Player Vacations: How Long is Too Long

[DonTadow]

I have a slight Dilemma. I have a player whom 4 weeks ago decided two days before session that she would not be at the next session, nor any other sessions for the next 4 weeks. Her decision was unexpected, but came after she and I discussed her, her playstyle and her character. Lets say the conversation probably did not know as she expected. I was honest, and told her that several players voiced concern for months about her characters ability to disappear during combat and many non-combat encounters including one time where 2 of the mages would have been killed without DM intervention. We also got a new player a few weeks ago for which her swooning was proving fairly uncomfortable for him and kinda unfocused her on the game. I assumed she took it well, but apparently from the following email she needed some time off.

we had already loss 3 players whom moved out of state and had only replaced 2 of those players. Two weeks into her Sabatical, one of the new players had to drop the campaign because of a change in work schedule. Now we are down to 3 players. This Sunday, one of the players notifies me that she says she will be taking some additional time away.

If things turn out right, I may have three good players waiting to join, but the maximum table size is six (and my personal limit). She could not have left at amore crucial time for the party. The party is probably on their most significant adventure yet, and it would be very impractical to introduce a new character after next week considering their going into the bowels of a dark untampered with vault. What would you do in this situation?
My first thought is to let her know that her spot is in jeopardy and ask her to commit to coming back Next week like she innitally said. Then again I don't want to be insensitive. WHen she's on and not flirting with the new guy, she is a good role-player despite her lack of tactical skills.

Curious about what others would do in this situation and how long do you normally wait for a player to return to your group before looking for another player?

 

[Ashrum the Black]

Umm, wow. Sounds like you've picked up one of the players I used to have. She was great in a role play session, but you had to remind her how to calculate her tohit every time she swung the sword and liked to play things for "drama" instead of for party coherancy. She also pulled the disappearing act for a while when she didn't like the direction of the campaign.

My opinon would be to send her an email, or call her up, and ask her when she'll be returning. She may be on the fence about coming back herself after he last conversation with you. Let her know that you need a commitment so you can make sure to work her character back into the party seemlessly. If she can't commit then let her know to call you when she's ready, but you can't gaurentee a seat at the table immediately depending on how the campaign is rolling.

Let her know it isn't a personal thing, and make sure she knows all of the things she does that are right at the table, you just need to make things work out best for the group. And droping her character in out of the blue in the middle of an enemy camp would make much sense. Give her some time to work things out before you fill her spot at the table, but make sure that if she takes too long the chairs may be gone.

Or if that isn't your thing then have her character wink out. She was just summoned by a deck of many things to serve in another plane for a while. When she's ready to come back she winks back in with one whopper of a tale to tell the pary. But this assumes you want her back and aren't truely looking for an excuse to drop her.

Honestly, it sounds as though you may be leaning in the direction at the moment. I'd have to say that you really need to look at the sessions you've had recently, and decide are you folks having more fun without her than with her. If the answer is yes, then I'd say it's time to cut the strings and replace her with one of those waiting in the wings.

-Ashrum

 

[Crothian]

Curious about what others would do in this situation and how long do you normally wait for a player to return to your group before looking for another player?

The people I game with are friends that I hold a lot of respect for. I will never give away their seat at the gaming table without talking to them about it first. Also, I have friends I haven't gamed with for years, but if one showed up at my next gaming session I would welcome them to the game. My bottom line is that I will find a way to game with friends even if it means gaming with more people then I orginally wanted to.

 

[Brimshack]

I think you should ask yourself one very simple question: Do you want her there?

If the answer to that question is, yes, then find an in-game rationale to re-introduce her when she is ready and get her into the game. And TELL her that you want her there. You've given her the bad news, and hopefully it will efect a change in her play, but also do her the courtesy of showing that she is appreciated and that she really is welcome back in the game. Set it all up and give her another chance.

If the answer is, no, then you have been given more than enough reason to exclude her from the game. Just politely tell her that the sudden vacation was a real source of problems for you and that you do not wish to facilitate her re-entry into the campaign. That's all you have to say.

And that's what it boils down to, I think. Do you want her at your game table? It's not a technical problem,; it's simply a question of how you feel about the whole thing. Once you know the answer to that, the rest of the details can be managed one way or another.