NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Majoru Oakheart" data-source="post: 4991977" data-attributes="member: 5143">To be more specific, WOTC figured out that there are a number of player personalities.  It applies specifically to Magic, but the research can at least be adapted to other games.Basically, Spike likes to win.  They are hyper competitive.  In Magic they are the people who are likely to pick and choose cards that have no story reason to go together, no particular combo that needs to be built up, and don't particularly care about big numbers.  They look for the "best" cards.  Translate that to D&D and you probably have people who look for the "best" power each time they pick one.  That might not be the one that does the most damage, but the one that is most effective overall.Timmys like big numbers, big effects, big everything.  They like do be the one who does 10,000 damage even though it only took 20 to win.  If it takes them 10 rounds of doing almost nothing in order to do something overwhelmingly big, they'll do it.  Even if they could have won in round 3 with more subtle tactics.  Even if it causes them to lose, they don't care.  The one time in 10 they do win, they get to do it extravagantly.Johnnys like combos.  They like to be the one that stuns with their first power then attacks someone with a power that does more damage against stunned targets as immediately after.  They are the ones that like to take all Cold keyword powers and get a feat that adds to all their powers because of that.Part of the key to game design is understanding these player personalities and understanding that they each view the game in a different way.  A power that is Str-5 vs AC for 4[w]+str at 5th level might be a little weak for most Spikes but will have Timmy's taking it constantly.  A power that does 0 damage but immobilizes an enemy likely has Timmys and Spikes staring in disbelief but has Johnnys drooling after they see the power that stuns someone who is immobilized without an attack roll.So, you need to design powers and abilities that apply to each of the player types.  And guides really need to be written with each of these types in mind.</blockquote>

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