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

[The Little Raven]

Tellah, are you making sure each of these characters adheres to the rules for Irrationality and Multiple Personality, given on page 99-100 of the WoD core book? If he really wants to play that character, then he needs to suffer the consequences as such.

 

[howandwhy99]

Let me restate the "tone" problem, then. In the current game, the rest of the group said they wanted "monster hunters in the dark and grimy streets of Victorian London." This was among a few other proposals, including a wackier, 4-color superheroes game. The other players are trying to hew to fairly realistic characters and keep the tone dark and gritty. MPD-lad, having signed up for the same game, under the same understanding, made a character that intentionally disrupts that tone. The "charm the squirrel" thing is not an exaggeration--this is how he amused himself while the rest of the group tried to investigate why Werewolves masquerading as a group of Irish priests were taking carriage rides into the forest once a month.

Now, when as we're moving to a new game, he's come up with an even wackier character concept. I'm saying no, not so much because I don't want to run a wacky game--I've run them by the dozens--but because all of the other players are taking it seriously, and I don't want them to have their game derailed. Moreover, their characters will probably not want to associate with this character, anyway, so steering him away from that idea will keep tensions at the table a little lighter. Five out of six people at the table want a serious tone; I'm certainly past the stage as a GM where I think I am the god of the table, so it's not just my edict on this one.

Thanks for clearing that up. I would absolutely approach the player as a group then and tell him his usual favorite kind of play isn't going to fly in the new game. That everyone else is on board for a frightening horror game and lighthearted wackiness isn't anything anyone else wants. That he's welcome to join in, but if he starts screwing around, expect to be consensually removed from the game.

Our group has a "Carebear" rule that is like this. One could be a Carebear, but things that are really wacky get a yea/nay from the group beforehand. I assume you don't want Carebear PCs in your new campaign either? I personally prefer limiting options after the Players have them dreamed up.

The thing of it is, this Player doesn't sound like he has a concept problem. Instead it sounds like the rest of you don't appreciate how this player plays games when the focus changes away from silliness. Tell him that's not in this game. That he can keep the concept and change his gameplay or just sit this one out. I'd suggest the same thing to a player who only enjoyed PvP joining a group where no one else desired it.

 

[Hella_Tellah]

Tellah, are you making sure each of these characters adheres to the rules for Irrationality and Multiple Personality, given on page 99-100 of the WoD core book? If he really wants to play that character, then he needs to suffer the consequences as such.

Ooh, I don't think I want to go giving him a derangement as a Flaw. Then he gets bonus experience for disrupting the tone of the game. Yeesh.

I'm thinking that the problem doesn't really come from the kind of character he makes, though--multiple personalities could easily be done in a way that reinforces the tone we're trying to set. I think the real problem is that this player wants silly and wacky, and the games we've been running recently don't provide that. He and I were both playing in another guy's 4e game, which is more "sandbox" than mine, and he quit in a fit of nerd rage because hanging out and doing silly things wasn't earning his character XPs and GPs. I've been trying to encourage other kinds of play, but I think he just prefers to play that way, and we aren't really the gaming group for him.

 

[PaulofCthulhu]

I had an idea recently for a character with a more Shakespearian approach (man pretending to be a woman pretending to be a man).

The referee shot it down (and what they say goes). End of.

 

[The Little Raven]

Ooh, I don't think I want to go giving him a derangement as a Flaw. Then he gets bonus experience for disrupting the tone of the game. Yeesh.

I wasn't suggesting as a Flaw, I was suggesting as a part of the character. If he is so dead-set on playing the role, he should be willing to accept the consequences without any incentives. It sounds kinda like he wants the role without any of the actual drawbacks from it, which strikes me as wrong. Real MPD is not humorous, especially since you're doing a serious WoD game.

I've been trying to encourage other kinds of play, but I think he just prefers to play that way, and we aren't really the gaming group for him.

The more you talk about the guy, the more true this seems. It sounds like he has one singular goal, no matter what system, theme, or mood you're using, and he'll disrupt anything just to get what he wants.

 

[The Human Target]

I will say no to:

1. A very rich mage on an ogre's body (don't ask... GURPS game...)
2. Two players using their ECL to make ONE Ettin... (the idea wasn't so bad in the end)
3. A wizard using a chicken as familiar (and thinking itself a Bard... don't ask, again...)

I'm not sure why I never thought of that before.

But its genius.

I do however stand by having a chicken as a familiar.

My rooster Struts was an invaluable ally, who almost died in glorious battle protecting me from a weasel.

 

[Rechan]

I initially read this as saying they were created by Metallica, which had me scratching my head for a bit. Then I started thinking this was actually the most awesomist idea ever. Then I saw I'd misread.

I mean, think about it: death-metal kobold paladins... on motorcycles.

HAHHAHA.

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

 

[Dragonwriter]

There's a concept I want to play that constantly gets rejected: A Kobold Paladin.

Well, it would get a big "yes!" from me. Personally, I love kobolds and feel they regularly get the short end of the stick when it comes to player interest.

But, as to this player, it certainly sounds like he's out for a silly game. If that is not the tone you and the rest of the group are trying to set, then bring it to his attention. If he doesn't like it, he can either try to play your way or he can leave the game/sit this campaign out. MPD is a real condition and, while it can be made into an interesting character RP concept, if it is handled badly by the player, things can get real out-of-hand.

 

[Rechan]

I only have two that usually irriate me:

One is the penultimate loner - The guy who has almost no backstory, no relatives, no friends, nothing. I often see these guys play a character that is uninteresting to the point that they're don't even know what to do. I require some history to a character, and for some players, the bare minimum has been delivered.

The evil-evil guy. You can be evil unless my specific game calls for only good/etc.. However, there's that one type of evil I can't stand. The guy who's so immoral that just about everything he's done/will do is a horrid act. I've only seen this type of character crop up once or twice and was nullified quickly.

Yes, on both counts.

To add to your Penultimate loner: the Lone Wolf. The Wolverine guy. The one who has no reason to be with the party, thinks he's better off on his own, and would rather scout ahead or is disinterested in the party's main objectives.

I hate that guy, because he's so hard to get to play with the team.

When it comes to evil characters, I'm fine with Lawful evil "I'm evil, but I work well with others", or neutral evil "I'm just a cold, heartless bastard, but I can count on you as allies" types. Or the subtle evil, like manipulating the group but never intending to betray them. Those are fun, non-disruptive evil, imo. Instead of the teenage "edgy" "Burn it all to the ground" wanton destruction and indiscriminate killing type.

 

[Rechan]

On the topic of crazy ass characters, I have two stories. These are second hand accounts. Both are Vampire: The Masquarade.

One was a vampire who thought he was a human who thought he was a vampire. So he wore white face paint, plastic fangs, dressed as a bad Dracula. The entire group thought he was just a human with mental problems, so he was treated as their mascot, and kept him safe.

Another was a vampire who was the daughter of a Benny Hill-style televangelist. She was convinced that Jesus would return as a vampire, so they had to "pave the way" for his resurrection.

Oh, and the W:TA character. He was that werewolf type that are born from wolves (and thus their natural form is a wolf, raised as a wolf). Except that he behaved more doglike. Enthusiastic, short attention span, one track mind. Very dense and lovable.

Here's a character I want to play: War Veteran with PTSD. Play him as a barbarian. The rages are just flashbacks. So the more he levels, the more violence he sees, the more vivid the flashbacks. Naturally he'd go Frenzied Berzerker.