[Not-a-Poll]How much do you restrict player chargen choice?

[Reynard]

This was going to be a poll, but I realized that the answers would likely be too complex for a poll to get it right.

When setting up to run a new game -- whether it be a one shot or a campaign -- how much do you restrict the players on their character generation options? Do you allow "anything WotC" or "Core Only" or something in between? Do you allow only some material from a given book, or do you go 'all or nothing' on an allowed resource? Do you let players make arguments for their desires if they fall outside whatever limits you set, or do you have a hard line?

Relatedly, what do you do when a player really bristles at whatever limits you set, for whatever reason?

 

[Crothian]

Dpends on the campaign and what the players want. Usually though it has to be races that exist in the campaign setting, classes that exist and fit with what is going on, and since we start at first level nothing with an ecl. My players though are not the types to really need the exotic and strange to have fun, they rarely need to look beyond the core.

For players that just can't live by the limits I'll tell them no and if that doesn't work I'll call their wife and complain. That only works since I'm friends with the wives though.

 

[Lanefan]

For our 1e-based system, whatever's in the books is usually good to go (and the options for race-class combinations have been greatly expanded); if there's a setting limitation e.g. no Monks, that's right there in the roll-up guide.

If people really want something, I've usually found a way to let it in...though I'm slowly learning my lesson there; I banned Monks from my current campaign as they don't fit in the setting, then got lobbied for ages by two players to bring them in. So, I eventually brought them in (after a complete re-design), and several players have tried them out since...said players not including the two lobbyists!

Were I to run a 3e game, I'd be loath to allow anything not in the core PH.

Lanefan

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Well, for one shots I do the characters myself.

For other campaigns, I give the parameters of what I think is applicable in that world, and pretty much let it go at that. But then again, my old group weren't really power-gaming munchkins, either, so I didn't really have to worry. And if one of them accidentally stumbled over something broken, they'd be as likely to nerf it as I would.

 

[MerricB]

My current campaign is set in the County of Ulek, a vaguely celtic-themed society. As such, I put general restrictions (no monks, barbarians or half-orcs), let the PCs come up with their own ideas, and then integrated them into the setting.

Thus, I have a Soulknife, Totemist, Incarnate, Soulborn, Knight, Ranger/Sorcerer, Druid/Wizard and Bard/Rogue/Druid as the character concepts so far - all have fit into my conception of the setting.

I've never said, "You can't play that, it's too powerful", but certainly that something doesn't fit into the campaign.

Cheers!

 

[Evilhalfling]

At the begining of a campaign I discuss what type of campaign im going to run. Usually i have some ideas about what part of the world I want to run a game in, and a concept like - your all part of a military unit guarding a border. Or everyone owes the town mage a favor that needs to be worked off.

Then I tell them (if its a new area) what the country is like, and what classes and races are common there. Frequently there are variations on races, and some don't exist at all.
(currently no gnomes, orcs or 1/2orcs) I expect to either make a character who fits in with the local area, or has a reason for traveling to it from another land.

Mostly they have choosen to stay with core classes, but normally the world is flexable enough to allow classes that are really wanted in, a specific school that teaches swashbucklers or a tribe of barbarians that has Spirit Shaman instead of druids.

 

[Agent Oracle]

I have one MAJOR restriction on chargen:

You must have the book from which you are making the character. not a printout of a PDF, unless that is how it was originally sold. I want to see the book before you play the character.

That alone was enough to make one person quit my game. I think it's perfectly reasonable.

 

[Nyaricus]

I give my players a spoken or written-down list of the races and classes availiable to them, and then help to guide them through character creation. If we play in the Realms, I usually allow them to be from one country away from where we are, if in my homebrew, it's pretty much the country we are starting in.

I do this so that there will be a theme for the characters and a reasonable background for them to be set against; if there wasn't, it would be an odd game IMO.

For 1-shots, I either make the character myself, or I talk to the players in advance and see what sort of concept they want, then I make it for them. It's relatively easy

cheers,
--N

 

[Odhanan]

When setting up to run a new game -- whether it be a one shot or a campaign -- how much do you restrict the players on their character generation options? Do you allow "anything WotC" or "Core Only" or something in between? Do you allow only some material from a given book, or do you go 'all or nothing' on an allowed resource? Do you let players make arguments for their desires if they fall outside whatever limits you set, or do you have a hard line?

I don't restrict options, but I have an idea of what makes sense within the setting and what doesn't. I try to not have any pre-determined opinions (i.e. "warforged ninja just doesn't make sense" -- it can, depending on character concept and the way the background is worked out), and choose to let the players come up with their own ideas based on the hand-out I provided. Then, I just tell them if we can work it out in the campaign or not, and discuss how/if it can be done.

Or, to put it in other words:

(...) I put general restrictions (no monks, barbarians or half-orcs), let the PCs come up with their own ideas, and then integrated them into the setting.

(...)

I've never said, "You can't play that, it's too powerful", but certainly that something doesn't fit into the campaign.

Cheers!

What Merric said.

 

[GuardianLurker]

Whatever makes sense for the world I'm using.

In my current campaign (pre-3.x but updated) I basically allow all the core classes, but some classes are restricted geographically/culturally (monks, for instance), and others are racially restricted (druids). I don't allow the alternate base classes.

In my next campaign I'm a lot more adventurous. I'm using a mix of AE, psionics, and some of the alternate base classes (Lurk, Ardent, Warlock, Scout, and Shadowcaster). There won't be any racial restrictions but there might be a few cultural ones.

Regardless, I don't generally allow classes willy-nilly - I put forth a selected list of approved classes.