D&D 5E Can my table focus on making things fun instead of optimizing?

[Astrosicebear]

Ive seen games ruined by optimized characters (using DM agreement to use broken things like Nightsticks and other cheeses).

Ive also seem games ruined by DMs having an Iron Fist and controlling every thread on your clothes, and micromanaging the game to ad infinitum.

Everyone at the table must seek balance in the force.

 

[Paraxis]

But have you ever actually compromised on the concept of optimization itself? As in simply not doing it as much? An actual compromise over the issue of optimization would be you doing it 50% less than you did it before, not simply focusing in in a different narrow focus.

No because that is not a compromise, it is one side winning.

Either I am making a character be the best at what he does or I am not.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I don't get telling players they can't optimize. You can optimize 5e or any system but it isn't built for it like 3e/4e were IMO. I'm not going to tell a player he can't take a choice in the books barring something that has been banned from a campaign for flavor or something along those lines.

 

[Joe Liker]

Frankly, if the DM isn't enjoying it the campaign won't last.

Why ever should she put so much work into it if she's not having fun?

The sob story of the martyr DM is never very convincing.

Players who optimize for combat want to be good at combat. There is no valid reason to discourage that. However, they are seldom good at other aspects of the game. If you reward those other aspects of the game in ways the charops value (i.e., reward good social interaction and roleplay with mechanical benefits, even if temporarily), it might help them try harder in the ways you value.

Inspiration is a good start, but it can be taken much further.

 

[Mistwell]

No because that is not a compromise, it is one side winning.

Either I am making a character be the best at what he does or I am not.

I disagree. I am not saying "Have you stopped optimizing entirely" I am saying "Have you REDUCED the amount of optimization". If you want 100% and someone else wants 0% and you agree to reduce it to 50%, that is in fact a compromise.

You don't have to make a character THE BEST at something. You can make a character "Pretty darn good" at something without it being THE BEST.

 

[TarionzCousin]

One thing I've seen work in my classrooms (I'm a business trainer) and at my tables is rewarding behaviors you want to see continue. It definitely doesn't work with all of the players, but it usually works with some: those who want the reward.

Example: in my current group, I don't use XP; everyone levels up when the story dictates. However, if a player remembers a name of an NPC, place, item, etc., I say "Correct. Fifty bonus XP for you." Everyone chuckles because they know it's worthless, but one player loves it. He didn't take notes before, but he does now.

I'll also sometimes award something useful, like "Plus one to your next d20 roll" for some critical piece of info.

 

[Mistwell]

I think one of the best ways to lower optimization is to simply don't allow the optional rules of feats and multiclassing. That's it - they are optional for a reason, and this is part of that reason.

 

[Psikerlord#]

Over the years I've found high level optimising makes for a less fun game for me personally as a player and DM. The DM can always make the game harder, the optimiser is competeing against himself really, and by optimising too much you often sacrifice versatility in other areas. So you end up with less choice, which tends to make the game less interesting/fun overall.

More important I think is making sure your PC fills a useful or unique niche in the party - if you do that, you're in for a fun game/campaign. No-one else in the party does that special thing your PC does, and so you dont need to optimise (in fact optimising it will probably be self defeating, with diminishing returns and loss of utility).

 

[prosfilaes]

I optimize because I have never had so little fun in a game as when I was playing those couple characters where I felt that my character should not engage the enemy because the damage he was going to do the enemy was less then it would cost to heal the damage he was going to take. I will not stress about optimizing when I no longer feel that I will be forced to twiddle my thumbs over large parts of the game if I don't.

 

[Henrix]

The sob story of the martyr DM is never very convincing.

Players who optimize for combat want to be good at combat.

It's not a sob story. It's a statement of fact.
If you're not having fun at the table, perhaps you should quit the game, or at least not put so much work into it.
That goes for GMs as well as any player - so if you turn your GM away you've lost the game, and possibly ruined the fun for the other players as well.

Players who optimize for combat are often stealing the lime light from other characters. Again, to the detriment of the other players.
If the whole group is into that, well, sure. But if the DM wants to try something different, why not respect her wishes and give it a try?

Talk to each other, Respect each others wishes.
Strive to make the game fun for everybody, including the DM.


And DMs, if you have a minmaxer who continues to optimize while the rest of the group does not - don't try to fight it head on.
That only justifies the behaviour.