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General Tabletop Discussion
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Dealing with optimizers at the table
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<blockquote data-quote="iserith" data-source="post: 8224496" data-attributes="member: 97077"><p>Nobody's just the one thing though, right? Plenty of optimizers that I've gamed with are interested in acting or storytelling. Have you read the DMG, page 6, for options to use to engage your optimizers? These solutions don't have to get in the way of whatever it is you're doing.</p><p></p><p>Are these players engaged in your non-combat challenges? If yes, are they ruining those challenges, too? If they aren't engaged, could it be they are not interested in the stakes because they are too low?</p><p></p><p></p><p>It's easier to change your own expectations and approach than it is to change other people. It's even easier to just dump players who aren't a fit for your game, depending on the social cost. Given that you have 7 players, I would say you could stand to lose a few anyway, unless you're running it like a player pool where you don't expect everyone to turn up each session.</p><p></p><p>As well, are these optimizers even having fun in your games? It seems to me they could go find games where their optimization would be welcome instead of seen as some kind of problem. </p><p></p><p>Finally, I'd be interested in hearing what specific problems have arisen. I've heard a lot of the usual generalities about optimizers, but can you give us specific instances where you were trying to accomplish something as a "storytelling DM" and an optimizer ruined it? If you have provided this, but I missed it, please let me know which posts it's in.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="iserith, post: 8224496, member: 97077"] Nobody's just the one thing though, right? Plenty of optimizers that I've gamed with are interested in acting or storytelling. Have you read the DMG, page 6, for options to use to engage your optimizers? These solutions don't have to get in the way of whatever it is you're doing. Are these players engaged in your non-combat challenges? If yes, are they ruining those challenges, too? If they aren't engaged, could it be they are not interested in the stakes because they are too low? It's easier to change your own expectations and approach than it is to change other people. It's even easier to just dump players who aren't a fit for your game, depending on the social cost. Given that you have 7 players, I would say you could stand to lose a few anyway, unless you're running it like a player pool where you don't expect everyone to turn up each session. As well, are these optimizers even having fun in your games? It seems to me they could go find games where their optimization would be welcome instead of seen as some kind of problem. Finally, I'd be interested in hearing what specific problems have arisen. I've heard a lot of the usual generalities about optimizers, but can you give us specific instances where you were trying to accomplish something as a "storytelling DM" and an optimizer ruined it? If you have provided this, but I missed it, please let me know which posts it's in. [/QUOTE]
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