In168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Dungeons & Dragons, the concept of a backup character will usually be hotly debated at a table. On one hand, some Dungeon Masters believe that their existence encourages players to leave behind their primary character, citing that the player will begin to play more and more recklessly as they attempt to kill off their first character to make way for their backup. Certainly, this isn't untrue.

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On the other hand, some Dungeon Masters say that the backup character is💯 an assurance, of sorts, to keep the flow of the game natural in both narrative and combat-driven campaigns. Regardless, chances are you clicked on this if you fall somewhere in the latter. Here are some tips for implementing a backup character into your game.

What Are Backup Characters?

Adventurers travelling through an icy forest with torches lit from Dungeons & Dragons.
Icewind Dale Art by Jedd Chevrier

Backup characters, in the plainest sense, are characters waiting in the wings while a primary character is used in the campaign. Many players create backup characters in long-form campaigns so that if their player character dies, they can keep playing.

They tend to see more use in modules or particularly lethal campaigns, though many players will also make them if they have fragile characters that see a lot of combat.

There's no real 'wrong' way to make one, and the💙y're often used to explore dynamics the players are alternatively interes꧋ted in.

Why Make A Backup?

Backups can be very practical in the event of a character's death, whether in a fatal campaign or not. Not only do they make it easier to say goodbye to a beloved character, but they also provide a player with some peace of mind bet🏅ween their character's d👍eath and the introduction of their character.

It can 🏅be comforting for a player to go from playing a character they love to playing anoth📖er character they love.

Backups also take the strain off of rolling a new character at the table and can eliminate the need to create a new character in a week, freeing upꦕ their time to worry more about acclimation to the new character rather than mechanics and backstory.

These characters work very well in narrative-centric campaigns for this reason, but for tournament-style combat sessions, they're equally useful in keeping the flow of combat going. It depends on your table, but with the right amount 𝓰of trust between the players and the Dungeon Master, a backup character can be a rewarding experience.

Try having your player make their backup character in tandem with their original. Have them choose the one they like more, and play that one. This can help as𝓀s🐠uage the possible fear that they'll tire of their primary.

Work Them Into The Story

A group of adventurers facing off against a horde of enemies in D&D
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide Cover Art by Tyler Jacobson

This will require legwork on both the player and the Dungeon Master's part, but an excellent way to prepare to use a backup character is to integrate the backup character into the story. For starters, it gives them a foothold in the world they wouldn't have otherwise, and improves the transition between primary and secondary, meaning you d🥀on't have to repeat lore 𝔍to your player.

You can give them reasons to know x, y, and z without creating a sizable knowledge gap. It also alleviates some of the pain of losing the first character by having the second be a little more familiar with the world around them.

Alternatively, if it looks like it's going to be too much work to manage, delegate that work to your player and give them some hard parameters to work within, so they don't🏅 cross♏ any boundaries.

An easy way to put in a backup character is to tie them into some existing elements within the campaigꦏn.

Keep It Loose

As a DM, consider not letting the player go all in with a solid backstory for the Backup until the player is closer to playing them. Let some parts of their back🉐story be rigid, of course, but wait until they're about to play to solidify some plot elements, so the Backup can be implemented more easily.

You can more or less decide then, too, why they might be adventuring. In fact, giving the Backup a concrete reason to pursu💯e the party is going to be more beneficial than not.

As a DM, you may be pulled to tie in some plot threads with your pl🐎ayers' backups as they beco🐟me relevant, which can also ease the transition between playing the old and the new character.

Consider What The Party Misses

The pictures is from the point of view opening a book inscribed with runes and magic.
Wizard's Spellbook by Iris Compiet

While a Backup may be an excuse to play a new class (and, frankly, is a great avenue to do so), it's worth noting that in combat-heavy campaigns, the other players may feel pressure to reconfigure their characters to make up for the loss of your primary. If ever🏅yone agrees, great! But if not, consider, at creation, what the party may miss.

If you're going to be down a paladin, think about creating a barbarian or fighter. If you're down a healing druid, consider a cleric. But don't be boxed in! If you aren't going to be a combat-oriented party, talk with your friends to see what works.

Obviously, this is going to depend on the people you DM for or play with, so feel free to swap a bar🐭barian for a sorcerer. Dunge🥃ons & Dragons parties are nothing if not adaptable.

Manage Your Expectations

A halfling using Blur in D&D.
Blur by Dave Greco

You may come up with a fantastic story for the Backup, but there's no guarantee you'll get to play them, which, while a bummer, is sort of the name of the game. Be prep🐻ared to play them very little, if ever. The primary character may live throughout t🔥he campaign!

However, some players may need breaks from their primary character. In extreme cases, if the Dungeon Master and player can find no other alternative, sometimes playing your backup for a spell can reinvigorate love for the primary character again.

If not, it's perfectly fine to say goodbye to a character who is no longer serving you. Keep the line ⭕of communication open, in such a case, and feel free to move the characterಌ from secondary to primary.

Making horrible decisions to play your secondary character early is, however, disrespectful to other people in the game. While generally a problem between the player and the Du🌳ngeon Master, and not necessarily indicative of the system of using a backup, it's something to keep in mind!

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