New Campaign, need some outside help.

[SeamusRedfern]

I am going to be DMing a new campaign in about 2 weeks and I want some outside eyes on my initial process. Any and all comments are welcome. So for Character creation I gave my players the option of rolling 4d6-lowest, 32 point-buy, or Elite stat array. They were cool with that. Then I told them that the only books they were allowed to use are the ones that we have on-hand which include PHB, MM, DMG, Expanded Psionics, and Spell Compendium. One of my players (He was the only one to roll his stats) has a big problem with this because it severely limits his ability to create a powerful character. So my question is this do I stand my ground and tell him too bad? He believes that you cannot make a good unarmed fighter without the help of extra supplements. I don't have much experience in that area(I play Druids and Rangers) so any advice will be welcome. Thanks.

Also I am allowing races up to LA +3 and each player rolls a d4 to determine starting level.

 

[Marflarius]

I'm not too well versed in what's in the books and stuff but I'd probably have to side with the player if you're only allowing those books, the phb and dmg doesn't offer much to even the basic classes. . .

LA 3 is a bit much, I'm going to be DMing a campaign of my own here in a week (maybe 2) and am personally only allowing LA 1, although a good rule of thumb that I generally use is to allow 1 LA per 2 levels of a character, but then that wouldn't be very fair to everyone because not everyone will be able to get the same LA as others and could potentially unbalance and upset the players.

 

[SeamusRedfern]

I see what you mean about the LA...I am going to go with +1 as well. As for additional books, only one of my players (out of four) has an issue with the book situation. The only reason I have it limited to those books is because those are the only books we have on-hand and they refuse to buy the books they want.

 

[Marflarius]

Well if they're refusing to purchase the books they need to use, I assume your friends all have access to a computer with internet at some point in time or another? If they don't want to buy the books simply DL them from a site and go over it with them or just if they want to use other content and can't DL anything, just review with them the stuff they want to use online and make sure that the both of you have an understanding of it.

Mod Note: Ladies and gentlemen, EN World does not condone or advocate piracy. What you do on your own time is your own business, and it is not technically against the rules to say you think it is okay. But do note that there are people on these boards who create and publish content, and you're kind of rubbing in their faces that you're using their content without them getting paid for it. And, don't try to use these boards to traffic in blatantly infringing materials, or tell folks where they may go to acquire such. That is against our rules. ~Umbran

 

[shadyizok]

I'dd say talk to him, perhaps together with the rest of the players.
You as a DM have much more work to do then them, creating worlds, adventures, npc's and other things and should have a powerfull say in what books are allowed and even what content from those books. Sometimes you've got a campaignworld where this or that doesn't exist or is limited.

Having said this, make sure your players know the general idea of the campaign (special limitations, urban, intrigue, travel, dungeon, hack 'n slash, etc) and what books and content you want to allow. They need to have some say in this or at least agree with your plans before you start playing. They're not characters in YOUR story, it's of you together.

However after you've all agreed on such matters, feel free to tell players to try thinking of a different concept if the one they want isn't feasible.

Players shouldn't build their characters until you've all agreed on a general campaign world and what content they can use.

And in all times, keep it to the game, don't make things personal. Appeal to his maturity if things get heated.

 

[Empirate]

Well if they're refusing to purchase the books they need to use, I assume your friends all have access to a computer with internet at some point in time or another? If they don't want to buy the books simply DL them from a site and go over it with them or just if they want to use other content and can't DL anything, just review with them the stuff they want to use online and make sure that the both of you have an understanding of it.

Are you advocating the use of pirated material? Really shouldn't be doing that. It's not only forbidden on this forum, it's also generally... well, criminal.

I'd guess purchasing PDFs isn't to those players' liking either. I'd guess it's that they don't want to spend any money at all, not that they don't like the deadtree format.


[MENTION=90937]SeamusRedfern[/MENTION]: Your player who wants to play a splatbooked character but doesn't want to buy books because that's somehow your job as a DM? He's the biggest douche who ever lived on this planet. What an as-shole. I can't believe it. And I can't imagine gaming with a guy who'd seriously whine about lack of books and refuse to buy them himself.


Concerning another of your points: you actually let them roll for which level they can start at? That's, like, the most terrible idea I've ever heard of. It's hard enough to get a group of 1st level PCs through a standard fight without one of them dying. It's much, much harder to adequately challenge a group consisting of two 3rd, a 4th and a 1st level PC without the 1st level guy almost or outright dying on you in every single encounter. Don't do this. Save yourself a lot of headache.

Also, rolling that 1d4 will very likely generate envy and general tension between your players. It's quite probably horrible for social mechanics among your players, even if everybody agreed to this method in the first place. Moreover, I can't for the life of me see what including that roll does for your group. Is anybody gonna feel better than if everybody just started out at level 3, period?

Whereas not rolling for starting level? No such risk. Might as well avoid rolling then. Just my 2 cents.

 

[kitcik]

If they buy you a book as a present, they can use it in the campaign...

AND thank you for prepping & running!

 

[SeamusRedfern]

Thanks for all the quick responses.
There is only one player who as an issue with the book situation. He wants me to allow all of 3.0 and 3.5 because it's only fair according to him. I know that he is after more exciting feats and I believe he wants to use Tome of Battle. My only issue is not having the resources on hand. Tome of Battle looks like a rough draft version of the 4th edition power system... I will talk to the other players and see if they care if he uses non on-hand materials and maybe they will want to as well.

 

[PureGoldx58]

If you can't reference it off-hand then don't let him use it. You have to know what your player has and can do at any moment. Not knowing means he could just be doing whatever. I like the Tome of Battle book, it makes melee less terrible.

 

[SeamusRedfern]

I talked to my players today and they voted on not using 3.5 at all. They would rather we use 4e.