Starting a new campaign, hoping I don't get the same problems

[JoeGKushner]

It's been mentioned a few times that some GMs won't let a player change a feat.

What do you do if a new book comes out that has something that fits the player's character concept more than the one he currently has? I've encouraged my players, when not raping the rules, to look about and make sure that they know what they want. I've even allowed them to change some skill points and other things that I consider minor. Now if it's something base and core like Power Attack that they've been using forever, then no, they're stuck with that, but if they see something like Signature Weapon in one book and Bonded Weapon in another, I'd probably let them switch.

 

[Arnwyn]

It's been mentioned a few times that some GMs won't let a player change a feat.

What do you do if a new book comes out that has something that fits the player's character concept more than the one he currently has?

I do nothing. They can take that feat when they are next entitled to one.

 

[Voadam]

Seeing how I will be starting a new 3.5 edition game when it comes out; I want to stop some of the old problems I have been having.

Number 1 on my list- Record keeping. When I played I kept track of every copper piece and every arrow ever fired. When I went into a tavern and order a drink and the DM said 3 silver, I erased 3 silver from my character sheet. Fired 13 arrows in combat, adjusted my character sheet. I could tell you what pouch on my pack back had the flint and steel, I could tell you how much silver was in my belt pouch and how much was on my horse and which saddle bag, left or right that pouch was in.

Now I am not looking for that kind of detail from my players. Arrows I would kill for them to keep track of those. They complain about money but I can gaurentee that they haven't adjusted the total for when they made some minor magic items. I don't ever see them erasing anything when they go into a bar. Granted a few silver or even 1 or 2 gold is really no big deal to 12th+ level characters but it just irritates me.

Any suggestions on to how to get more record keeping? I don't want IRS type accounting; just keep track of arrows please type thing.

Number 2- Feats. After chosing a feat after a game or two I get "This feat sucks I am going to change it." Fow whatever reason I let them change it. Probably cause I for the last few months I haven't really cared at all about the game. I was misrable and the last thing I wanted was misrable players.

Number 3 Character backround. Nothing complicated. Lets just say 99% of them have been "I am looking to get rich." Thats the character backround.
And getting the groups together. Once all the players are in the same general area this is easy for me. For example in a FR type game, I am starting it in Waterdeep. The characters are from Thay, Cormyr, Chult and Ten Towns. All I ask them is how did they arrive in Waterdeep. Blank Stares all around. I even tell them straight off before character creation you are going to start in Waterdeep.
My Call of Chtulhu game may have given me an idea. I had each player secretly write down some sort of Occult thing that happened to them and not tell the other characters. Worked pretty good. I may do this for my new D&D game. Any other hints out there?

Number 4 - Ideas. Oh do my ideas ever seem so cliche. Evil wizard/cleric/warrior bent on taking over the world or becoming a god. Some sort of war. Isn't this problem in every game though

Number 5- Getting off my lazy butt and actually planning more rather than making it up on the fly. I work 3rd shift and have free time at work, I could literally get paid to do D&D stuff at work but don't

Thanks

1 Tell them up front you want them to keep track, if they don't and they shoot arrows, or spend money, then they will be out when they are done, whether they only shot one or got new cold weather gear.

In game ask them how much this leaves them after they spend money. If they can't answer then say "then you are out, better go adventuring to earn some money".

2 Tell them up front they can no longer do this, they've been playing for a while now and know how the system works so all decisions from now on are final for the sake of game continuity.

3 Your secret idea is a good one, it also gives you story hooks later on. Give them the option for some of them to always have been friends or comrades, for example, two fighters could have been merchant guards together and the last caravan ended and they are carousing together at the inn when the game starts.

4 yes it is a problem for everybody, rip off ideas from books and movies and TV or get modules. Or build off of the players actions and interests or the secrets and backgrounds they give you in the beginning.

5 Think about what is going to happen in the next game and how the party is likely to react and neat things you can possibly throw in to spice things up. I find loose outlines work well.

 

[Sir Whiskers]

1. Concerning record keeping, talk to your players. Styles differ. It may be that they just find that it distracts too much from enjoying the game. Or that they've never been trained on it. If the consensus is that it's too much trouble for the benefit, institute one or more of the suggestions above (monthly expenses automatically deducted, run out on a "1", etc). If the players are willing to put in the effort, then ask them to come up with simpler ways of tracking the info - and reward the players who do so with extra XP, skill points, or whatever.
For one-shot magic items, such as potions and scrolls, I found that giving each player a separate card for each such item works well. If the character uses a potion, the player hands the GM the card - no forgetting to erase the item, no confusion over just what the potion is, and so on.

2. Feats - this is really up to you as GM. The more inexperienced the players, the more likely I am to allow retroactive changes. Regardless, if you have trouble saying no, put a limit in your house rules and point it out to the players before the first session. Either suggestion above works well: a limit on the total number of times it can be done over the life of the character, or a requirement that the character must have never used that feat.

3. I find that extensive character backgrounds don't work so well before actual play. I require that the players complete a simple ten question ethics sheet before the first session. Then after the first or second session, I ask for character backgrounds. Then, after a few more session, I'll ask them to flesh out something in their background (a 2-page write up on the monastery they studied at, or the pirates they sailed with, etc). By giving the players time to settle in to their characters, I find that the backgrounds fit better and also allow for actual campaign events to be included. For example, a character accidentally shoots a comrade in the back in the first battle - the player decides his bad shooting is why he left his old clan (he shot the clan chief's son in the foot...) For all of this, I give XP, though other rewards work well also. Be sure to reward players who go the extra mile too.

4. and 5. I try to assign homework to the players to flesh out some of this. As I said above, let a player flesh out the pirates or a local monastery. Maybe one of the character's backgrounds says he ran an inn - give the character XP if the player writes up an inn with simple backgrounds on some of the npc's, or merchants who deal with it, or a group of smugglers who use an inn for making deals. Players will often come up with stuff you'd never think of, and you can always change a few details to keep them on their toes. Plus, this makes it easy for the character to know certain things, without you having to explain it.