History Main / GMPC

* Many PlayByPostGame forums encourage the GM to have at least one character. Of course, these games don't always need a GM.
* Pretty much all games with some sort of "corruption" mechanic will have player characters who go down that road too far eventually lose their status and turn into {{NPC}}s. As a rule, that's ''not'' this trope unless a player who's lost a character to this takes the GM seat and decides to bring their old character back.

* Not a requirement, but DontRestYourHead has an optional rule where there is no assigned GM, and whoever gets the best roll in a scene gets to control the story, essentially making them the owner of a GMPC for a short time. You would expect this to cause problems, but considering the crowd that game draws in, it actually makes things quite interesting.

* BlissStage's Authority Figure is one of these. Notable as one of the possible results of getting to OneHundredAndEight points of Bliss is for a Pilot to mutiny and take over LaResistance: If this happens, that pilot's player ''must'' become the new GM!
* MyLifeWithMaster in a nutshell: The PC's in this game are the Igors to the Game Master's Dr. Frankenstein GMPC.
* MaidTheRPG is a sendup of the entire {{Meido}} trope in which the [[{{GMPC}} Master]] can have a powerful artifact known as the [[Manga/DeathNote Desu]] [[MemeticMutation Note]]. ...Do I really need to say it?

* NinjaBurger has the dispatcher, a Non Action Guy. His job is to watch the [=PCs=] on closed circuit camera and basically provide them with hints and assistance as needed.

* The {{Ringworld}} RPG requires players whose characters mutate into [[CursedWithAwesome protectors]] to give up control of the character to the GM. Protectors have superhuman strength and intelligence, but no free will, as they are ruthlessly devoted to ensuring the survival of their bloodline or species.

* Cait Sith, in FanFic/OffTheLine, is not only an NPC, but the game's admin and head designer. He also add and changes things as long as he helping the player or if it amuses him.

* The ''GlobalGuardiansPBEMUniverse'' played with this. While there were loads of [=GMPCs=], they were always characters being run in another [=GMs=] campaign.

* Dark Bakura from the ''[[Manga/YuGiOh Yu-Gi-Oh! manga]]'' is a literal KillerGameMaster that frequently uses his own Player Characters to go against the players in his TabletopRPG campaigns. In the first RPG, Dark Bakura is in control of a BigBadEvilGuy and Ryou Bakura (the good one) manages to save Yugi and his friends from it using his own GMPC. [[spoiler:In the second RPG, Dark Bakura is in control of ''two'', Thief King Bakura and Priest Akhenaden. When Thief King Bakura dies, Akhenaden manages to summon Zorc Necrophades, and the demon replaces the thief as one of Dark Bakura's avatars.]]

* TabletopGame/{{Paranoia}} not only has the Computer, but also specifically encourages the GM to be antagonistic towards the [=PCs=] and cheat when necessary.

!!!FanFic Examples
* Cait Sith, in FanFic/OffTheLine, is not only an NPC, but the game's admin and head designer.

* Dark Bakura from the ''[[Manga/YuGiOh Yu-Gi-Oh! manga]]'' is a literal KillerGameMaster that frequently uses his own Player Characters to go against the players in his TabletopRPG campaigns. In the first RPG, Dark Bakura is in control of a BigBadEvilGuy and Ryou Bakura (the good one) manages to save Yugi and his friends from it using his own GMPC. [[spoiler:In the second RPG, Dark Bakura is in control of ''two'', Thief King Bakura and Priest Akhenaden. When Thief King Bakura dies, Akhenaden manages to summon Zorc Necrophades, and the demon replaces the thief as one of Dark Bakura's avatars.]]

* WebOriginal/FalloutIsDragons has a number of [=GMPCs=], two of which are actually party members. They are actually about equal to the player characters and somewhat adored by the players themselves.

* Dark Bakura from the ''[[Manga/YuGiOh Yu-Gi-Oh! manga]]'' is a literal KillerGameMaster that frequently uses his own Player Characters to go against the players in his TabletopRPG campaigns. In the first RPG, Dark Bakura is in control of a BigbadEvilGuy and Ryou Bakura (the good one) manages to save Yugi and his friends from it using his own GMPC. [[spoiler:In the second RPG, Dark Bakura is in control of ''two'', Thief King Bakura and Priest Akhenaden. When Thief King Bakura dies, Akhenaden manages to summon Zorc Necrophades, and the demon replaces the thief as one of Dark Bakura's avatars.]]

* Dark Bakura from the ''[[Manga/YuGiOh Yu-Gi-Oh! manga]]'' is a literal KillerGameMaster that frequently uses his own Player Characters to go against the players in his TabletopRPG campaigns. In the first RPG, Ryou Bakura (the good one) manages to save Yugi and his friends using his own GMPC. [[spoiler:In the second RPG, Dark Bakura is in control of ''two'', Thief King Bakura and Priest Akhenaden. When Thief King Bakura dies, Akhenaden manages to summon Zorc Necrophades, and the demon replaces the thief as one of Dark Bakura's avatars.]]

* Dark Bakura from the [[Manga/YuGiOh Yu-Gi-Oh! manga]] is a literal KillerGameMaster that frequently uses his own Player Characters to go against the players in his TabletopRPG campaigns. In the first RPG, Ryou Bakura (the good one) manages to save Yugi and his friends using his own GMPC. [[spoiler:In the second RPG, Dark Bakura is in control of ''two'', Thief King Bakura and Priest Akhenaden. When Thief King Bakura dies, Akhenaden manages to summon Zorc Necrophades, and the demon replaces the thief as one of Dark Bakura's avatars.]]

!!!Anime/Manga Example

!!!Anime Example
* A major plot twist in LightNovel/SwordArtOnline is that [[spoiler:Kayaba Akihiko, the BigBad who trapped everyone in TheMostDangerousVideoGame, was actually Heathcliff, leader of the Knights of the Blood guild. Kirito, having wondered where Kayaba had been for the last two years of the game, partially deduced his identity when he realized Heathcliff was in too good a condition after what should have been an exhausting battle for even a high-level player. The other key realization was, as Kirito put it, "Something any kid knows. There's nothing as boring as watching someone else play an RPG."]]

* The ''Franchise/StarWars Saga Edition'' rules state that if a player accrues enough Dark Side points for his character to be fully committed to the Dark Side, he must hand his character over to the GM, who then uses the character as a villain NPC.
** There are similar rules in the NewWorldOfDarkness concerning characters that hit 0 of whatever the game's KarmaMeter is: Morality, Humanity, what have you. Generally speaking they are considered too impulse-driven to be capable of any meaningful interaction with other players.
** As does ''TabletopGame/{{Cyberpunk}} 2020''. Lose all your humanity points and your character will snap. Since the easiest way to lose humanity points is to load up on inhuman cybernetic weapons, this is a very bad thing for anyone who happens to be in the area.
** Also, in DontRestYourHead you turn into a monster if you use your Madness Talent too much.
** ''TabletopGame/TheDresdenFiles'' RPG uses a similar concept, with the characters' Refresh Level used as a vague representation of their free will; drop below 0 points and you become a creature of pure instinct and thus unplayable. This also happens if a Changeling character chooses to embrace their {{Fey}} nature, abandoning their humanity in the process.

(It should be noted tho, in general, a GMPC in any game isn't going to solve any issues, come up with ideas, or take charge of any plot important situation the GM has set up for the player to do (unless he's not a very good GM prone to RailRoading). Normally, this is fine when they're just an equal to you mook; this can get comical and bizarre if the GMPC is supposed to be your superior and/or a wizened, experienced character and the GM needs them to be incompetent, silent, or magically not available during crucial moments meant to be handled by the PC.)

* Sir Osric in Film/TheGamers: Dorkness Rising.

* Sir Osric in [[TheGamers The Gamers: Dorkness Rising]]

(It should be noted tho, in general, GMPCs in any game aren't going to solve any issues, come up with ideas, or take charge of any plot important situation the GM has set up for the player to do (unless he's not a very good GM prone to RailRoading). Normally, this is fine when they're just an equal to you mook; this can get comical and bizarre if the GMPCs are supposed to be your superiors and/or wizened, experienced characters and the GM needs them to be incompetent, silent, or magically not available during crucial moments meant to be handled by the PCs.)

There ''is'' a middle ground, a GMPC who behaves pretty much the same as most player characters, but you don't seem to hear much about them. Presumably because they don't make as exciting stories. A GMPC may be employed temporarily to stop new players from killing themselves before they've learned. It can also occur legitimately in a campaign where the role of GM rotates among the players.

Admittedly, this kind of character [[TropesAreNotBad can be done well]] - adding flavor to the campaign and immersing the players in the world the GameMaster has set out to create. This kind of GMPC often serves as a NonActionGuy in order to avoid stealing the spotlight from the players, or at least some form of WhiteMage. (passive [=GMPCs=] often end up in the 'healing' role)

However, it's all too easy to screw up the GMPC, especially since the Game Master also controls the game world and plot. Thus, the GMPC turns into a plot device to [[{{Railroading}} keep the players on track]], stopping them from going OffTheRails. Even worse, the GM can take too much of a liking to his PC, and the character slowly but surely turns into a MarySue; defeating all the enemies singlehandedly, doing all the cool stuff, and gradually reducing the players to [[SpotlightStealingSquad supporting roles]]. He might also set up the adventure [[ThisLooksLikeAJobForAquaman to suit his character]], without considering the others.

There ''is'' a middle ground, a GMPC who behaves pretty much the same as most player characters, but you don't seem to hear much about them. Presumably because they don't make as exciting stories. A GMPC may be employed temporarily to stop new players from killing themselves before they've learned.

* The ''StarWars Saga Edition'' rules state that if a player accrues enough Dark Side points for his character to be fully committed to the Dark Side, he must hand his character over to the GM, who then uses the character as a villain NPC.

* Gandalf is a pretty hilarious example of the kind of things that go on with them in DMOfTheRings.

* ''TheNoob'' has the MMORPG version, in which the {{Jerkass}} head developer plays a character. And cheats to try and win contests.
* DarthsAndDroids uses this trope when the the regular GM can't make it to the session, and Pete takes over while still playing R2-D2, during the battledroid factory sequence. During the battle, he decides R2-D2 has rocket thrusters, which in the movie, pretty much allowed Artoo to save the day.

* In the D&D-themed ''Videogame/{{Borderlands 2}}'' DLC ''Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep'', White Knight Roland serves this role, often appearing in the story just because Tina says so. The other players aren't very happy about this, partly because he's more or less a plot device and because [[spoiler:he's a clear sign that Tina is in denial of the real Roland's death. However, the ending shows that his character is meant to be a tribute to Roland, ultimately having a better fate than his ignoble death at the hands of Handsome Jack.]]

** As does ''Cyberpunk 2020''. Lose all your humanity points and your character will snap. Since the easiest way to lose humanity points is to load up on inhuman cybernetic weapons, this is a very bad thing for anyone who happens to be in the area.

'''Examples of games requiring {{GMPC}}s:'''

'''RPG Webseries with {{GMPC}}s'''

'''Rare Film Example'''
* Sir Osric in [[TheGamers The Gamers: Dorkness Rising]]