Suicidal players

[Fifth Element]

I imagine that would happen. Then he looks at his new 1st-level PC and at the other PCs, who are 3rd level at this point, and wonders if it's all been worth it.

He'll also probably wonder if playing in the campaign is worth it.

 

[renau1g]

With a long time group of players we all decided before the campaign started to randomly select both race and class from a hat (3e) so after getting all the PHB races and classes into a hat (I offered two choices on each card) and the one player ended up with the gnome/human bard/rogue. I totally expected the human rogue, but he surprised me and went with gnome rogue, named Poop and I knew from that moment I was in trouble. I tried to convince him to just play something else as he clearly wasn't into this character, but he insisted he was so I rolled with it. In the first session he began just wandering around picking pockets and after 3 successful checks was seen by a guard. He was caught and placed into the stocks overnight. After being pelted with various rotten vegetables by townsfolk he was left alone. After announcing many, many times that we was defecating all over himself I knew this was too much so once he decided to get back at the guards that ridiculed him I let him "get back" at one of them and then the others caught him and publically executed him. He wasn't allowed back in the campaign until another session or two went by before I cooled off and talked with him about trying to ruin a game b/c he didn't like his PC.

So... longwindedly I don't think random is good for many people (OTOH two of the players loved their PCs, a dwarf paladin and a human druid)

 

[Dice4Hire]

I am not fond of the idea of doing random character choice regarding classes and races, as I just do not like some of them, and would not enjoy having to play one. And this is edition/game system neutral For the same reason, in PBEMs, I am usually loath to take over some existing character in a game.

Sure, some might see this as a challenge, but ......

I know many DMs want players to stick with the same characters so they can hang plot hooks off them and build story arcs around them, but if the player is that kind of player(and I am), then try to work with that player. Make them part of a guild or extended family or whatnot, who share opinions and are willing to honor the previous character's commitments, while still allowing that player to switch occasionally.

A good player trying character suicide is a last-ditch response, in my experience.

A bad player trying to derail the campaign is a totally different thing.

 

[LostSoul]

He'll also probably wonder if playing in the campaign is worth it.

Exactly so!

 

[Pbartender]

Or, if you have one player who is always changing characters, ask him if he'd like to try an experiment -- give him some sort of magic item that "randomly" (i.e., whenever he wants to change characters) obliterates and reincarnates the character in a whole new identity. Then he can change characters without changing characters. It wouldn't be appropriate for all campaigns (or even most, really), but if you have a player who just can't stick to a character, maybe it's worth a try.

Actually, this would be a great way to do play a Dopplegänger character... Shapeshifting to a new form is a little more difficult and happens less often, but is semi-permanent when it does occur and brings with it not only a physical change, but a mental shift of the personality and talents as well.

 

[Fifth Element]

Exactly so!

So, assuming you want the player to stay in the campaign...?

 

[Nifft]

Actually, this would be a great way to do play a Dopplegänger character... Shapeshifting to a new form is a little more difficult and happens less often, but is semi-permanent when it does occur and brings with it not only a physical change, but a mental shift of the personality and talents as well.

I'm reminded of my favorite 3.5e PrC which I never got a chance to play: the Chameleon.

Cheers, -- N

 

[airwalkrr]

I don't have suicidal players. I guess it's because I am fairly judicious about allowing players to create new characters for any reason. I don't encourage creating a new character on a whim, but I allow it. The way I see it, there is no point in forcing someone to play a character they don't enjoy. I also allow people the option of using a point buy or rolling for character creation, so if they get low scores they knew what they were getting into.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I'm reminded of my favorite 3.5e PrC which I never got a chance to play: the Chameleon.

Cheers, -- N

Another idea...I once made an Evil Thrallherd Psion, with the intent to use her thrall as disposable minions ala Xykon from OotS, since the creatures come to the Thrallherd on a subconscious/unwilling level, and thus unlike with Leadrship, there is no penalty to your "leadership" score for what happened to previous thralls.

Assuming your party is good aligned and noting that by RAW, Thrallherd can be good...
Establish a good aligned Thrallherd NPC that is allied with the party's cause for whatever reason. Each adventure, in preparation for it, he summons up a new Thrall (the wishy washy player) -- in the NPC's mind in a similar, temp job sort of manner as jury duty -- to assist the party.

 

[LostSoul]

So, assuming you want the player to stay in the campaign...?

I am not assuming that.

He might say, "I don't want to be stuck playing this guy I hate. Why do I have to do that? I play to have fun."

To which you might reply, "Because you're not the only guy here and constantly switching PCs pisses the rest of us off. We're not saying you can't still do it, but there will be some cost to it, validating our choice to stick with our PCs. That's something that this group values and something we choose to reward with our system."