Hey all,

I run a small group (2 players) and I have been thinking of playing as well as GMing... What do yuo all think to this? i have been thinking about it and I am not sure how it would work.

Any of you guys do this or have any advice on doing this?

Thanks in advance.

I've tried it a few times; it didn't really work out. We also tried to take turns GM'ing in the same system, with the same characters, a few times. Like "hey, that was cool, I think I want to GM this module next month, is that OK?".

That didn't work out either. When the dwarf PC controlled by the "GM of the week" found a big-ass hammer with heavy duty magical properties (in his own, homegrown adventure) and instantly suggested that "Hey, look at this awesome axe! Seeing as my charater is the only dwarf here, you don't mind if I take it, do you?" we got weary.

We grew increasingly agitated when the heavily injured "GM PC system" was the first to jump onto a mysterious, levitating platform. The platform turned out to be a healing disc that restored the GM's PC to full health. Only, the disc had just the one charge, so the rest of the group went unhealed!

Oh, and I just remembered what came next: we met a cockatrice or something, anyway it had a petrifying stare. This was AD&D, by the way. Guess what, the dice gods decided that the GM dwarf should be hit, quite randomly, he failed his save, and then the GM dwarf was turned to stone.

We left him there in the dungeon, an striking statueforever warning against the dangers of double-gaming.

Hilarious and memorable in retrospect, but it was not regarded a good scenario as we played it. I don't think that GM ever got to GM ever again.

What I suggest is that you bolster the group with one or two (preferably soft-spoken) NPC's that you control in social settings, but hand over to one of the players for combat purposes. Never steal the player's thunder, man, that's just not cool. You could end up GM'ing with zero players

Just make sure that one of the trusted NPC's played in this manner is really a mutant or cultist trying to infiltrate the group in order to achieve some nefarious end. Keep him alive long enough to be discovered and possibly foiled by the players - or have him succeed. ANyway you should let him escape, and then establish him as a long-term Nemesis - you players will most likely hate him intensely!

Well every one wants to be a GM, but most can't seperate their charactors as a non important role. In reality you send them away to visit their gran while the person is GM'ing or keep them as NPC that gains no experience or any major equipment. Yes you them to aid your players if they get stuck.

In such situations my now NPC ends up fighting a non important opponent (if the story states 5 i make it 6) and have them feud it out until the others have finished or they get knocked out by a sneeky blow (or sling rock).

though i have not tried the new edition yet i am eager to find someone with a open box for me to try before i start investing in another system (i have all the 2nd ed books).

Cheers

YN

I do this when playing with a small group or with just one player. I make a single character who joins up with the other 1 or 2 PC's.
I think it works very well if you keep in mind that:

• this character should probably be a little weaker than the other PCs, at best equal but never superior
• this character should know as much or as little about the plot as the other PCs but not more

Personality-wise, try to make this character one who is not too pro-active, perhaps a bit shy or lazy, but not a strong personality that could dominate the party.
If you do that, you take away the focus from the players who should always be the real heroes of the story.

Anyway, keeping these things in mind, in my experience it has worked really well to give the PCs a bit of a boost during combat and help them out here or there.