Some DMing advice sought

Phaezen · Sep 29, 2009

I am currently setting up a new campaign and am having some issues with a player. Nothing game breaking, but I would just like to get other dms input into the situation.

Some background info, the system is D&D 4e, and he is going to be playing a warlock initially pretending to be a sorcerer. He has an issue with players knowing that he is a warlock and want to put up fake sheets and such o the campaign blog to initially mislead people.

The problem I am having with this is everyone in the game has been playing 4e for a year now and will pick up the difference between a sorcerer and a warlock in the first combat, and he seems not to be able to trust the other players ability to distinguish between in character and out of character knowledge.

My current thinking is to just have each character listed by power source and role on the blog, rather than by class to help the situation along.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

FireLance · Sep 29, 2009

To be quite frank, this kind of issue seriously pings my DM problem radar as it creates the potential for inter-player conflict (and not just intra-party conflict, which is okay if the players are fine with it and can still maintain a good relationship outside of the game).

Is there any significant reason why the player can't tell the other players that he's playing a warlock pretending to be a sorcerer? If it's a harmless one-off joke which will be over as soon as the player declares that he's cursing an enemy in combat, it's probably fine and doesn't require too elaborate a set-up. However, given that (as you said) the player seems to be unable to trust the other players' ability to distinguish between in-character and out-of-character knowledge, there appears to be more at stake, and it also suggests that there is a deeper problem.

My advice is to stay out if it. It's really the player's own problem, if it isn't the player that is the problem in the first place.

Rechan · Sep 29, 2009

FireLance said:
My advice is to stay out if it. It's really the player's own problem, if it isn't the player that is the problem in the first place.

My feeling too.

vagabundo · Sep 29, 2009

This would be a complete bugger to run, as you say, players will realise very quickly unless he changes terminology on the fly.

I just cant see this working well at all. He will be sussed during the first combat, what's his plan if he is? Will they not notice that he has two character sheets at the table?

Phaezen · Sep 29, 2009

Thanks for the feedback.

I think the player is looking at the situatiojn from his roleplaying possibilities within the situation, so I am going to try and connvince him that, rather than decieving the other players, letting them know will open up more roleplaying opportunities for the entire group.

WalterKovacs · Sep 29, 2009

While it would be difficult to fool a player, it would be quite possible to pull off the sorceror/warlock confussion in character. Depending on the other members of the party, they may not recognize the difference between the two arcane striker types. Depending on how the cursing goes, it may be hard to figure which is which. An assasin, even with the magic involved, could pass themselves off as a rogue if people weren't looking too closely (especially if they stuck to the shadows, and played their magic off as being just a very stealth/mobility focused rogue.)

Personally, I plan on having a "chameleon assassin disguised as a drow rogue" NPC show up at some point, but that's a little easier to hide by limiting interaction with the party. For a full blown PC, it's pretty much going to have to be something he talks to the group about in terms of making it an RP thing.

Henrix · Sep 29, 2009

Different groups have different ways to keep secrets interesting.

Try to explain to him how your group usually does.
Also point out that if the players know they can set up interesting situations with their unknowing characters.

Nebten · Sep 29, 2009

I wouldn't worry too much about it. The novelity will wear off after a game or two. Besides its not that much of a stretch of pass off as a sorceror instead of a warlock . . . a warlock trying to be a paladin would be quite different.