Absent Players

[elbandit]

Howdy!

I know this has been discussed before on this site, but what do other GMs do about a player missing sessions?

Do you NPC them and grant them some portion of experience? No experience?

I ask because I have a player who is now constantly missing sessions in favor of another game that up until now ran about once every 3 months. My group consists of 7 players and I am looking for advice.

Thanks!

 

[Grishnak]

Howdy!

I know this has been discussed before on this site, but what do other GMs do about a player missing sessions?

Do you NPC them and grant them some portion of experience? No experience?

I ask because I have a player who is now constantly missing sessions in favor of another game that up until now ran about once every 3 months. My group consists of 7 players and I am looking for advice.

Thanks!

My DM gives the missing player an NPC's xp. If the player gets too far behind it does show up vs higher level mobs where they tend to be dispatched quickly. But on the otherside dont give too much as other regular attenders may feel put out.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Due to work commitments we had a couple of players who played only half the sessions (and rarely met each other - weird!). After consulting the group they got full xp, but tended to get a lesser share of items than the regulars. This seemed to work fine.

If someone is a no show, then it depends how it happened. If they let me know in good time and don't do it too regularly, then I'd make sure they don't get too far behind. Probably full xp, but might vary a little depending on what was done in the session.

Whereas, if they just fail to show up and blow us off to play another game, then they're going to get no xp... and depending on how irrirtating, may well end up not playing at all! Especially with 7 players already.

Ideally, I'd sit down with them and try to work out when they're going to playing, just so I can plan ahead.

 

[Duorin III]

Try to talk with the guy. If this dont solve the problem, give to him a kick in the back!(lol)

 

[elmuthalleth]

I use a little trick . A player's PC who miss a session remains "behind" , and doesn't take the xp for this particular session .The PC catches up later thanks a object who permits of teleporting istantly to the new group location ( more a campaign issue than a true spell ) .

 

[Flyspeck23]

I ask because I have a player who is now constantly missing sessions in favor of another game that up until now ran about once every 3 months. My group consists of 7 players and I am looking for advice.

There are a lot of good excuses for missing a game - playing in another IMHO isn't one of them.
Your group seems to be big enough already, so you definetly don't need a player who's main interest is with a different group.

I won't kick him out, but I'd definetly won't give his PC full XP. Furthermore, I won't include his PC as an NPC (unless that would make the character disappear in the middle of an adventure), and that'd mean only a marginal XP award at best.

 

[Belen]

Howdy!

I know this has been discussed before on this site, but what do other GMs do about a player missing sessions?

Do you NPC them and grant them some portion of experience? No experience?

I ask because I have a player who is now constantly missing sessions in favor of another game that up until now ran about once every 3 months. My group consists of 7 players and I am looking for advice.

Thanks!

Kick him to the curb. You have more than enough players and if this guy cannot show up to your game because he thinks another one is better, then you do not need him. That's a pretty crappy thing to do.

Otherwise, if someone does not show up, then the character is absent for the session. I work an in-game reason for their absence and they receive no experience. However, I do offer them the chance to write-up something about their character or what their character did while away from the party in order to gain half-xp for the session. (Note: I only do this for people who are not chronically absent of which they're none at the moment.)

 

[Uller]

If a player misses a game, I either have his character do nothing for the game...he's there, but ne never does anything and doesn't ever take damage, get treasure or gain XP...or one of the other players can run him as an NPC ( I get to override any decisions they make for him). The latter is only an option if the absent player has given consent and is okay with the fact that his PC my be killed during his absence.

As for your particular problem...if a player is missing the game because he is off playing another game, I'd ask him to choose one or the other. It isn't any different than someone saying "I'll play in your game unless something better comes up." That's just rude. Work, familly commitments, illness...those are acceptable excuses.

I'm not saying to kick him out. I'd just say "look, you're missing my game for this other game, so I'm just going to assume you're not playing anymore. If you show up, great, but I'm not going to plan on it."

 

[Khaalis]

In my humble opinion, if it is for work/family reasons etc - ie... a VALID reason, I am easy on the player and basically either ghost/NPC them, or if it is viable (like they were between adventures) there is an in-game reason they cant make it.

However, if I had a player ditching my game to play someone else's game. Nope. You werent here. Period. You get a whopping NADA. If a player consistantly blow off my game. Go enjoy the other game and quit yanking my and my group's chain. See ya.

 

[Kastil]

I've used several different methods for this. First off, I don't NPC anyone's character. Won't do it because a DM has enough to worry with on his/her own.

I had a couple of players used as an insurance policy that the PCs would leave the evil doer alone. It was that or a TPK.

Another one was left behind at the next village.

I only do this on a no show. If they quit the game entirely, then I have fun depending how cheesed off I was at the player. Yes, possibly bad form but hey it's the little things that make me cackle evilly. ::still smiles about the ritual sacrifice of a particularly annoying PC::