D&D 5E The "Powergamers (Min/maxer)" vs "Alpha Gamers" vs "Role Play Gamers" vs "GM" balance mismatch "problem(s)"

Satyrn · Nov 16, 2017

Gardens & Goblins said:
The acid test is:

Would the player take a sub-optimal option/make a sub-optimal build choice in favour of adding fluff/flavour to their character.

I like this test.

It looks to me like the only way anyone could "fail" such a test is if they never - not ever, not even once - intentionally made a suboptimal build choice. I imagine there's absolutely no one like that.

I like this test because it effectively brings all gamers into one happy group, leaving no one outside and shunned.

Gardens & Goblins · Nov 16, 2017

Satyrn said:
I like this test.

It looks to me like the only way anyone could "fail" such a test is if they never - not ever, not even once - intentionally made a suboptimal build choice. I imagine there's absolutely no one like that.

I like this test because it effectively brings all gamers into one happy group, leaving no one outside and shunned.

JUST AS PLANNED

iserith · Nov 16, 2017

Satyrn said:
I like this test.

It looks to me like the only way anyone could "fail" such a test is if they never - not ever, not even once - intentionally made a suboptimal build choice. I imagine there's absolutely no one like that.

I like this test because it effectively brings all gamers into one happy group, leaving no one outside and shunned.

I think it fails because it's based on the assumption that if you're not playing, at least sometimes, sub-optimally then you are not a roleplayer. How optimally one plays has nothing to do with whether or not the player is roleplaying. If you're determining how your character thinks, acts, and what he or she says - which we have to do in order to play the game at all - then you're roleplaying.

Man, it would be great if the hobby as a whole could get that sorted out so we can move past it. It doesn't help when people refer to social interaction as "roleplay" either.

Satyrn · Nov 16, 2017

iserith said:
I think it fails . . .

You mean my attempt at a sarcastic reply? You bet it failed!

I'm sorry, [MENTION=6846794]Gardens & Goblins[/MENTION], but I don't actually like your acid test, but not even for the same sort of reasons iserith mentions. I'm just tired of seeing players sorted into groups.

iserith · Nov 16, 2017

Satyrn said:
You mean my attempt at a sarcastic reply?

Dammit. I thought it sounded off, but let my righteous indignation get in the way of the humor.

lowkey13 · Nov 16, 2017

*Deleted by user*

Iry · Nov 16, 2017

lowkey13 said:
D&D is a dynamic game, and the DM can adjust the difficulty. In that way, it's pointless to optimize, because the difficulty will just be adjusted upward to give a challenge. If the party is perfectly optimized, then instead of facing "5th level challenges" at 5th level, maybe you face "9th level challenges." But the difficulty is the same.

It's not pointless to optimize for the simple reason that many powergamers absolutely love to optimize. The process of optimizing a character is deeply enjoyable to them. Even if the challenges they face within the game are going to be raised or lowered to their level of mechanical performance, many powergamers feel great personal satisfaction learning the rules, combining them into neat combinations, and then watching those combinations happen in game.

And that's okay! It's just another way to enjoy the game.

The problems only start when other players feel overshadowed, and that gets into the importance of communication, sharing the spotlight, and choosing not to be a jerk.

lowkey13 · Nov 16, 2017

*Deleted by user*

Satyrn · Nov 16, 2017

lowkey13 said:
Oh, c'mon, you do it all the time! See-

B. People who are paladin-curious.
B. PEW PEW PEW!
C. Those that care deeply, but only about things no one else cares about.

That describes the best part of my date last Saturday.

lowkey13 · Nov 16, 2017

*Deleted by user*

D&D 5E The "Powergamers (Min/maxer)" vs "Alpha Gamers" vs "Role Play Gamers" vs "GM" balance mismatch "problem(s)"

Satyrn

First Post

Gardens & Goblins

First Post

iserith

Magic Wordsmith

Satyrn

First Post

iserith

Magic Wordsmith

lowkey13

Guest

Iry

Hero

lowkey13

Guest

Satyrn

First Post

lowkey13

Guest

Similar Threads