How to Handle a "Character Switcher"?

[demon_jr]

first of all, let me make a few things clear:

1. within my gaming group, i am known as the resident "character switcher", which is not necessarily a good thing

2. if a new character is brought in, that character usually starts at 2 levels lower than the highest party member

3. my DM and group have been very lenient and understanding by allowing me to switch characters so many times, sometimes, just for the sake of wanting to switch a character, no actually character death involved

speaking from a "character switcher" point-of-view, there are many reasons why someone would want to do this, some "purer" than others. unfortunately, most of the times, the reasons are either meta-gaming or munchikin-like, but there are times as well that there are totally valid reasons, which are defined by your gaming group or DM.

however, i do not entirely agree with not being allowed to switch to a new character if the current character dies.

1. in my opinion, one of the thrills of DnD is the fear of death. if you are not allowed to switch characters, that fear is not felt that greatly since you are almost guaranteed to be brought back with the same character.

2. if you are not entirely happy with your character, character death is one of the few ways to bring in a new character. this game is based on fun, and if you are stuck playing a character that is no longer fun for you, then what is the point? one of the few ways to bring in a new character is the death of the old one, but if that option is taken away, how else can you bring in a new character?

these are just a few reasons why i disagree.

however, there are many reasons why frivilous character switching shouldn't be allowed, but, in my opinion, if a character dies, they should be given the option to choose a new character. i feel that unless your character dies, there is no other way to switch to a new character.

of course, your DM has the final say.

on another note, my gaming group went through the same situation, except i was the player always switching characters. my DM spoke to me outside the game session and told me his concerns regarding my switching characters throughout the campaign.

in the end, i think we both agreed that the ultimate goal for our gaming group is fun. although he would prefer i stay with my current character should i die, he would not disallow it if i was no longer having fun with my current character.

however, i also realize the amount of work he puts into the campaign and the amount of concessions he has made to me in the past. that being the case, i will try to take all that into account should my character happen to die. i understand that there is a difference between switching characters for legitimate reasons and for more frivilous ones.

however, depending on what is legitimate and what is frivilous is depends on who you are asking.

this is just my humble opinion, but i hope it helps you determine on how you want to handle your campaign.

 

[DerianCypher]

The campaign I am running is pretty dependant on the PCs so I told them during the first session that if you make a new char you will be 1 level lower than the rest of the group. If you make another, another level, etc. etc.

DC

 

[Danzilla]

The campaign I am running is pretty dependant on the PCs so I told them during the first session that if you make a new char you will be 1 level lower than the rest of the group. If you make another, another level, etc. etc.

DC

that's exactly what I was going to suggest...for every character switch, another level added to the negative for starting a new character...isn’t so bad for accidental deaths but if someone continually does it, perhaps he’ll realize the hole he’s digging for himself (becoming the party redshirt) and make something he’ll stick with...an addendum to that is that for every two levels he subsequently goes up he loses one of the negatives...it allows a character to buy his way out of a hole through sticking with a character for a while...

That would put him at -3 currently and I would subtract that from the lowest in the party instead of an average...an average could still put him in the middle in a varied group.

Danzilla

 

[Agback]

G'day

I must say I sympathise with your player. I can never bear to play a character who has been killed and resurrected. I always replace them.

Also, I would take it as a reflection on my GMing if someone kept switching characters. I would interpret it as meaning that the player expected his character, rather than my adventures, to be the source of his enjoyment of the game. In short, I would consider it a sign of boredom. If everyone else is having fun I suspect that your character-switching player might be in the wrong group.

Talk to your player about the issue. If he is bored, and if you aren't inclined to make an accommodation to his preferred style of play, he might be best off going elsewhere. In any case, you can't cure boredom by penalising him.

Regards,


Agback

 

[baradtgnome]

If a character is crucial to the plot/story line, then talk with the player in advance (or know your players). Being the focus of action is not for everyone.

Also, I don't create history for players, that is their job. I have them develop an outline and I help them adjust it, give them locations, names and dates. Sometimes I will add stuff or give them choices. I find that it is hard for most folks to bond with histories that someone else has created. (no matter how good a writer the DM is, and frankly most are pretty good).

And yes, there should be a cost of changing characters through death or whatever. Characters who make it shouldn't be penalized for those who don't.

For characters who stick with the story, bond with their characters and the NPCs and the 'quests', there should be advantages. Wouldn't you treat trusted friends better that selfish strangers? So should the NPCs act.

 

[Piratecat]

I had a former player who was a character switcher. It used to drive me nuts. I eventually asked him to find another game, especially after he was caught cheating multiple times. That's not the kind of person I want to play with.

 

[clark411]

My DM allowed new characters to come in 2 levels lower than the last character. This makes the level loss more appealing than starting over again. Short, simple, effective.

 

[Clefton Twain]

This player is definitely not a cheater and he plays in another campaign with DM'd by another person in our group and he seems to enjoy that character more. That character, however, is a 15th level Arcane Archer/Deepwood Sniper with a pretty badass bow so he does pretty well for himself.

I guess I just need to talk to him some more and see how we can reach an agreement. He never responded to the email I sent him but I'll see him tomorrow night at the other game.

When all is said and done, I'm really not adverse to character switching if there are good reasons or, yes, if the player is simply getting bored. I guess it just gets excessive in my mind when he is *always* talking about his next character. It makes me feel like, no matter what I do, he is not enjoying himself.

And I am definitely not going to write any plot for the character.

The only other problem I have with character switching is the party dynamic for encounters. It makes it a little tougher for me to write the story and the encounters if I never know what he's going to be next. If I write a couple of really tough encounters and he switches characters, boom, he's down two levels and might die easier. Plus his character may not work well with the encounters I've written so I have to go back and re-evaluate them all.

Plus, when you get up to 12th+ level, creating a character can take a really stinkin' long time.

--CT

 

[Breakdaddy]

Well, in all fairness to you player: what other option does he have?

Did he choose to be disintegrated?

YAH Billy, YAH!!!!!!!!!111111111!11

/disintegrates billy...

 

[Happiest_Sadist]

If his switch is voluntary, you could do what I do. I'm running a conversion of Deasert of Desolation, and when I kill a charachter I hand them another charachter sheet that has what the party needs. They get a seprate charachter, but not necessarily what they want to play. Tell them they can switch if they want, but they get an NPC you have already detailed and must play that charachter.