Help with a player constantly changing characters

[SteveC]

Well, I'm going to go out in a different direction from everyone else and ask why the GM has a problem with the characters changing and why it's upsetting the group. There's really nothing about new characters (apart from the silly thing that's keeping him 2 levels behind) that should be disruptive. Not every character has to be intimately tied to the plot.

Under normal circumstances I would agree with you here. I run a high level D20 Modern "crossing universes" game where characters get introduced routinely that have absolutely bizarre backgrounds.

The problems in this case are that the characters this player creates are not even remotely similar to the rest of the group. As an example, his most recent character was a wizard who had some kind of sentient undead template from Libris Mortis as well as the Spellstitched template from the same book. That was actually the least complicated character my GM received from him.

The first thing we had to do was figure out how to balance out all of those features to make a reasonable character. This is a character coming in who is going to be 4th level and has an ECL adjustment of +2 (after we worked out the rules issues). That was going to be trouble in and of itself. We managed to work it out, however.

Once that happened, we had to figure out a way to make the character's background fit with the group. I was not a part of that (since I'm playing in the game and only help with rules issues) but from what I know about the campaign it was no small trick to accomplish. After they worked it out, the character would have made an excellent addition to the group since dealing with the undead has become quite the focus for the game.

At the end of the first session, we had the opportunity to be transported to anywhere we wanted to go. Our group chose to go to a place we have been trying to get to for the entire campaign but have been unable to reach. The new character decided to go back to his home base to report on what he had just learned, leaving us. Now we had learned a lot, but leaving us like this meant that the character who had just been introduced would be gone.

And let me tell you, it takes a lot of suspension of disbelief when characters like this are introduced frequently into a game, only to leave it. From my perspective as the resident "rules reference" it is frustrating because I have to look at extremely complex character builds and then negotiate with the GM to make sure he's okay with the results.

Hmmn, I guess this has turned into a little bit of a rant. I guess the real problem ends up being that there are all of these great characters that end up not being played, and stories that are begun and never allowed to finish themselves.

Still, these have been some excellent suggestions, everyone!

--Steve

 

[Arnwyn]

Tell the dm that you and the other players find these new characters disruptive, then like any decent dm s/he would simply have to to put on the iron guantlet.

I think that after reading SteveC's most recent post, this quote says it all.

 

[Lela]

As to blending new characters into the party, I tend to point to the player in question and say, "It's your character, you figure out why these guys would want to spend time with you." If the player can't convince the group, s/he's gone. Which means there are some basic rules, such as no undead toating clerics with a paladin of Pelor. It just won't happen.

The new PC should fit in with the existing group, NOT the other way around. Tell the players it's not your problem and they need to bring something the party will accept. Then back it up.

I actually have a player much like this and forcing him to develop a realistic reason to spend time with the party alieviates much of the tension. My other solution--having him build NPCs for me--doesn't work because I don't trust him enough to do it.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

I'm afraid that I too have a tendency to switch characters so I'll give you insight into why I do it.

One reason is because sometimes I'll get inspired about a great idea for a character and I develop that idea but give very little thought to my current character. I've found if I had a good idea with the first character and just trudge on through i'll come back around. As a DM you can help by making the character matter in your campaign by putting the spotlight on that character's backstory.

Another reason is that in my eyes the character has become overshadowed by the other characters and NPC's in the game. Everyone wants their character to stand out but sometimes the plot of the story revolves around one of the other PC's and everyone elses gets overshadowed by the plot. Once again, this can be remedied by putting the spotlight on the character.

Each player should get a little spotlight time in every session. Some of us grow bored easily if this isn't the case and come up with a new character concept that given the current situation can grab the spotlight once again.

 

[Psionicist]

According to the Myers-Briggs personality categories - you know the test where you get a 4 letter abbr. like INTP - intuition persons like to create new things and sensing persons like to use and maintain these things.

The second letter can be either S or N, for Sensing or INtuitive (N for Intuitive since I has already been used for Introversion). This basically describes whether we are more observant (sensing) or introspective (intuitive). Sensates pay more attention to the outside world, the current surroundings and its immediate needs, whereas intuitives heed the promptings of the inner world of thoughts and feelings. Intuitives are more likely to have their heads in the future or the past, exploring possibilities and pathways - Ns typically like to daydream. Note that this is not to be mistaken for introversion. [This passage under review for technical inaccuracies.

It's just psychology =)

http://www.infj.org/intrombti.html

 

[Timeron Malachi]

I've been involved in a few different games where we've had this problem before: A player comes up with a PC who's got a great hook, or a neat power, or some unique trait, or whatever, but then it just doesn't work out the way they want.

Sometimes, the character would leave for more or less legitimate reasons...dying, crippling disease, whatever. Sometimes, the player just decided that their PC just wasn't strong enough.

This particular player actually went through 3 characters in *one* session, all in the same module. I was running it, and since he was my friend, I was inclined to simply allow him to make the change. However, it puts a lot of strain on other people who want to play their character "realistically", where they aren't just going to always trust whoever they meet in a sewer under the city.

After the first adventure, he had gone from a wizard/fighter, to a Planar Ranger, to a rogue. He wanted to switch the rogue out for a warlock, his favorite class.

I said, "Fine...just switch his class levels, but the character doesn't change...same name and all that."

That worked for a while, but the player eventually stopped coming to game night, since he almost never got as much spotlight as he wanted...even when I tried to make his character the most relevant, or the most central to everything, he'd just take off or get annoyed with his dice rolls.

I suppose that's not all that helpful...sorry...I guess an idea to try, would be, if he just wants to try out stuff in new books, allow him to switch out a few feats or even class levels, just so long as his overall character doesn't really change. That's a bit of suspension of disbelief, too, but I guess it's better than, "Oh, you seem like a trustworthy fellow, why don't you adventure with us?" Perhaps put him in XP debt, or give him an ECL when he does it, and that might keep him from changing his character every month, when a new book comes out.

 

[BigTom]

Well, I'm going to go out in a different direction from everyone else and ask why the GM has a problem with the characters changing and why it's upsetting the group. There's really nothing about new characters (apart from the silly thing that's keeping him 2 levels behind) that should be disruptive. Not every character has to be intimately tied to the plot.

1) GM: Ok, let's start...
Player: Wait, I have to ask some questions about my new character....
(an hour passes)
Other Players: Are we finally ready?
Repeat weekly.

2) GM:At last you arrive at the mansion of the Gond family.
Player: I'm bored with this character. I want a different one. He wanders away.
Other Players: You're the only member of the Gond family in the group, were hosed without you!
GM: I wrote this adventure specifically to give you and your character some spotlight, darn it!!!!!

3) Other Players: Ok, we have everything set up, just use your special foo and toast the bad guy!
Player: Actually, this new character doesn't do that.
Other Players: ARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!

Put simply, both the GM and the other players make decisions based on the character you bring to the table. If you are constantly changing that character, you are forcing the other players and the GM to make changes as well. For other players this can be frustrating because they are never sure what niche may be unfilled and what relationship their character should have with you. For the GM, this means it's almost impossible to set things up for your character to shine since you keep changing the character.

Yes, there are times to change characters. If your character is truly not enjoyable, then a change is in order. And character deaths do happen. But to keep changing on a whim is just rude to everyone else who is trying to tell a story.

 

[The_Gneech]

Here's another question: what do you do if you're a GM who keeps wanting to switch campaigns, thereby driving your players insane?

-The Gneech ("Not that I'm like that. Or anything." )

 

[Nightfall]

When in doubt, make his dead PC, an UNDEAD PC.

 

[Lela]

Here's another question: what do you do if you're a GM who keeps wanting to switch campaigns, thereby driving your players insane?

-The Gneech ("Not that I'm like that. Or anything." )

Player's perspective.

Get pissy with him. Same player I mentioned above (the one who changes PCs based on his mood) could be an absolutely fabulous DM. Brilliant stories that allow characters to flow forth. He allows me to completely immerse myself in a character, feeling the emotional ride with him, and excluding all OOC information from my actions.

Then we switch campaigns. He figured the old one sucked, despite protests to the contrary, and put forth this brand new world (complete with the opportunity for us to make new characters). Yeah, yay.

So, over time, we've stopped playing his games. It becomes very difficult to get into a campaign, let alone that deep into a character, and then let it drop without so much as a goodbye. Doesn't take long for me to walk away.

Sure, he's excellent at all the things a DM should be good at. Except consistency. And that's why he's a terrible DM.