Adding a Character

[beachhead1973]

So...my gaming circle has potentially expanded radically recently. My group went from me and a pal to he and I and four other people by the simple expediant of me now being able to attend a regular weekly game night.

There is some precedent already for a rotating GM thing going on.

So I may soon be on deck for GMing and I think DFRPG would be the best bet based on the people...but I gots too many peoples.

I would love to GM and just GM. I think it would be a lark to have mine and my friend's PCs controled aby other people. and we have our warden PC-capable NPC Trevelyne loose too.

There's 4 people right there.

I also favour an old chestnut of having one player actuyally control the bad guys, I feel it makes for a fun, dynamic game...and it take the GM out of the line of fire if someone feels that X is unfair.

But that leave me one short. I need to add a character, for someone. Who, or what do I add? do I just leave that to one lucky player to make whatever they want? and how do I work them in? I have the next adventure done up and ready to go, but as-written it is only adaptable to 5-people max. what do you guys suggest? I want to keep as much personnal investment in the game as I can.

So...who has experience shoe-horning extra players into games?

[sinker]

My experience is that a large part of DFRPG is making sure that the table is in harmony, that everyone knows what everyone wants and at least tries to fit that in. If this is the game for you and your buddy, there may be four people now who don't fit (or maybe their wants don't fit the game).

Anyway what I'm saying is you skipped a step. Might be rough without it.

[devonapple]

I've had occasion to add two new characters to an ongoing campaign.

For their Story Aspects, we were able to successfully link them with current characters.

I felt obligated to create several new NPCs and Locations to go with these new PCs.

[zenten]

My game originally had 5 players (besides me).  I later expanded it to 7 without any issue.

[beachhead1973]

hmmm, i forgot about the story aspects...man alot of these guys would really dig that part of character creation... I may have to re-think the idea of having any of them play pre-generated characters.

[devonapple]

hmmm, i forgot about the story aspects...man alot of these guys would really dig that part of character creation... I may have to re-think the idea of having any of them play pre-generated characters.

Pregen characters can be useful, and you can opt to have the players rewrite some of the Aspects to better suit the type of game/story they want to create.

[beachhead1973]

I guess what I am really looking for is hints in how I include them in the story? How do you introduce new characters?

do I try and show-horn them into the established story i've made, or make something fresh?

[devonapple]

Oh, goodness, so many possible ways.

Have the new character show up with a gun, looking to get even with the other PCs for something actually done by an enemy they have in common.

Have the new PC come asking the old PCs for help.

Have the PCs suddenly remember "hey, isn't so-and-so back in town? We should ask if he knows how to help with [insert problem here]."

End a session during a serious cliffhanger and start the next session with the new PC coming to the rescue. Then have him train a gun on the PCs because he thinks they stole [insert Maguffin here] and he needs to get it to an antagonist by next week or they kill his grandma.

[beachhead1973]

Oh, goodness, so many possible ways.

Have the new character show up with a gun, looking to get even with the other PCs for something actually done by an enemy they have in common.

Have the new PC come asking the old PCs for help.

Have the PCs suddenly remember "hey, isn't so-and-so back in town? We should ask if he knows how to help with [insert problem here]."

End a session during a serious cliffhanger and start the next session with the new PC coming to the rescue. Then have him train a gun on the PCs because he thinks they stole [insert Maguffin here] and he needs to get it to an antagonist by next week or they kill his grandma.

Wow, almost any of those WOULD work well...I may indeed use those...