How to handle missing players?
- Thread starter DarkJester
- Start date
I try to work their absence into the storyline if at all possible. Sometimes this leads to interesting new plot twists, other times it's something fairly lame. (Such as: Your character was surprised by a desert dwelling breed of pseudo-dragon, got bit, failed both saves, and was unconcious for a day or two. I actually used this one recently).
Sometimes we cancel the game if the PC's are in the middle of something important.
Sometimes we cancel the game if the PC's are in the middle of something important.
DerianCypher
First Post
Well,
On the session that said missing player shows up I ask for their character sheet and slowly tear it in half in front of their face. Generally works for me, but this may not work for ya.
DC
On the session that said missing player shows up I ask for their character sheet and slowly tear it in half in front of their face. Generally works for me, but this may not work for ya.
DC
Kilmore
First Post
The best thing to do in a situation like that is to call a group meeting before you actually start gaming. Tell the group as a DM what your policy is for missing characters. If it's running the character as an NPC, having another player run the character, banning the character outright, or taking the missing player out back and using him for sword practice, get it straight right away. Give your players a chance to air their ideas on the matter. Listen to their ideas and comments, and make the choice from there.
Make sure you discuss the division of XP and treasure.
Make sure you discuss the division of XP and treasure.
Black Omega
First Post
Given that my players are pretty reliable and don't miss sessions without a good reason, I'm not much in favor of some of the stronger responses.
This last week I had two players miss. One because he relies on another player for a ride. That player missed because where he lived was hit by the worst tornado in 40 years. Some things do come before the game. As it worked out, their characters were linked, so I had both talked to by the local magistrates for an extended period of time...ie, until the players get back this week.
This last week I had two players miss. One because he relies on another player for a ride. That player missed because where he lived was hit by the worst tornado in 40 years. Some things do come before the game. As it worked out, their characters were linked, so I had both talked to by the local magistrates for an extended period of time...ie, until the players get back this week.
Templetroll
Explorer
In my homebrew campaign, started in '79, I created an uberlich that originally was supposed to allow me the option to deal with absent players and as a cornerstone of my world history.
The first time a player was absent the PCs noticed a line of dark clouds rolling in from the north. There was a rumble of thunder and a lightning bolt struck the absent player's PC, leaving a pile of smoking ash. This stunned the players, which was rather entertaining.
The next game, the player was there and was being told he needed to roll up a new character by the other players. I took him aside and ran a short scene and then the cloud and lightning returned the PC with tendrils of smoke rising from him.
What the scene was about was the PC was summoned by the bolt to the Emperor's palace. He appeared to be a normal human of noble bearing and seemed to just want to chat about the PC. This was how I dealt with absent players and didn't risk the characters.
The Emperor had ruled a land at a time then artifacts were created, magic spells were levels 10+ and his magically armed and armored armies were conquering the world. Well, something happened.
The Decline of Magic was a worldwide mystic event that centered on the capital city of the old Empire and radiated out causing the power of magic to become as described in the PHB. Most of the magic items used by the Imperial Army ceased to function causing them to lose often and badly. Most of the armies were destroyed as they tried to retreat back to the homeland of the Empire. This explained the proliferation and spread of so many items of magic.
Now, there had to be a reason for the Emperor's behavior. In the future of my game world, which was still flexible since it was the future, the Emperor suffered defeat at the hands of PCs. He survived but lost much power and decided he would take a desperate chance to overcome his foes. He created a simulacrum, sent it back in time and it had a special spell in his book. That was the Summoning Storm which only summoned those who were included in the spell. The simulacrum had no idea why this spell was important nor who these people were, but he still had the compulsion to cast it. The simulacrum was intrigued by the mystery and so sought information from the PCs summoned by the spell. The Emperor from the future had included the info he had on those who faced him at the final battle into the spell.
The PCs were also intrigued and some worked on the problem by testing the limits of the Emperor's knowledge. They found they could lie to him and also that he didn't recognize some PCs until aspects of their lives had changed; one character was never summoned until she had exhibited lycanthropy.
The final grouping of PCs in the future included every character created by the players in my campaign. Those that died in the course ofplay were considered to have had their lives changed by the Emperor's meddling that they were no longer alive by the final battle. At least two started working for the Emperor and a few more ended up owing the Empror a 'favor' to be determined later. This added a nice bit of tension in the background as they gained levels.
During one major run, based on my version of the Rod of Seven Parts, they traveled into the future and saw the Empreor and the final battlefield. They then traveled into the past and caused the Decline of Magic.
I never got a chance to run the Final Battle due to the dreaded Real Life changing where we were and who we gamed with. It was a fun campaign that I ran steadily for more than a decade. I'm slowly revamping it into 3e since I'm playing more now. The run I'm doing for my wife and daughter is set in FR until I get this one done.
The first time a player was absent the PCs noticed a line of dark clouds rolling in from the north. There was a rumble of thunder and a lightning bolt struck the absent player's PC, leaving a pile of smoking ash. This stunned the players, which was rather entertaining.
The next game, the player was there and was being told he needed to roll up a new character by the other players. I took him aside and ran a short scene and then the cloud and lightning returned the PC with tendrils of smoke rising from him.
What the scene was about was the PC was summoned by the bolt to the Emperor's palace. He appeared to be a normal human of noble bearing and seemed to just want to chat about the PC. This was how I dealt with absent players and didn't risk the characters.
The Emperor had ruled a land at a time then artifacts were created, magic spells were levels 10+ and his magically armed and armored armies were conquering the world. Well, something happened.
The Decline of Magic was a worldwide mystic event that centered on the capital city of the old Empire and radiated out causing the power of magic to become as described in the PHB. Most of the magic items used by the Imperial Army ceased to function causing them to lose often and badly. Most of the armies were destroyed as they tried to retreat back to the homeland of the Empire. This explained the proliferation and spread of so many items of magic.
Now, there had to be a reason for the Emperor's behavior. In the future of my game world, which was still flexible since it was the future, the Emperor suffered defeat at the hands of PCs. He survived but lost much power and decided he would take a desperate chance to overcome his foes. He created a simulacrum, sent it back in time and it had a special spell in his book. That was the Summoning Storm which only summoned those who were included in the spell. The simulacrum had no idea why this spell was important nor who these people were, but he still had the compulsion to cast it. The simulacrum was intrigued by the mystery and so sought information from the PCs summoned by the spell. The Emperor from the future had included the info he had on those who faced him at the final battle into the spell.
The PCs were also intrigued and some worked on the problem by testing the limits of the Emperor's knowledge. They found they could lie to him and also that he didn't recognize some PCs until aspects of their lives had changed; one character was never summoned until she had exhibited lycanthropy.
The final grouping of PCs in the future included every character created by the players in my campaign. Those that died in the course ofplay were considered to have had their lives changed by the Emperor's meddling that they were no longer alive by the final battle. At least two started working for the Emperor and a few more ended up owing the Empror a 'favor' to be determined later. This added a nice bit of tension in the background as they gained levels.
During one major run, based on my version of the Rod of Seven Parts, they traveled into the future and saw the Empreor and the final battlefield. They then traveled into the past and caused the Decline of Magic.
I never got a chance to run the Final Battle due to the dreaded Real Life changing where we were and who we gamed with. It was a fun campaign that I ran steadily for more than a decade. I'm slowly revamping it into 3e since I'm playing more now. The run I'm doing for my wife and daughter is set in FR until I get this one done.
Buttercup
Princess of Florin
I can't imagine one of my players not showing up without advance notification. It just wouldn't happen. So if one of them weren't there by about 10 minutes after our start time, I would assume something bad had happened.
I do have a player who won't be available for the next two months or so. As it happens, the party's rogue died of idiocy last session, so his player is going to run the missing player's character until he can come back. He'll roll up a new character in the meantime, and unveil him when the other player returns.
I do have a player who won't be available for the next two months or so. As it happens, the party's rogue died of idiocy last session, so his player is going to run the missing player's character until he can come back. He'll roll up a new character in the meantime, and unveil him when the other player returns.
Mathew_Freeman
Adventurer
Due to rehearsals recently I had a sorceror that was in and out week by week...so the DM told me I'd been polymorphed into a statue of a beautiful woman! Bit of a problem for an extrovert human man.
Basically, the statue worked like a figurine of wondrous power, they could summon me up for a short amount of time and I could play the character for a session. When I wasn't there, they didn't use the statue. Kept everybody happy, and since I knew I couldn't commit time to the campaign, I didn't mind.
But in the original example, I think the player has a right to be a bit angry that his character was killed when he wasn't there. But he should have at least tried to tell you or rang to apologize afterwards.
Basically, the statue worked like a figurine of wondrous power, they could summon me up for a short amount of time and I could play the character for a session. When I wasn't there, they didn't use the statue. Kept everybody happy, and since I knew I couldn't commit time to the campaign, I didn't mind.
But in the original example, I think the player has a right to be a bit angry that his character was killed when he wasn't there. But he should have at least tried to tell you or rang to apologize afterwards.
jmucchiello
Hero
I also benefit from only playing with mature players. If the wizard's player is missing and we find bracers of armor +8. We give them to the wizard. There is not even a discussion. His current bracers, say +4 are then given to whomever can use them. Our characters are friends. Heck, they're more than friends. You don't defeat an old red dragon and then start backstabbing each other to get the cool gauntlets. You give the gauntlets to whomever they will benefit the most when you fight the ancient red dragon a few week later.Kilmore said:
