Some players don’t want to build characters…

[Nightfall]

Ober,

Simple, let me build you some characters FOR them. I'm pretty good.

 

[VirgilCaine]

I had big hopes the Quick Character Design Charts in the back of the PHB2 might help us their, but they do not. The feat selection is full of errors and just not very good.

Huh, I'll have to look those over and see just how bad they are compared to the default NPCs in the DMG.

 

[Nightfall]

Virgil,

True. If want a fast and quick way to design PCs, I do it myself.

 

[DreadArchon]

Good builders make combat characters, bad builders make support characters, problem solved. Alternatively, good builders play support to try to keep the poorly-built combat characters alive...

Really though, just ask someone who likes making builds to build a character to your approximate specifications. I'm sure someone in your group must enjoy building more builds than they can possibly play.

Edit: Last paragraph phrased as general advice for players who don't like to build, not necessarily the OP.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

The problem is not the excess of choices. The problem is a difference in play style. Obergnom likes to spend a lot of time designing characters, the other players don't.

The other players' character are not "worse" than yours, Obergnom. They're just different. Give them some helpful suggestions, but if they don't take them, too bad. They are presumably getting what they want out of the game. Don't spoil their fun.

If they're spoiling your fun, then maybe you should look for a different group.

Exactly. While I could plan a character in advance and optimize for 20 levels, I find it much more fun to let the character grow organically. Does that mean the character is occasionally sub-optimal? Sure! But I'm having fun. Why should another player care what is on my character sheet, anyway? Frankly, I'd be pretty insulted if another player or the DM insisted on "rebuilding" my character. It's my character and I'll create him/her however is the most fun for me (within reasonable bounds, of course -- it is a team game).

Are the other players having fun? If so -- don't worry about it.

 

[Aus_Snow]

Prestige Classes [. . .] do not really specialize your character, which would mean you get worse at some of your core abilities but better at others, they simply boost your power level.

QFT.

Have any of you had the same problem? What did you do to solve it?

Yes. Pages and pages of house rules.