What to do about inconsistant player interest?

[Melhaic]

I currently have a player in my game that has been showing very inconsistant interest lately. He shows up for games maybe two out of three sessions(we play weekly), but ranges from hyper interested (calling all day, showing up early, etc.) to flat out blowing it off. Lately he has been getting less and less interested, and I think he has began to dislike the play style. I would love for him to keep playing and would gladly suit him, but the rest of the players are very happy. Where do I find the compromise?

I run a mid/low level of magic, with lots of horror/mystery themes, religious conflict, and gritty fighting. He is just hung up un one point: character power level. They are 6th-7th level, in a world with not a lot of high level characters, but he feels like his character is underpowered. He is a Druid 5/Fightter2, with an adamantine spear, horn of circle of prot. from evil (epic name, huh?), and a silver raven figurine. Not only that he (sort of) controls the McGufffin artifact orb!!!

The root of the problem is that his original play experience with D&D is uberoverpowered 2nd edition (I run 3.5), and he loves his 39th level barbarian stories.

It would be easy to just let him go, but not only his he a close friend outside of playing, his character is the longest running and central to the plot. I have been doing the "evil artifact F*ing with his head thing", but that is getting a bit stale. One of the other characters is sort of helping out with (and wanting to study: he the inquisitive scholar wizard) the McGuffin.

One ray of hope I've seen is he perked up a lot in one session when he played a straight fighter instead of the druid (crazy, isn't it?). He doesn't really utilise his characters spellcasting abilities consistantly, and often just slugs it out in melee with his spear.

I'm at wit's end; any advice would be great.

 

[Ry]

It's hard, players are notoriously difficult when it comes to getting them to tell you what they want.

If I were you I'd send one of those internet quizzes to the whole group. Something like:

Our PCs do things that are a BIG DEAL
(Too often) (A little too often) (As often as I'd like) (Not often enough) (Ever?)

We talk to NPCs
(Too often) (A little too often) (As often as I'd like) (Not often enough) (Ever?)

Our Background is part of the game
(Too often) (A little too often) (As often as I'd like) (Not often enough) (Ever?)

We get to be awesome
(Too often) (A little too often) (As often as I'd like) (Not often enough) (Ever?)

Plots are about my character
(Too often) (A little too often) (As often as I'd like) (Not often enough) (Ever?)

We fight
(Too often) (A little too often) (As often as I'd like) (Not often enough) (Ever?)

We get treasure
(Too often) (A little too often) (As often as I'd like) (Not often enough) (Ever?)

We change gears
(Too often) (A little too often) (As often as I'd like) (Not often enough) (Ever?)

We play
(Too often) (A little too often) (As often as I'd like) (Not often enough) (Ever?)

Since every question has a "As often as I'd like" you can legitimately bug your players to fill it out. YOu can say "Hey, if you just like it as-is check off the ones in the middle." That way you can say "I need some feedback" without saying "Hey, praise my game."

 

[Melhaic]

The problem isn't really there in the other four players. They are the best group I have played with, and are surprisingly enthusiatic about the game. The guy I'm talking about used to be, but his behavior pattern has changed recently.

The survey looks like a good idea to get itemized feedback, but doesn't really help with this specifically.

 

[Ry]

I don't know what to do besides direct communication then. Maybe he feels like the game is all about him experiencing vicarious angst and he's not into it anymore. Maybe he just doesn't dig it anymore. If that's the case but he doesn't want to let people down, you could ask him if he'd be willing to "sign-off" the campaign - have the artifact eat his brain, give him a monster to play representing the thing coming out of his head, and he says saiyonara in a way that's a wicked-cool surprise for the other players.

 

[Ry]

Another alternative is saying "You can expel the orb from your soul but you won't be able to tap into magic again" - and drop Tome of Battle in his lap, let him play a Warblade or whatever it is. I hear those are fun if you steer clear of Desert Wind.

 

[Melhaic]

The orb does not bother him in that manner: in fact he likes it very much, and it would be hard to get him to part with it willingly.

I do like the suggestion of a new character for him. I think the problem is he prefers fighting types, but went out on a new character idea and maybe doesn't like it...

But it comes back to power levels: he is definately a powergamer, but the rest of the group isn't. How do I appease him and maintain the same balance and feel?

 

[Ry]

Well, I think powergamers have more fun if they have fun tricks, and it sounds like melee is his thing. Book of 9 swords would do both for sure. Another justification could be "Some of the orb's power is leaking out, but it's cut off your connection with nature. Here's Book of 9 Swords." Getting to build a character with 7 levels to play with is way easier to tweak into badassery without making the other players feel like they're getting hosed. Then throw in some encounters where he can be badass. That might help him get back on track.

 

[Mathew_Freeman]

I'd agree with that advice.

Let me rework his character into something that he wants to play, and then play out the transformation in-game. If the Orb eats his magic abilities, fine, or find some other fun way for it to work.

It sounds mostly like he misses the chance to do melee mega-damage - so long as he's got a 2handed weapon and power attack he should be fine.