helping new players/powergamers relax

[GlassJaw]

The high maintenance thread got me thinking about the "problems" my group has.

While the problems in my group are few and far between (the ample quantities of 16 oz Schlitzes help), I have one player who gets a bit agitated when another player brings something to the table that he hasn't seen before. He doesn't like it when someone has access to something that he doesn't. He's always concerned that there is something out there that he doesn't have that could make his character "more powerful" (a direct quote).

While the group has been going strong for 4-5 months now, most of the players were pretty new to d20/3.5 when we started. It's basically the new-to-d20-powergame syndrome. I say that because I had the same reaction early in my d20 career (I've been playing 3ed since it came out). For some new players it can be a bit overwhelming. There are a ton of options and books out there and a lot of combos to explore. Some players want to know every possible rule and every option available to them immediately.

So how can I help this alleviate this player's anxiety?

 

[focallength]

Take up a collection to re-fill his prozac prescription. this guy is actually worried that he is not the most powerful character in the group? (if Im reading the post right) Sounds like hes an attention hog, as long as its not affecting anyones enjoyment tell him to deal with it, hes not always going to have the shining star of the group, and if he is causing a problem tell him to settle down or go find a new group (most likely some 12-16 year olds who all have 15/15/15 level characters and ride around on dragons fighting Tiamat the devil and any random god the 14 year old DM comes up with...ahh the good ol days.)

 

[Lasher Dragon]

I'm sorry, I couldn't get past the fact that someone actually drinks Schlitz....

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I'm sorry, I couldn't get past the fact that someone actually drinks Schlitz....

Heh, heh, heh! I was in a store while a shoplifter was being arrested for stealing Schlitz... The cops were berating him for having lousy taste in beer as well as shoplifting! There was Grolsch in the same case, and Guinness, and Blue Nun, and Old Thumper... and he tried to steal Schlitz?!!! Mad I tell you, mad!

The way I handle the problem Glass Jaw was describing is not to allow any books that I, as DM, do not have. I started doing this in 2nd ed. because of a player who wanted to use the Complete Elf Cheese... (Yes, it is just as bad as you may have heard.) It settles most of the arguments before they begin, except for one player who heads straight toward the least acceptable PrCs in every book. (Oozemaster in Iron Kingdoms?)

The Auld Grumpy Guy

 

[DaveMage]

So how can I help this alleviate this player's anxiety?

Many times new players (and sometimes old players like me ) like to try to "win" the game because that's what they are used to with non-rpgs. So, if one "player" can do something more than another, it may seem like that player is "winning."

As for what to do, I'd make sure all players have equal access to all rulebooks that are used in the game. For example, if one player has Complete Warrior, then *all* players need to be able to peruse it at any time. Otherwise, there may be the perception of favoritism, and that can kill the DM's credibility in an instant.

Once that's gone, the group dynamic can break down and people start having a lot less fun.

If they already share books, and just the sheer volume of options is overwhelming, then you, as DM, need to either step in and offer suggestions, or have your other players do it.

 

[GlassJaw]

I couldn't get past the fact that someone actually drinks Schlitz

It's quickly become the beverage of choice for our group. CarlZog brought a 6-pack of it one week and everyone liked it. The next week he showed up with a case (which was finished last night ).

this guy is actually worried that he is not the most powerful character in the group?

Well he's not necessarily concerned with being the most powerful of the group (I don't think). He just gets nutty when someone has some material that he hasn't seen. He's always concerned that there is something out there that he is unaware of that will make his character "more powerful". I get the feeling that if someone uses a new book, he feels short changed.

But yeah, I think I need to have the "you need to chill" conversation.

 

[MoonZar]

The high maintenance thread got me thinking about the "problems" my group has.

While the problems in my group are few and far between (the ample quantities of 16 oz Schlitzes help), I have one player who gets a bit agitated when another player brings something to the table that he hasn't seen before. He doesn't like it when someone has access to something that he doesn't. He's always concerned that there is something out there that he doesn't have that could make his character "more powerful" (a direct quote).

While the group has been going strong for 4-5 months now, most of the players were pretty new to d20/3.5 when we started. It's basically the new-to-d20-powergame syndrome. I say that because I had the same reaction early in my d20 career (I've been playing 3ed since it came out). For some new players it can be a bit overwhelming. There are a ton of options and books out there and a lot of combos to explore. Some players want to know every possible rule and every option available to them immediately.

So how can I help this alleviate this player's anxiety?

Hello,

I had these kind of problem in my group.

I resolved the situation by allowing only a couple of book and add one time to time when i know that my players had read it already.

Personnaly, i'm not a fan of all the d20 company who try to get their share of the pie.

We only allow official DnD 3.5 stuff from wizard of the coast in my group and this resolved a lot of issue.

I don't think that each publishing house is well balanced with the core system and this make a lot of deadly combo that are totaly unbalanced.

Also you should be able to have a lot of fun with simply three book allowed :

Players handbook
Dungeon Masterguide
Monster Manual 1

The more you use book, the more you could fall into rules handling, balance handling and stuff like this. If u keep thing simple this also will be more easy for your players.

Btw, this only an opinion, you should find the line between too much book and not enough book because players want to do something different most of the time.

Finally i think that the best cure for powermonger is to play a campaign of normal character, like fighter with 14 of strenght and wizard with 15 of intelligence. They should understand that a strenght of 12 is strong beside the normal population.

 

[Lasher Dragon]

Heh, heh, heh! I was in a store while a shoplifter was being arrested for stealing Schlitz... The cops were berating him for having lousy taste in beer as well as shoplifting! There was Grolsch in the same case, and Guinness, and Blue Nun, and Old Thumper... and he tried to steal Schlitz?!!! Mad I tell you, mad!

OMG That's the funniest thing I've heard all day! I have tried probably close to a thousand different beers, and I think tied for the absolute worst are Schlitz and Old English Ice... ewww just gives me shivers thinking about it!!!

 

[Crothian]

So how can I help this alleviate this player's anxiety?

Tell him to just deal with it. If he wants he can come to the boards and explore all the options if he wants in the rules forum. Or he can go out and buy the books and spend time reading them. But a character just can not have every option. The game is made to make choices, you only get so many feats, so many levels for classes, so many skill points. No character will be the best of everything.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

OMG That's the funniest thing I've heard all day! I have tried probably close to a thousand different beers, and I think tied for the absolute worst are Schlitz and Old English Ice... ewww just gives me shivers thinking about it!!!

Golden Harvest and Naragansett are also horrible (Nastygansett, one person used a case of it that he bought to bait slug traps...)

The Auld Grump