clan (Chief Ogurkek, Priest Yagabek, Orog Garundzer), (Common, Orc)
Sarith - Calm and Strategic, Overly Cautious, Headaches, (Undercommon, Elvish)
Topsy - Secretive and Jumpy, Russian, (Undercommon, Gnomish)
Turvy - Mutters, Russian, (Undercommon, Gnomish)

Yuk Yuk - Butthead, Negotiates, (Common, Undercommon, Goblin)
Spiderbait - Beavis, (Common, Undercommon, Goblin)
Fargas - Cockney, Too Okay With Everything, (Common, Halfling)
Glabbagool - CAPS LOCK (Ancient Psychic Tandem War Elephant), Curious, (Telepathy)
Dawnbringer - Enunciates/No Contractions, Mom, (Common)
Hemeth - Italian Maffioso, Weapons, (Undercommon, Dwarvish)
Pelek - Scardy Cat, Russian, (Undercommon, Gnomish)
Rumpadump - Mean Kid, Vicious Sinnamon Roll, (Spore Telepathy)

[Mikkles]

Looks good. I've been keeping similar, if more abridged, notes. I generally note character stuff in the form of Fate aspects, and I found knowing what languages they all speak was helpful. My notes looks like this:

Spoiler

Show

Eldeth - Rude, Speaks in Questions?, Mistrusts Non-Surfacers, (Common, Dwarvish)
Stool - Kid, Precious Cinnamon Roll, (Spore Telepathy)
Shuushar - Fish Man (flappy mouth), Enlightened, (Undercommon, Dwarvish, Elvish, Celestial, Deep Speech)
Buppido - Southern Bumpkin, Murderer, (Undercommon, Dwarvish)
Derendil - Posh Snob, Bouts of Bestial Rage, (Undercommon, Elvish)
Jimjar - Devil-May-Care, I Ain't No Welcher, Gambler (Common, Undercommon, Gnomish)
Ront - Bully, Wants to Redeem Himself, Bloodskull Clan (Chief Ogurkek, Priest Yagabek, Orog Garundzer), (Common, Orc)
Sarith - Calm and Strategic, Overly Cautious, Headaches, (Undercommon, Elvish)
Topsy - Secretive and Jumpy, Russian, (Undercommon, Gnomish)
Turvy - Mutters, Russian, (Undercommon, Gnomish)

Yuk Yuk - Butthead, Negotiates, (Common, Undercommon, Goblin)
Spiderbait - Beavis, (Common, Undercommon, Goblin)
Fargas - Cockney, Too Okay With Everything, (Common, Halfling)
Glabbagool - CAPS LOCK (Ancient Psychic Tandem War Elephant), Curious, (Telepathy)
Dawnbringer - Enunciates/No Contractions, Mom, (Common)
Hemeth - Italian Maffioso, Weapons, (Undercommon, Dwarvish)
Pelek - Scardy Cat, Russian, (Undercommon, Gnomish)
Rumpadump - Mean Kid, Vicious Sinnamon Roll, (Spore Telepathy)

Ooh, awesome, I'm definitely going to use some of those for my NPCs.
What I find important in my notes, which I was trying to express, was the Likes and Loyalties. With everything going on, I often forget that I had characterized Derendil to enjoy being treated well, and to reward my PCs with his Inspiration points when they remember that. I'm making sure to track in my head how often an NPC gets Inspiration, and make it harder subsequent times. Like, the first inspiration Derendil got was from them merely listening to him talk, but the next time they needed to engage him more and play to his fantasies. It's stuff like that that I lose track of in the middle of an adventure.

[Goober4473]

Ooh, awesome, I'm definitely going to use some of those for my NPCs.
What I find important in my notes, which I was trying to express, was the Likes and Loyalties. With everything going on, I often forget that I had characterized Derendil to enjoy being treated well, and to reward my PCs with his Inspiration points when they remember that. I'm making sure to track in my head how often an NPC gets Inspiration, and make it harder subsequent times. Like, the first inspiration Derendil got was from them merely listening to him talk, but the next time they needed to engage him more and play to his fantasies. It's stuff like that that I lose track of in the middle of an adventure.

That makes sense. My general rule is to award inspiration for any interaction that isn't relevant to the current situation or plot, which keeps things pretty easy.

[Goober4473]

I've updated my OotA companion document, with the following:

Spoiler

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Added Shuushar the Unawakened, since I intend to having cleansing the temple in Blingdenstone remove madness, causing Derendil to go berserk, but Shuushar merely to question his beliefs.

Added the gnolls Kurr and Gash, which I had missed earlier.

Replaced Lanniver Strayl with Torea Strayl. Torea was a paladin in my last campaign, and I'd prefer to add more female NPCs in where possible.

Some other minor adjustments, including a nerf for Ront's inspiration ability to make it apply only to weapon dice and his bonus damage, and not things like smite, sneak attack, or hex.

[edit]: Also, I added a card for "Edylyn Mizzrym", who is my replacement for Ilvara. The card is a ruse, however. I'm going to write "PSYCHE!" on the back of it, and should they accept her "surrender", she's going to summon a Yochlol that eats its way out of her, in place of the priestess' normal ability to try to summon one.

[mgshamster]

Hey Goober,

Got any ideas for adding Kinyel Druu'giir (Drow Assassin found in Mantol-Darith) to the list?

[Goober4473]

Hey Goober,

Got any ideas for adding Kinyel Druu'giir (Drow Assassin found in Mantol-Darith) to the list?

I hadn't intended on using her as a companion, but I'd probably go with Evasion 1/Short Rest, auto-crit on a surprised creature if loyal, and sneak attack for inspiration.

[Goober4473]

This system is now up on the DMs Guild! All nice and pretty.

I'm not sure if it's okay to post a link, so I'll refrain, but the Google Doc in the first post now has a link.