Last session, you entered Hell... Where's Bill?

[ancient_ones]

PS: When I read the subject line, I thought the thread was going to be some kind of elaborate dig at Bill Gates - someone I'd certainly expect to find in Hell

I heard he just bought hell recently. Which is good for those already there since that means it will stop functioning properly and require a "hell" of alot more resource to even run anymore.

 

[Chimera]

I have never liked making up reasons why Homer the Half-Orc isn't there right now, when he was there five minutes ago (in game). As a GM, it can be hell to formulate something based on the entire party being present, then having to chuck it out the window should a critical player be adsent. Don't get me started on what happens when the Rogue's player doesn't make the session just after you've entered the Hall of Wicked Traps; or when the party's only Cleric isn't there to heal them.

Last game I ran, I handed the PC over to someone else who ran them. Generally disasterous. The player has no idea what the other character is capable of (generally speaking) and so tends to run them extremely poorly, if not suicidally so.

Next game I run, the PCs of absent players will be run by the group as a whole with heavy GM involvement to cut down on the "Suicidal Stupidity" Factor. The PC will get only half experience for that session and no penalties if they need to be Raised. (Although no special assistance in getting that Raise Dead will be granted.)

 

[Crispy Critter]

In the game I DM we have myself and then 5 players. If more than two people can not show up we cancel the session. If two or less show up, their characters are played by someone else. They get the full XP regardless. Although, the running gag is if you're character is being played by someone else, for some reason that character is always put in danger - sometimes unnecessarily. When the player calls me a few days after we play, the first question usually is, "Did I survive?"

 

[Pielorinho]

The worst is when I have a specific plot set up to revolve around a PC, and that player can't show up. I'll generally cancel the session if that happens: otherwise, I'll be totally winging teh night's session, and I'm not comfortable with that.

It's only happened a few times, but I hate it when it does.

Daniel

 

[Leopold]

i just have the PC not there when/if the player isn't there. I use the rule: He's there hanging back, playing tag team double dutch with the other PC's. He doesn't get xp, he doesn't get magic items, he doesn't earn squat. But then again he is not vanished off the planet just sort of 'phased' out..

 

[ForceUser]

I've struggled with this one over the years, but I think I've found a solution that works for me. It's called Grin, Bear It, And Play Anyway(tm).

My current group has six players. I've decided I will play with half. If at least three players can make it, we're playing. The characters of those who are absent are played by those who are present, with the DM inserting Stuff They Would Know(tm) at the appropriate time to help the players along. Your character will act as those present feel is appropriate, and if your character gets cursed, burned, maimed, banished, weed-whacked, squashed, disfigured, lost, or killed while you're away, so be it. Them's the breaks. Show up next time

That's if the group is in the middle of an adventure. If the session starts with downtime or the group begins play split up, I might spin a germane reason why your character isn't present for the session.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

We have up to 9 PCs in the group, and we are almost always missing 2-3 players, sometimes more.

We soldier on with whatever PCs are "there" midadventure, and give them a full cut of the wealth and xp. Other players run the PCs.

If we are in town, we will have other players run the PCs of absent players if they think they can play them well. That often means dropping a few people off at the bar. We have found that too many (N)PCs slows the game down and risks accidental deaths. Too few and we have continuity and firepower problems.

 

[Trepelano]

My group has always been pretty good about giving advanced notice when they won't make the next session.

I am currently planning to run a series of adventures that will take many sessions to complete. I have marked waypoints where I will stop the game session - even it its a bit early. These waypoints are placed so that it will be easier to deal with missing players.

 

[takyris]

I usually either find a reason to get rid of that character for that session. Unless it doesn't work (they're locked in a dungeon), and unless the player ticked me off by not giving advance notice or missing for several weeks in a row.

In that case, I run the character myself.

...

And it GREATLY reduces absenteeism.

Ex: "Hang on, guys," Aldamar shouts, "I'll lure the Iron Golem toward me to distract it while the rest of you sneak past!" He then wildshapes into a wolverine and begins humping the Iron Golem's leg.

Ex: Sendant volunteers to cast Commune as many times as necessary to figure out the riddle. "The XP cost is a small price to pay," he says boldly. "No matter how much it takes, I won't rest until I've solved that mystery." He casts Commune. "Hey, is this my deity? It is? I've never done this before, am I doing this right? Great. Can I ask you about the riddle of the gargoyle statue? Do you know the one I'm talking about? Okay, yeah, about this "stone becomes water" line, do you know what that means? Gryff thinks it's ice, but he always thinks of weird stuff, doesn't he? No? Are you sure? Wait, was that no, he doesn't think of weird stuff, or no, you aren't sure, or no, it's not ice? Am I running out of questions? Dang. Hold on, I'll cast it again."

Ex: "Trap?" Gryffid scoffs. "Bah, we dwarves know how to deal with traps. You WHACK 'em!" He boldly strides past the Arly before Arly can disarm the trap, and... (roll) takes 47 points of electrical damage. "Hah!" he laughs, patting down his charred clothing. "Take more'n that to slow down ol' Gryff. Nah, don't heal me, it just makes me blood tingle."

-Tacky

 

[ForceUser]

In that case, I run the character myself.

Sounds like you have a somewhat adversarial relationship with your players. Among my friends we just try to run someone in character when their player isn't present. We don't run them from danger or have them hang back, but neither do we have them perform bold, life-threatening actions that are completely out-of-character. It's always nice to get advance notice, but sometimes players just can't make it.