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Im really struggling to access the Enworld forum of Dnd so ill ask here instead.
Im thinking of starting a DnD group with some friends but we all want to just have a character, so i was thinking each have a character role play with him but then take it in turns to control the monsters.

So you could even have say warband vs warband and then have monsters fighting too.

some feedback on this idea would be fabulous

Regards

Steve

That could work for combat, but the story aspect might suffer, for example when you have a DM he knows the overall story/plot and makes the monsters/NPCs behave accordingly. How will you handle this aspect?

Also say for example you enter a room with goblins, its your turn to run the dice for the goblins. The room description says something like "although the big boss is nearby, the goblins do not call for help because the boss is likely to kill them for it after the battle." Now YOU know the Big Boss is close, how do you not metagame?

I'm not saying you can't do it, I just think there will be a price to pay in terms of story and metagaming. As long as you're happy about that, or you can find a way around it, go for it!

I would say the same it would not be as good with out the story/plot but if you relly want to you can do so.

Fair point guys

Well around the plot/story usually wede all decide together but i can see what you mean

I understand where your coming from.

Ill let you know how it goes

S

It would probably work if you just rotated from session to session, as opposed to from battle to battle. So if you get together on Sundays for D&D, each Sunday one person takes a turn as DM for that whole day. The current DM writes a short, simple scenario that you can complete in a single setting, runs it, then gets to play next time.

The RPGA actually designs all its modules to work in single sessions, so if you check them out I’m sure you can get some good advice on how to design and run games this way.

me an my friends tried to do that... we had a book (like a journal) that was passed from DM to DM. the DM that had the journal would write down what quest he would send the party on... ideas... NPC's... etc etc... but this didnt really get off the ground b/c the first DM decided to absolutely DESTROY the ENTIRE party in spectacular fashion...

you must make sure that the DM wants to be DM... if they dont want it then dont give it to them b/c they will f around and screw it up...

Elegost

Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies?
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RocksFallEveryoneDies

Best way to get around the temptation of role play as a Dm

Vibrant and exiting npcs seriously when you start giving everyone they meet a back story, personality, and personal quirks then the need to role play lessons greatly (at least in my experience)

Cyberpunk 203x has a nice system to that effect: The Tag-Tell campaign.

Basics: Players divide into two teams, the Ref's team (GM) and the Party. The Ref writes the adventure (a skirmish at the core, some flavor/motivations around it) and plays the opposing organisation.
The party creates their characters but may add a few social "perks" such as contacts, informers, spies etc. They're a small gang of rebels/outlaws/adventurers/hirelings
If any PC bites it during the game he joins the ref's side. Which CP203x actively encourages with Meta-Characters (In CP3 organisations have a charactersheet). A Meta-Character has 3 major NPC's (The Brain and his Hands) and a bunch of mooks. The brain and hands have their own objectives and designs, and a Player who lost his character can take one of the "hands" to play for the remainder of the session.

At the end of the skirmish the "winning" side may choose a "plot device" which determines the scenario for the next engagement. For example, they could have kidnapped someone important who must be rescued, they gain information of a secret project that must be stopped, the losing team legs it and a car chase ensues etc. one might also swap sides for the next gig, the ref being in control of the "Party" and the party taking the ref's Meta-Character