How do you handle a missing player

[Drowbane]

Back in the day (2e) it was simple, no player = no PC. No PC = no xp, no loot.

For some reason we decided not to follow this anymore after 3e came out. So if a player didn't make it to game and didn't call ahead (we were all late highschool, early college age...) we used the following.

1st instance (in a row): PC played by another player. Gains no loot and half xp.
2nd instance: PC stumbles off to "take care of business" and is ignored for session. No loot, no XP.
3rd instance: PC got eaten while "taking care of business". PC's gear split amongst the rest of the party.

Most of us made it game pretty faithfully, and those that didn't (the more casual gamers) usually called ahead. Those that checked in were always treated as a 1st instance... after awhile the casual gamers found themselves behind a level or two.

 

[Silver Moon]

Another player plays the character.....although as to the Portal option, we did have a player early on who had to miss close to 50% of the games due to being away at college - we used a Pooka to essentially do the pop-in/pop-out thing. Worked great.

 

[Tequila Sunrise]

I answered #3, but if the player has another preference I go with that. However they want to handle it, their PC earns the same XP as the others.

TS

 

[Fallen Seraph]

Other.

We either just do a one-off game with our characters, but just continue like normal the next game. Or, we simply do something else, video-games, just hang out, go out, etc.

 

[justanobody]

The character is hung over so bad not even the local high level cleric can cure it.

Not my problem if your character doesn't drink, maybe that is why they got so hung over.

No adventure, no XP, and you better hope you can find a way to meet up with the rest of the group when you return to the game.

After several no-shows for whatever reason, you are likely dumped form the game to prevent further disruption. Family emergencies and illness are the exceptions.

 

[greatamericanfolkher]

if that player is missing for a session,then the character stays behind at home base, or stays on the ship. Everyone stays at the same XP level.

 

[fba827]

How do we handle a missing player? We kill him and take his stuff!

err... character, yeah... missing character, that's what I meant....

 

[Zsig]

Other: all the above.

It all depends on the situation.

If the adventure is short and I know that the player will only be absent for one session, then I allow someone else to play it, or if noone feels like doing it, I'll play it myself (as a DM).

If the player is going to be absent for a couple sessions then I make him "vanish into the background" or something like that, which often (but not always) leads to some solo sessions to make him/her catch up.

 

[joethelawyer]

How do we handle a missing player? We kill him and take his stuff!

LOL. That one made my night, man.

 

[TarionzCousin]

We actually did have a TPK when one player was absent.

I was running him too.

The guilt! The guilt!!!

That's how my first Hackmaster character died. I was absent and another player stupidly had him charge a big nasty monster. End result: no more cleric.

I got back at the player, though: my next character in that group was a barbarian. When he raged, he did damage to every creature that was close to him, including his fellow characters.* Ouch!





* Ahhh... good times.