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<blockquote data-quote="nute" data-source="post: 3373097" data-attributes="member: 10607">Powergaming, when it exists, is always 100% the DM's fault. If the DM doesn't have control over what's allowed in his campaign, then he's not doing a good job. This also follows for DMs who let players fudge their dice rolls, alter stats on their sheets, etc. &quot;Roleplaying&quot; implies that the players get into the personality of their character, not just the stats. Phil the Bard woos the barmaid because he's an insatiable lothario, not because he has a 19 Charisma and expects to get XP for &quot;acting in character&quot;. Bob the Ranger doesn't pick goblinoids as his favored enemy because the bonuses allow him to slay CR 1/2 goblins by the dozens, they're his favored enemy because a band of hobgoblins razed his humble farming village to the ground. That's roleplaying. An easy answer to powergaming is to ask the player WHY their PC did something - if they can't come up with an answer, you don't give them any reward for it. If they want a +5 holy avenger, it's your choice as DM whether or not they can acquire one. If the fighter wants to suddenly take a level in monk, it's up to you whether you allow it and if learning those monk skills makes sense at that point in your campaign. &quot;Hey, I want Cheeto the Fighter to take his next level in monk.&quot;&quot;Interesting, Steve. Why would he do that?&quot;&quot;Because I need the ki strike ability to qualify for the Cosmic Badass PrC!&quot;BZZZZT! DISALLOWED! Try again, Steve.&quot;Hey, I want Cheeto the Fighter to take his next level in monk.&quot;&quot;Interesting, Steve. Why would he do that?&quot;&quot;Because he saw how much those gnoll monks kicked butt in combat despite being primitive screwheads, and he wants to try and learn that kind of discipline so he can kick butt better.&quot;Okay, it's still the &quot;because I want to kick more butt!&quot; reason, but at least Steve's got an in-character rationale behind it.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="nute, post: 3373097, member: 10607"] Powergaming, when it exists, is always 100% the DM's fault. If the DM doesn't have control over what's allowed in his campaign, then he's not doing a good job. This also follows for DMs who let players fudge their dice rolls, alter stats on their sheets, etc. "Roleplaying" implies that the players get into the personality of their character, not just the stats. Phil the Bard woos the barmaid because he's an insatiable lothario, not because he has a 19 Charisma and expects to get XP for "acting in character". Bob the Ranger doesn't pick goblinoids as his favored enemy because the bonuses allow him to slay CR 1/2 goblins by the dozens, they're his favored enemy because a band of hobgoblins razed his humble farming village to the ground. That's roleplaying. An easy answer to powergaming is to ask the player WHY their PC did something - if they can't come up with an answer, you don't give them any reward for it. If they want a +5 holy avenger, it's your choice as DM whether or not they can acquire one. If the fighter wants to suddenly take a level in monk, it's up to you whether you allow it and if learning those monk skills makes sense at that point in your campaign. "Hey, I want Cheeto the Fighter to take his next level in monk." "Interesting, Steve. Why would he do that?" "Because I need the ki strike ability to qualify for the Cosmic Badass PrC!" [b]BZZZZT! DISALLOWED![/b] Try again, Steve. "Hey, I want Cheeto the Fighter to take his next level in monk." "Interesting, Steve. Why would he do that?" "Because he saw how much those gnoll monks kicked butt in combat despite being primitive screwheads, and he wants to try and learn that kind of discipline so he can kick butt better." Okay, it's still the "because I want to kick more butt!" reason, but at least Steve's got an in-character rationale behind it. [/QUOTE]

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