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

[Vrecknidj]

It all depends upon the players and the setting. My latest campaign was anything goes, and generation methods were player's choice of 40-point buy or roll 5d6 drop lowest two. I included a ton of optional feats and allowed just about every PrC. But, then there were all kinds of planar pathways in that campaign that allowed for this huge amount of variety.

I'll be running RHoD at some point, and I'll me MUCH more restrictive.

Dave

 

[Reynard]

What about race/class combos. For AByscor (see sig) I am considering bringing them back into fashion, as it were, as well as disallowing certain multiclassing combos.

 

[Stormborn]

If I had more players, or different players, I would likely put all manner of restrictions on character creation - but I don't so I don't. I know all the books my players have, and what they are likely to choose. Therefore I never have need to state my restricitions, since I know they aren't going to choose anything inappropriate, and usually I they come to me asking fro suggestions and guidance anyway.

However, if all that were not the case the only real restriction I would have is Campaign Setting; and even then I can get creative and find a place for stuff. I have a Ptolus campaign right now that has a 1st level ninja from the southern continent, she was on her way to Ptolus with her master for reasons she doesn't know. We don't call her a "ninja" and have come up with a back story of a kind of cultic spy organization that trained her. Ninjas wouldn't seem to fit in Ptolus, we figured out a way. The only real restrictions then would come if I had a very specific campaign idea in mind and needed for their to be no PC versions of X. For example, I once planned a campaign where Elves were the evil race adn thus no PC could be an elf or half-elf.

I'm all for letting the player's choose what they want as long as it can be played at the level the campaign starts, but then I have never had anyone in my game who could or would abuse that.

 

[wayne62682]

IMO it depends on the type of campaign. If I'm running a specific niche campaign I would have more restrictions than a "typical" campaign. More often than not our restrictions are any WotC book allowed (subject to approval, however; the DM may veto certain things he feels is not appropriate for the campaign), anything non-WotC disallowed (part of the reason I have no third-party books in my library).

When I next run a campaign (which would be Savage Tide) I would allow Core, Races, Completes, PHBII and Spell Compendium, and anything else has to be looked over first.

 

[KB9JMQ]

My only rule is ask first.
I have never turned anything down and nothing has ever broken my game.
Maybe it is just the group I game with but it has never been an issue.
I use Eberron as my world now and everyone is sticking with stuff that makes sense to be there.

 

[Arnwyn]

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?

Speaking relatively to ENWorld, I would say "significantly". Based on your quote above, though, it would be "something in between" - the main guideline is that the DM must own the book before anything is allowed. Period. Further on that, it's definitely not 'all or nothing' on an allowed resource - I may only allow certain things from a given book.

My line is pretty hard, but I do listen to their desires and justification (in theory). My players usually agree with my decisions though, as we are all on the same wavelength on what we want from the game. (I'm one of those 'never game with strangers/only game with friends' folks.)

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

No idea - it's never happened. My players clearly understand the reasoning for what I allow.

I suppose the very first thing out of my mouth would be "why?".

 

[Lord Mhoram]

I'm sort of a "and the kitchen sink" kind of guy. I allow most WOTC base and prestige classes, plus just about any prestige class in any book I've got (and I have a bunch). I allow almost all feats, chararacter conceptions and such, and I have no multiclassing penalties and use gestalt.
I want my players to be able to play anything they want.

My only restriction is that I don't allow any non-good alignements. I want my games to be Heroes against the bad guys. No interparty conflict (that will get a character tossed, and player if it happens repeatedly), all work together.

Characters are build as a group as the first session of the game - that helps the players pull together and put links to each other in thier characters backstory.

 

[Mercule]

how much do you restrict the players on their character generation options?

Not nearly as much as I should. The longer I GM, the more I'm coming to realize that -- for anything even vaguely story-based -- there have to be boundaries. As Merric said, no ninjas in a Celtic setting, etc.

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

I cave. This is one of the reasons I often fail to set appropriate limits. Me am bad.

 

[Raven Crowking]

If the game is not set in my over-arching campaign setting (such as when I ran WLD), then you can play whatever you want. Half-vampire wookie barbarian? Sure.

If the game is set in my over-arching campaign setting, however, you can consult the campaign Player's Guide as to what races/classes are allowed. If you include sub-types (such as human racial groups), this means that you have a much wider range of choices than the Core Rules allow (my campaign allows characters such as a Chimpanzee Ranger, giants, half-bugbears, and humans ranging from the psychic and technologically adept Indrus to the barbaric and gruff Bearfolk). I have largely re-written the classes, in part to lower the magic level of the world, and in part to introduce a skill-based combat system.

Every 5 levels, a character gains a "legacy". Character legacies can be used to (among other things) introduce new feats, spells, and prestige classes.

There is a huge range of options in this system (IMHO), with characters who can be humanoids, fey (elves, gnomes, faerie animals [western hengeyokai]), magical beasts, or giants (including dwarves). There are lots of class options. If you cannot find something you want to play, and believe that the system is too restrictive, I am happy to direct you to other games that are less restrictive.

RC

 

[Acid_crash]

Like others, if its a one shot, I will make the characters.

If it's just a dungeon hack (ick) then anything is allowed cuz I just don't really care. I don't usually do dungeon hacks though.

If it's a more immersive campaign, with the potential to have substantial roleplaying and opportunities for character development, then I pull out the house rules, write up a character creation guidelines document for the players, and based on the campaign, I might limit races, classes and which books they are allowed to use.

It kinda depends on what I am aiming at when I begin the game.

In the latest idea of mine, all the characters begin in the same small farming village. They've grown up here their entire lives, having never left, so the rest of the world is... strange and unknown. I designed the town, and based on that, limit what races they can choose from. No half-orcs, cuz no orcs live within a hundred miles of where they begin. Things like that. They are in their late teens and are just beginning to become adults in the community, so their starting equipment will basically be handed down to them from the town and their families. Then all hell will break loose.