I'm sorry, your character idea is too awful.

[Silver Moon]

Early in my group's history a player had picked up an Astronaut miniature and wanted to play it in our 1st Edition gaming group. I allowed it, having a Pooka show up and deposit Ron Luthor X5-0135 permanently on our world. I let him keep and use the laser rifle but it had a power source that couldn't be recharged so he had to use it sparingly. The character actually worked as I then had his nemesis also be trapped on the character's world.


The idea that was unworkable was one that sounded resonable, a character class called "Gypsy", which was a combination Magic-user/Druid/Bard/Thief that a munchkinny player came up with, but his template gave the class so many powers and abilities that it was unbalancing to the game.

 

[Silver Moon]

However, I have seriously considered Dwarven Bikers ala Hell's Angels, but couldn't think of a good fantasy equivalent of motorcycles.

I'm stealing that idea, I think it would work with chariots pulled by nightmares.

 

[Man in the Funny Hat]

I now say no to the following:
- Characters with such caustic personalities that they can not work in groups

- Characters who are joke characters. Funny characters can be three-dimensional persoanlities (example: the characters of Firefly) but joke characters get old in the first game. "My character just says 'Blarn!' instead of speaking. Hurr hurr hurr." later, at game 3 "This character is boring. For some reason I can't seem to RP with him. Hmmm."

- Characters who nullify other character's powers. Some players have the finesse to work around this, but the one I see that does this most of the time has proved over and over again that he does not.

- Characters who duplicate most of another character's abilities. Some players have the finesse to work around this, but the one I see that does this most of the time has proved over and over again that he does not.

- Evil characters, because the people who ask to be evil in my particular groups want to either kill everyone in the group or just want to be able to say they wiled an unholy sword. There is no deeper reason.

- Characters who are inappropriate for the setting. No Warforged in the Realms, no monks in Middle-Earth, no elves in Ravenloft (I mean, elves are there, but its really a humano-centric setting).

This.

Though I haven't needed to invoke the right of refusal for 10 years or so because I've had sensible players who without having to have these things explained to them nonetheless understand them.

 

[pawsplay]

I really don't mind oddball characters. I just have to really wonder how much the player is bringing to the table doing the multiple personality thing the second, third time around. Maybe the player could be talked into doing something a little different, like maybe a paladin with PTSD who, while not having different personalities, gets a little weird in some situations, or a character who is secretly a spy for third party.

Or maybe a character with just one personality, but a worthwhile personality.

Is the player frustrated with trying to develop a characterization they can live with? That would be worth knowing. Do they like the wacky? Maybe there's a way to use that without creating a purely comic relief character or rolling out another mutliple personality character. Do they like doing impressions? Maybe they could play an actor or a spy, or develop a henchman.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Just started a new game where one of the players decided he wanted a Lawful Evil Paladin of Hextor. No problems there but he made this decision after finding out that the other characters are Chaotic Good do-ers of good deeds types. The paladin's player is a friend of one of the other guys and I've never played with him before. Now there's no reason he can't make it work, after all the Pally is as keen to bring Order to the Wild Coast as the others are keen to stop the orc invaders. Since the campaign will end when the orcs are stopped (ie: before the PCs need to worry about what sort of society to build in the aftermath) it should all be well. But I'm worried it will turn into a Player v. Player thing before that...

Generally I'm harsh. I will disallow characters that will disrupt the tone of the campaign. I feel OK doing this because when someone in our group offers to run a game the game's style is the main thing being offered. So if people don't want a certain game they can say so up front. Once a game is agreed upon I think it's fair for everyone to go along with the consensus.

I also disallow munchkin builds for the obvious reason.

Mallus wrote:
Especially w/Joseirus... last session he stabbed a flying super-Nazi with the Spear of Longinus in an aerial battle over 1944 Berlin.

Oh that is so cool.

 

[Betote]

I use a democratic approach: I present the concept to the other players. If they agree, it's ok. If they don't want it in the group, it's a nay.

 

[Herobizkit]

Just started a new game where one of the players decided he wanted a Lawful Evil Paladin of Hextor. No problems there but he made this decision after finding out that the other characters are Chaotic Good do-ers of good deeds types. [...] But I'm worried it will turn into a Player v. Player thing before that...

I feel that the possibility of your player deliberately disrupting the campaign "just because" is slim. My suggestion would be to refresh the player in question of just how strict you are with alignments.

If you see D&D as LE is opposite of CG and therefore can't get along because he's Evil, he needs to know that.
If you see D&D as LE may be opposed to CG but each does their own thing the best way they know how, he needs to know that, too.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Herobizkit: thanks, good advice. I'll have a quiet word with him before next session. Although what set the alarm bells ringing was his choosing his character's alignment after knowing what the others' alignments were. He may just like a bit of character on character friction*, which is fine. It depends on how far he takes it. As I said, this guys new, so it's just that I don't know how far he'll go. But am keeping an open mind and will do my best to accomodate him.

thanks again.

*Oh the dirty jokes that are already going through my mind.

 

[ExploderWizard]

I will say no to:

2. Two players using their ECL to make ONE Ettin... (the idea wasn't so bad in the end)

ZOMG!! This is just too awesome not to use. I would allow it in a heartbeat.

 

[chitzk0i]

A Dwarf named Balzac Goldnuggets. Just... no.