Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (
More info?)
"Matt Frisch" <matuse73@yahoo.spam.me.not.com> wrote in message
news:rk4b511uhcarer2gdqvdp7jhmug7p7lkfj@4ax.com...
> >In metagame terms, obviously I also have a chat with the player, letting
him
> >know that the reasons for his in-game abuse is of his own making, and if
he
> >doesn't want his character to be abused like that, he should avoid the
> >activities that cause it.
>
> Which if the problem then extends into the game (you do have this
> conversation BEFORE the game starts, yes?), then you need to work on your
> people skills. It should be made clear to this person before the first
> pizza is ordered whether or not their style of gaming is going to fit at
> your table. It should not be necesary to inflict punishment on their
> character for what is manifestly YOUR failure to adequately explain your
> expectations.
The only time I ever had to implement this option, I did exactly what you
describe. I was giving a player a chance at playing our game who I didn't
know, he was a friend of one of the players. I described our game VERY
clearly, what was acceptable, what wasn't, what to expect from me and the
other players, and what we expected of him in return.
He wanted to play a paladin, which was the first sign of trouble. I have
*never* run into a player who I thought actually played a paladin well.
Their alignment restrictions are almost never followed strictly enough,
meaning that the paladin is little more than a fighter on massive steroids.
However, he assured me to no end that he could role play the character well
enough, so I relented from my previous decision not to allow player
character paladins. Sure enough, within one session, he had abandoned the
guidelines of how I expected a paladin to be played in our campaign in
almost every way. I warned him that the in-game punishments were coming if
he didn't change, not once, but twice. Then I hit him with them, and he got
pissed. There's only so much I can do to telegraph this sort of stuff.
> Although, given that you feel a barbarian wielding a greatsword is
> powergaming, it's a miracle that you have any players at all.
I thank you for oversimplifying my stand on the issue. It's not that a
barbarian is wielding a greatsword, it's the combination of all sorts of
factors, one of which is the decision to choose a weapon based on damage
potential, not character.
--
Jeff Goslin - MCSD - www.goslin.info
It's not a god complex when you're always right
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