I know most fa/tg/uys have strong opinions about DMPCs but I need some advice.
I'm going to be GMing a game of 3.PF for a small group (3 players) that are sorely lacking any kind of healing abilities.
How might I go about tacking on a healslut NPC to the party without drawing the limelight away from my players?
pic somewhat related because cute
>healslut
At least try and conceal your fetish thread please.
A cache of wands of CLW is a better choice.
Found the gay guy
Is it really that painful or onerous to just steal the concept of Hit Dice/short rests from 4e/5e? This was a legitimate problem that was legitimately solved in later editions in a way that's simple and easy to understand.
>b-b-but 4th edition
>muh meat points
Make the NPC only semi-intelligent.
Go for a trained magical beast, like a young unicorn, or an item like a Wand of Cure Light Wounds that gained pseudo-sentience and the ability to recharge a few charges under certain conditions (every time they slay a monster, every dawn, etc.).
If it's a matter of helping round out the party and providing healing, you can really just go ahead an do something like a potion of healing that can refill itself a few times per day. No need to force an NPC into the party if your larger plot/plan doesn't have a use for them.
Just make it an emotionless bot.
Like, to the point that the PCs bond more with random stranger than they do with it.
That may not be the best method, but it's the most surefire one to make a DMPC without it being annoying/appearing as a self-insert/taking light away from players/feeling like an excuse to railroad.
as an alternative I was thinking of introducing something like a small magical creature with healing abilities and just kinda use it as a team mascot (assuming they take a liking to it)
Make a travelling medicine seller that provides cheap poultices that work like Cure Light Wounds potions. If the party likes them enough to have them tag along, have them follow as a NPC or as a camp follower. If they don't click with the group that well initially, just have them be essentially a mobile healing shop.
DMPC are a problem when the DMPC is the main character and the PCs are their henchmen.
You can have a tagalong NPC easily. Just don't give her plot importance over the actual players.
Oh and also don't kill or kidnap her off for cheap drama, that's lame.
Make her a source of heartwarming - in activity, as well as some sidequests. Just nice and cozy stuff to wind down from big dangerous adventure.
Perhaps mix these two together and have them be a camp follower with some level of apothecary skill. They'll help patch you up after battle, but aren't going into it. Let's you have a way to not need to end each day after a single encounter, but also doesn't risk one-upping the party like an overly optimized healer might.
You don't and recalibrate the fights and other challenges such that it's appropriate for your 3 party members.
>like an overly optimized healer might.
codzilla only codzillas if they don't spend their spellslots on healing, so that's not really a concern.
Just give her weak physical stats and have her buff party rather than herself.
A DMPC is only called called that because it's a character the DM wants to play in their own game. If the character is just something you're throwing together to round out a missing role and don't have any attachment to, it's not a DMPC. It's just an NPC like any other.
Or, do the reverse so that they need 2-4 healers.
You don't. Its up to the players to figure a way out of needing healing. Maybe getting smart about the fights they want to fight, hmm?
Eberron has living spells. Just have a living cure light wounds
Male healsluts are a thing
Can we not call healers healsluts?
Healing magic also restores vitality. It can bolster the target against the weariness brought on by extended combat as well as alleviate literal physical injury, to an extent depending on the spell.
The players should always be the ones to seek out an NPC companion.
Every now and again, I'll have NPCs join the party for short periods of time for specific missions as guides, allies, or observers. Their skills and class depend on the type of mission being undertaken.
These NPCs tend to only stick around for a particular arc or mission, then go their own ways... but I'm always happy to bring them back if the party feels like they need an extra hand with a particularly rough job.
It really warms my cockles when the party wants the NPC to stick around a bit longer. It means I did a good job.
Not all healers are healsluts unfortunately
There something odd about this bar wench.
I can't put my finger on it, but my paladin senses are tingeling.
This. Make them stock on potions and chug those, search for medical aid, make decisions about retreating or fighting while not on their full strength, be careful with exposing themselves to damage, etc.
Makes the game all more interesting imo.
All the more reason to not be a DMPC faggot and just adopt a 2-sentence houserule.
My party would love this. Every time we find a cute creature, or a puppy or something, we end up trying to take it with us. Creating a cute little pet that can heal us would be great.
I would give the players control of the healslut for the action moments. Unless they're terrible people they will count her as part of the team, even if she ends being the pet.
Does that trigger you?
Not all sluts are healers...
Which answer is more likely to get you to not call them that?
fucking wisdom right there