Kitchen Sink or Limits, Which for You?

[Tequila Sunrise]

Do you typically DM and/or play in kitchen sink settings, or limited settings? That is, is your group’s setting one where any PC race and class is pre-approved or are certain options just not available? Which do you prefer?*

(Maybe it depends whether you’re DMing or playing. If so, which is which?)

*I’m ignoring restrictions due to imbalance, because I figure most reasonable DMs occasionally ban unbalanced stuff to head off potential headaches.

If you like kitchen sink settings, feel free to answer any or all of these follow-ups:

How far is too far? When does it go from a kitchen sink to “What are we playing, again?”

Is the kitchen sink any less acceptable if someone plays a character that went Too Far? (“Dude you’re playing a...pixie?”)

Do you homebrew even more options, or beg your DM to? (“I want to play an X, but it’s not published!”)

If you like limited settings, feel free to answer any or all of these follow-ups:

Does it matter whether the restrictions stem from DM fiat (“I just don’t like sorcerers”), from setting themes (“The gods have abandoned Athas, so no divine PCs”), or from print origin (“Nothing from the Essentials books”)?

If you like strongly thematic settings, is such a setting any less acceptable if your favorite races or classes aren’t part of the theme?

What about strongly thematic settings that naturally foster a kitchen sink attitude, like Planescape?

PS: Yeah, my poll sucks. It’s just for your button-pushing satisfaction.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Themes.

Not every race, class, feat, spell, or other option fits in every world. If the setting is the Reformation Germanies then a Samurai is not going to be an option.

For material from books I reserve the right to use a line item veto, and I do not much me care if it is an official book or not.

The Auld Grump

 

[Aeolius]

As my current campaign is set beneath the surface of the sea, PCs must have a natural swim speed and the ability to breathe underwater without the use of magic (Setting Restriction). Core races, as written, are thus not acceptable. I also do not allow evil PCs (DM Restriction). So yes, I begin with a few restrictions.

That being said, I'm fairly flexible when it comes to allowed supplements, so long as they are not written for a campaign setting other than the World of Greyhawk (Setting Restriction). I often tell my players of an NPC they may soon meet; a spellstitched swarm-shifter dread necromancer emancipated spawn half-scrag sea kin lacedon with aboleth grafts. This reminds them that, while they can device the most outlandish characters with phenomenal powers... so can I.

 

[Ringlerun]

As a DM i dont realy care what the players take in regards of race and class as long as its a well thought and intelligently designed.

Taking x race and y class just to be the biggest nob then as DM i reserve the right to act like a nob and kill the character

So everything works out in the end.

 

[The Human Target]

I like a kitchen sink myself.

The ridiculous inclusiveness is a part of D&D, and I like it.

Not saying that I don't have any limits (You want to be a gibberling swarm?!) but...

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Do you typically DM and/or play in kitchen sink settings, or limited settings? That is, is your group’s setting one where any PC race and class is pre-approved or are certain options just not available? Which do you prefer?*

It depends on the needs of the campaign.

If I'm doing something that is the RPG equivalent of a game of pickup basketball, I generally don't care what options the players are using, so anything goes, as long as its genre-appropriate.

OTOH, if I'm running something that has a strong story/mechanical core around which I built the game world, I can be quite restrictive indeed.

If you like kitchen sink settings, feel free to answer any or all of these follow-ups:

How far is too far? When does it go from a kitchen sink to “What are we playing, again?”

Is the kitchen sink any less acceptable if someone plays a character that went Too Far? (“Dude you’re playing a...pixie?”)

Do you homebrew even more options, or beg your DM to? (“I want to play an X, but it’s not published!”)

I like the PCs to have an internal logic, but beyond that? If you want something HRed, let's talk.

If you like limited settings, feel free to answer any or all of these follow-ups:

Does it matter whether the restrictions stem from DM fiat (“I just don’t like sorcerers”), from setting themes (“The gods have abandoned Athas, so no divine PCs”), or from print origin (“Nothing from the Essentials books”)?

If you like strongly thematic settings, is such a setting any less acceptable if your favorite races or classes aren’t part of the theme?

What about strongly thematic settings that naturally foster a kitchen sink attitude, like Planescape?

I prefer setting themes to DM's fiat- based restrictions. But I don't let it bug me.

 

[MatthewJHanson]

I voted kitchen sink, but I think that both can be fun. If there are limits I prefer it to be story based (Dark Sun does a great job of this).

 

[SnowleopardVK]

I like my sinks, generally, so...

How far is too far? When does it go from a kitchen sink to “What are we playing, again?”

Exactly at that moment you just described.

Is the kitchen sink any less acceptable if someone plays a character that went Too Far? (“Dude you’re playing a...pixie?”)

Muh? What's wrong with Pixies? I think an actual too far would be if someone wanted to play a swarm, or have a Tarrasque PC in an otherwise normal group, or other such really over the top things.

Do you homebrew even more options, or beg your DM to? (“I want to play an X, but it’s not published!”)

When I GM I tend to happily homebrew up weird stuff if the players want it, provided it's not ridiculous. When I play I tend to stick to core material. There's just so much of it, I have plenty of interesting stuff that I want to try before I think of getting into special homebrewed races/classes/abilities.

 

[Incenjucar]

For the most part, I'm all about kitchen sink games, but I also have a personal campaign I've worked on that only has four races and no divine classes. Restricted campaigns are just another delicious variety.

 

[PapersAndPaychecks]

I'm the guy that likes to say no. No hobbit barbarian/necromancers. No centaur ninja/wizards. No half-orc bard/enchantresses. No tieflings (at all). No half-dragons. No drow. In fact, I really want you to play a human fighter, wizard, cleric or thief with no backstory at all but who might get a name if he lives past level 3.