Cheaters Never Prosper (or Should He Be Lynched)

[Mercule]

Okay, posting this on behalf of someone else.

A player in a game has... ahem... altered his character sheet. Specifically, the copy given to the DM has completely different feats than the sheet the player is using (or at least three are different). The player has been playing 3E since it was released and 2E before that, so ignorance of rules really can't be claimed.

It should be noted that the player hasn't been confronted on the issue yet, so this is a very one-sided story. Still, based on the evidence at hand, what's anyone's advice?

Edit for clarity: The player will be confronted by the DM before anything else happens, so please don't say "Talk to him first." I should have been more clear. This is a "what to do if suspicions turn out to be right" question.

Note: The poll's just for fun, although I am interested in how the vote turns out.

 

[Sagan Darkside]

Why not asking him what is up?

Perhaps he sent you an earlier draft of the character by mistake?

SD

 

[Buttercup]

I'll have to agree with Sagan. Ask the player what's up. There might be an innocent explanation.

Unless, of course, he is a known cheater. But if that's the case, why is he sitting at the table in the first place?

 

[kengar]

I agree in giving the benefit of the doubt when possible. I voted "Other" because -in cases of clear cut cheating- I simply make my ruling as DM based on the circumstances. Fortunately this hasn't come up in my current group, but I would probably use things like XP penalties or loss of magic items.

*shrug* It depends.

 

[Mercule]

Why not asking him what is up?

Perhaps he sent you an earlier draft of the character by mistake?

SD

Could be. As I indicated above, I'm not the DM, just "the other DM in the group".

The DM is planning on talking with the player and isn't going to do anything until he chats with the fellow. He's agonizing over the prospect of booting the guy.

The hope is that it's an honest mistake, but he wants to be prepared for the worst, since there is already a suspicion that his math needs to be checked twice for damage, too. He asked me for advice and I'm hesitant to say "boot 'im", but that's kinda my knee-jerk if the player does turn out to be unrepentant.

So, to clarify, the DM will talk to the player before anything else is decided, and the possibility of having received a "draft" has been taken into account. I'm just trying to figure out how other people would handle the situation if it does turn out to be more.

 

[Mercule]

Doh! Wrong button.

 

[Buttercup]

Well, if it did turn out to be more, I would boot him from the game. And it would really upset me too, because all of my players are also my friends. But I would do it nonetheless. I can't abide cheating.

 

[Sagan Darkside]

I'm just trying to figure out how other people would handle the situation if it does turn out to be more.

I don't see it as cheating.

If he clearly was changing feats in play, then that might be an issue.

If he changed his mind before first playing the character, and altered the feats. Oh well.

I doubt he would admit it if he was changing it during play- so I would just ask for an updated character sheet and let it rest at that.

SD

 

[barsoomcore]

What are you people, wimps? Doormats? Canadian?

Sheesh. Hanging's too good for 'im, the mangy polecat! He oughta be flayed alive and boiled in boysenberry syrup! Fed to rabid three-legged weasels! Stuck in a top bunk bed with Martha Stewart!

Different feats?! Mistake, my Aunt Fanny and her 25-pound Burmese, Snootchums. Hmph. Take that character sheet and cut him into ribbons with it. See how he likes that!

If I know the type, he'll cry like the whiner he is and run screaming for a World of Darkness game where everybody spends all day congratulating themselves on how well they're roleplaying their whiny navel-gazers and never KILL STUFF AND TAKE THEIR THINGS.

Or is that KILL THINGS AND TAKE THEIR STUFF?

Or STUFF THEIR THINGS AND KILL?

...oh, never mind.

 

[DerianCypher]

I haven't had this problem so I guess I'd discuss it with the group.