New Crunch: I done had enough of this stuff!!!

[Victim]

It's pretty reasonable for people to want to try out their new mechanical toys. What's the point of buying stuff you can't use? The problem is where that interferes with ongoing campaigns, but it's not bad itself.

One shot adventures with new characters would give players a chance to use some of their ideas without major disruptions to a long campaign. Players could also supply the DM with some antagonists using new rules. Then people can see the new classes in action without making a new character. Even if they still want to switch, it's less likely to be a blind leap into something new because it's new.

Something to consider is that not all classes are equally flexible. A prep based spell caster can basically change his entire abilities from day to day. Even a sorcerer can switch out old spells, and can still have enough spell pick to fill multiple roles depending on situation. But pretty much every ability a fighter gets is set in stone. If I want to give my wizard some new tricks or use new spells from a supplement, I can just grab a couple of scrolls. A fighter is stuck. Some options for retooling characters might help avoid players changing characters, although there should be limits.

 

[Ranger REG]

That being said, I agree completely that the DM should, as you say, put a cork in it. I just think the players shouldn't put the DM in a situation where he has to do so.

*Shrugs shoulders with hands up*

Hey, if the ref doesn't call foul on me, I'm not going to mention it nor correct him.

 

[Cadfan]

If I had to guess at an explanation, I'd blame the DM.

If the players feel that their characters are interchangeable with any new character they come up with, its probably because their character isn't very personally involved in the storyline, and, in fact, is genuinely interchangeable.

 

[Nalfeshnee]

Halivar: that could be my group you described. all players in my group (me included, sadly enough) usually go thorugh 3 - 4 characters before we even begin the game. by the time session 5-8 rolls by half of us want to change characters, so we usually end u pscrapping the campaign, beginning a new one instead. i dont tend to change characters once we actually tart, though before that i must go through half a dozen at least before i settle on the one i like.

i think the only way to stop this is for the DM to limit the resources and impose some sort of penalty on characters who willingly change characters

 

[Ranger REG]

You're a real martyr

Well boo-hoo, why can't you just enjoy your character and let the others enjoy theirs? Why the high horse?

Because things can't get rolling when your other players are still indecisive. Have you had a GF that bought clothes only to return them and constantly repeat the pattern because nothing seems to satisfy her? I'm just relieved I dumped that spoiled, high-maintenance girl.

I know, TMI.

 

[Chimera]

And then apparently with that group you are left with exactly one player as the rest walk off for real.

Seems more likely to me that at least half the people will whine and complain, but eventually comply. The rest - good riddance. I like some consistency in my game, please, and I don't put up with spoiled children.

Besides, I have mechanics in place for replacing characters if you want to do so. All you gotta do is talk to me about your new concept and work with me to retire your character into a NPC position. In this case, they stay friendly with the party.

I offered my players that choice at the end of the fourth session. They could retire their current character and start a new one at the same level. Another player has already talked to me about 'temporarily' retiring his Ranger for a while in order to try the PHB II Druid options. Thumbs up for that one.

If you insist on just dropping the character, then you start one level lower and it counts as a strike against you. As in "three strikes and you're out of the game group". The old PC becomes an unfriendly NPC, much like a jilted lover. Moreso if you screw him out of his fair share of the group treasure.

You know, doing something like that might just be fun for the OP GM. Take all those abandoned characters and put them together for revenge against the new PCs.

 

[Barak]

Lesse.

One of my players decided he'd DM a game. For his own weird reasons, he decided it was going to be a 20th level game, anything goes. Seriously, anything. A feat from some weird website? That's ok.

So what do we have..

Me, I'm a wizard with a Pclass from Complete Arcane. That's it, everything else is PHB. And I'm a human.

Player #2 is a Paladin/monk. He has a couple feat from Complete Warrior, mostly because I was there when he made his character and pointed out a few nice feats. Also human

Player #3 Is a Scout/Whirling Dervish. Also human.

Player #4 is a cleric, War Priest (from Defenders of the Faith. Yes, it's 3.0). Elven

Then, Player #5 is some Warforged With some Pclass from Eberron, the one that makes him more Uber but more construct like. He's also the DM's brother, and the main reason for the lack of restrictions.

So yeah, many groups don't care that much.

 

[Numion]

Because things can't get rolling when your other players are still indecisive.

We do our characters between sessions, so bringing a new character doesn't disrupt the game.

Have you had a GF that bought clothes only to return them and constantly repeat the pattern because nothing seems to satisfy her? I'm just relieved I dumped that spoiled, high-maintenance girl.

There's nothing analogous between my gamer friends and girlfriends

 

[Numion]

Because I don't have anyone to roleplay with.

Would forcing your buddies to play same characters change that?

I've seen good RP in one-shot games. Therefore good RPing doesn't require long-term characters.

 

[megamania]

I have one player whom is like that. He likes to try things out and eventually wants to try something else out everytime he buys a new book. The good thing is he can only afford about two books a year so it isn't as much of event.