Players with Multiple Characters

Each player usually controls one character, but sometimes players may want or need more. Multiple player characters are fine in the right situation.

Once your campaign is underway and players learn more about the game world, they may want to have characters in several widely scattered areas throughout that world. Having multiple characters who live and adventure in different regions allows a lot of variety in the game. The characters usually are spread far enough apart so that events in one region don't affect what transpires in the other.

Sometimes players want to try a different class or race of character but do not want to abandon their older, more experienced heroes. Again, spreading these characters out across the world is an effective means of keeping them separate and unique.

Whenever possible, avoid letting players have more than one character in the same area. If, for some reason, players must have more than one character in an area, make sure that the characters are of significantly different experience levels. Even this difference should keep them from crossing paths very often.

If multiple player characters are allowed, each character should be distinct and different. It is perfectly fair to rule that multiple characters controlled by one person must be different classes--perhaps even different races. This helps the player keep them separate in his imagination.

If a player has more than one character available, ask him to choose which character he wants to use for the adventure--before he knows what the adventure is about. If a single adventure stretches across several playing sessions, the same character should be used throughout. All of the player's other characters are considered busy with something else during this time.

Avoid letting players take more than one character along on a single adventure. This usually comes up when the group of characters assembled for the planned adventure is too small to undertake it safely. The best solution to this problem is to adjust the adventure, use a different adventure entirely, or supplement the party with NPC hirelings.

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