Heroic NPC's & PVP

[Jsc]

NPC's & PVP
I haven't seen any rules yet governing the use of NPC's in PVP. So I thought I'd share a few thoughts I've scavenged over the years.
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HOW TO FIGHT A NAMED/HEROIC NPC:

* Fighting a Named or Heroic NPC is a similar process to fighting a regular Player Character, except for that this NPC can never beat you. They will always lose, retreat, perish, or escape no matter the rhythm, pace, or score of the battle. Even if he/she is winning. Like a player character, it is inadvisable to move this NPC without the writers consent. As such, it is polite to attack and then wait for his/her writer to respond with the damage taken. Killing this NPC does not count as a PC Kill, but can be recorded anyway. I mean. Why not, right? Haha.

WHAT IS A NAMED/HEROIC NPC:
* A Named or Heroic NPC is similar to a Characters companion, accomplice, or fellowship member. They have a name, a history, a purpose, and sometimes even a destiny. They are generally not your average cannon fodder or PVE encounter. By contrast, a General NPC has no name, no history, a meager purpose, and rarely a divine destiny other than dieing dramatically.

* Heroic NPC Example: Clone Commander Black-Wolf was a hero of the Republic and he followed the Jedi Master everywhere he went. Helped him along the way. Thus, together they would overcome the Bandit's Fortress once and for all.
* General NPC Example: The Stormtrooper squad positioned themselves by the door. When the three Sith Masters attempted to exit by this door they would ambush them with stunning force. No Sith Master could stand up against their five or six blaster pistols. Nooo. Neverrr.

CAN I ROLEPLAY WITH ANOTHER FACTIONS NPCS OR FLEET AND FACE-STAB THEM:
* It is generally frowned upon to roleplay the personnel and resources of another Faction without their Leadership's Consent. Having your Bounty Hunter use his flame thrower to maim Seven NPC Sith Masters in one blow, just doesn't make for a happy Sith Empire Faction. Do ya see what I mean. Lol.

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These are just thoughts. I'm sure Administration will be happy to answer any specific questions or concerns. Thanks guys!

 

[Fatty]

This is interesting. Can said NPC in your experience be greater than the companion that it follows? An example is that there is a PC padawan who uses an NPC as their master.

 

[Jsc]

Yes my Master
I have seen this before. It makes good sense in continuity and helps deepen many plots. However, it was considered impolite and almost shameful to (self-train) your character using an NPC Master or Mentor-like persona. Unless, it was already included in your characters biography. Such as when you are creating a character who was trained by his father, mother, mentor, etc.

As I said, I'm sure Administration or the Moderator Team would be happy to address any specific concerns.

 

[Zef Halo]

This is nice, sort of, but I feel bad for the NPCs lol. Feels bad man. Like they are automatic victims ;( Like the stormtroopers in Star Wars ;( Man I cry for those people. They are always there so people would kill them easily and prove their power. ;( No love for the stormtroopers.

 

[Jsc]

There are exceptions to every rule. Pity not the Red-Shirts.

 

[Korran Halcyon]

I'll get to this today.

 

[Korran Halcyon]

My thoughts on NPCs. They need to be treated realistically. Run of the mill no names are basically red shirts. Welcome to be killed with ease, but not stupidly.

As for named NPCs they're a different story because typically you're putting importance on them. I find them to be incredibly useful for story. In some instances they're good to explore another location, but in a competitive setting they should have little bearing. Splitting oneself over the course of lots of words and six NPCs shouldn't allow you to spread yourself out and fight with multiple people. Though I have seen two fleets handled through two people NPCing an admiral. That's far more acceptable cause it is NPC against NPC. I think it is bad taste to kill a named NPC. But I also feel they should add little to the true outcome of the thread.

For instance. Mandalore the Rebuilder will make appearances in Mandalorian threads, but as an NPC he will fade into the back drop after his little bits of appearing are over. While he is important to the faction, he's never going to hugely important things in thread simply because... none of the Mandalorians RP him. He's an NPC. He has story relevance but not competition relevance.

 

[Tefka]

I would like for this discussion to continue, as it has now become a focus of SWRP Staff Discussion.

We're watching for good, viable suggestions to expand the ideas proposed by Karen, or just general support by the members of SWRP.

 

[Tefka]

Especially the PvP aspect.

Should players be able to kill NPCs without the writer's consent?

 

[Quietus]

I tend to agree with everything said here by Karen and Korran. Korran and I have an extensive rp history together and have even shared major NPC characters. I do not support the idea that one should be able to outright kill or maim a named NPC that is not their own. Many named NPC characters play key roles in the stories they were designed for. Heck, I've even turned an NPC into a full PC char because of their inclusion to my characters and plots.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

I think that since named NPCs are written by one player exclusively, their fates are the responsibility of those writers. BUT, NPCs will never be as strong as players, and thus won't win on their own.

 

[Jsc]

Food for Thoughts: Ask yourself,

* What is the difference between a Heroic NPC and a regular one?
* Can the people you are writing with notice the difference?
* If yes, why? If not, why not?
* Are you communicating the status of this NPC with your other writers in the IC Thread, an OOC Thread, over Skype, or by PM?
* Should I assume something from the other writer, or should I ask first?
* Am I using my NPC's to gain an OOC advantage or to tell an IC story?

Roleplay is Teamwork. And remember! There is always 'Peng'. ...I mean. Edit. There is always 'Edit'.

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Karen's Official Answer:

Yes. I believe any writer should have the ability to kill your NPC's outright. Maybe even your Player Character too. ...But I also believe that the reason they might stay their hand is because of good communication, polite manners, and the spirit of collaboration.