Small Groups

Small-group games focus more intently on the interests of the players and their characters, allowing for an experience that can be more customizable for each individual. However, small group games can also run into trouble when the PCs have gaps in their abilities. In many cases, the easiest way to adjust for a small group is to add additional characters. This could come in the form of allowing each player to play two characters or adding mercenaries, followers, and support NPCs to the party to shore up roles that the PCs don't fill. When adding GM-controlled NPCs to the party, it's important to be sure that the PCs remain the stars of the show. In general, GM-controlled characters shouldn't make major decisions, and they shouldn't outshine PCs at their primary skills or roles. Think of such characters as a support network for your PCs or an additional asset the PCs can leverage to achieve their goals. When running these GM-controlled NPCs, consider allowing your players to give the NPCs basic directions, tactical suggestions, or even select their exploration activities or targets in battle. If the PCs are working on a plan or enacting a combat strategy, these NPCs should always support it and supplement it, not hinder it—even if such actions would be out of character for that NPC. You can also use variant rules like free archetypes, extra loot, or even just a few bonus trained skills to help improve the PCs' overall flexibility.