Powergamer Issues

[Chronologist]

I ran a Pathfinder / 3.5 game with a problem player. To call him an extreme powergamer would be a courtesy; I'm not sure he has the capacity to tell what is and is not appropriate power for a character of a given level. He finds whatever he can find that is powerful and plays it. Every session I had to have a discussion about some new spell or ability he had that was incredibly powerful, things like spells that gave him 10 feats for free or +1 LA templates that gave him Circle of Death at will and +6 to all stats, among other things. After his first character I made him send his characters to me in advance with cited sources, until he whined so badly I just let him play what he wanted. It ended up all but derailing the campaign, that and the fact that he was prone to wandering off on his own and pestering me in-game to focus on his character. It was a nightmare.

Now, the game is over, and I have joined a new Pathfinder group and agreed to host, since the DM and other players don't have a playing space. The new DM invited the problem player to the group, and I do not think that I am comfortable playing with him. However, I'm really looking forward to this game, and many of my friends are players.

What should I do?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

After his first character I made him send his characters to me in advance with cited sources, until he whined so badly I just let him play what he wanted.

That was your key mistake. Every DM should always check stuff before allowing it. Especially since the examples you cite sound so outlandish I refuse to believe they're not made-up crap he just snuck under your radar (ie, he was lying).

Make sure the new DM doesn't make this mistake.

If he behaves like you claim, you probably don't have to do much of anything, and it's probably better if you keep your nose out of it. He sounds perfectly capable of turning a DM/group against him all on his own. Let him do what he does best.

 

[Chronologist]

Actually, they were real things (a level 2 spell that grants feats temporarily but he abused the rulings on it, and the Dread Devourer template which in pathfinder is only LA +2 according to the rules).

I'd leave him to alienate the rest of the group, but the rest of the players are all really nice guys and I doubt any of them would be willing to bring up their problems at the table. Frankly, I don't want to be the only person complaining about him since in the past two years I've already had to complain about 2 players who have since left the group (one player who made death-threats to characters and their players, and a DM who railroaded so hard every encounter was won by his DM-PC or by his girlfriend's indestructible character). I don't want to build a reputation as that one guy who always complains about other players, even if I know other players feel the same way.

 

[Crothian]

Tell the DM that you don't want the guy in the game and at your house. Be upfront and honest about it.

 

[IronWolf]

Actually, they were real things (a level 2 spell that grants feats temporarily but he abused the rulings on it, and the Dread Devourer template which in pathfinder is only LA +2 according to the rules).

What spell? If he was abusing it the GM should have informed him of how the spell works.

Dread Devourer in the d20pfsrd even has a note advising a GM should carefully consider whether the template should be allowed. There is a reason it says that.

 

[Mark Chance]

What should I do?

Don't play, play and put up with the player, play and tell the GM that characters with non-core abilities are really annoying, et cetera.

Actually, they were real things (a level 2 spell that grants feats temporarily but he abused the rulings on it, and the Dread Devourer template which in pathfinder is only LA +2 according to the rules).

Pathfinder doesn't have LA.

 

[Muddman]

Your house, your rules, tell the DM you don't want to be around the freak and you refuse to have him in your house. I agree with Crothian, the Dm shouldn't be inviting people to your house without clearing it with you.

I had a similar problem and it came down to me telling the guy he either made a character on par with the rest of the group or he wasn't allowed to play. The guy was such a power gamer he decided that he didn't want to play anymore. In the end, the group was better and everyone was happy.

End of the day, if someone is a problem, get rid of them or you have no one to blame but yourself.

 

[Jadeite]

That's not a powergamer, that's a munchkin. And the winning move is not playing with them at all.

 

[GreyLord]

Another way is to use rule 0 and simply say what is or isn't allowed. If they refuse to follow that, bar them from playing.

There are many who think DM's draconian for doing so on these boards (I've posted some houserules I use and some took issues with it, they'd be barred from ever playing with our group in real life however), but in reality, that's the best way to handle these players.

Let them play elsewhere.

Or as stated above, the only winning move with a munchkin is to refuse to play with them.

 

[tylermalan]

I'm always a little confused as to how players get away with stuff like this. I'm all for letting people play what they want, but I'm always very clear with my players that everything outlandish must be cleared by me first. Further, since when was it up to the player to decide the ruling on a badly-worded, easily abused spell (or whatever)?