We’ve talked about DMPCs before, but now Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything has added a new way for DMs to have an avatar in the game to help PCs out, cover any weak spots, or just have a view across the table: The sidekick.

The sidekick mechanics work a little differently than a straight DMPC (which is essentially a leveling PC that DM runs in the party). Which one is right for your campaign? That’s the question Minnesota DM brings us this week: “When making a party-companion NPC to fill the healing role, is it better to make it a character class or use the sidekick option from Tasha’s Cauldron on Everything?”

In this episode, Thorin, Tony and Dave break down how they handle party companions in their games, what they think of the sidekick mechanic, and how to run a sidekick or DMPC who doesn’t overshadow the party.

3:00 A listener question: If you want to add a DM character to help the party, is it better to add a DMPC or sidekick?

5:00 DMPCs and sidekicks, what’s the difference?

12:00 How Tasha’s sidekicks work

17:00 How we would approach DMPC vs. sidekick in our games

20:00 Do DMPCs cause problems with your players?

26:00 Will your sidekick or DMPC wind up playing Penny to the PC’s Inspector Gadget?

30:00 What makes a good sidekick: Fun ideas and examples from pop culture

34:00 Do you have time to create and play a sidekick with enough personality to do them justice?

43:00 Final thoughts