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Message: <blockquote data-quote="OnlineDM" data-source="post: 5613799" data-attributes="member: 90804">I agree with [MENTION=20187]GSHamster[/MENTION]: Without the concept of "cost" as you have in Magic, the Timmy/Johnny/Spike analysis breaks down.I can agree that some RPG players might be Johnnies who like to find cool combinations, and I definitely agree that there are Spikes who just want to optimize their characters. But I don't think Timmy neatly fits into the paradigm, at least for a game like D&D.In Magic, Timmy is described as liking big, cool things, regardless of what they cost. Timmy would love casting a fireball that torches a whole room full of monsters... but in D&D, so would Spike if that spell is on the class spell list for his level.In a game like D&D4e, I could see an argument for the Timmies preferring classes with splashy daily powers and Spikes preferring classes like the Thief that don't get dailies but are brutally effective with every single attack.I know that Mark Rosewater often explains the three psychographics along the lines of: "Timmy plays the game to experience something, Johnny plays the game to express something about himself, and Spike plays the game to win." So from that angle I could see the argument that Timmy would want to try things that are cinematic like the flaming grapple... but I'm not convinced.As for the question of a game that serves them all, I think that might not be the way to go. I don't think Timmy and Spike should play at the same table in a game like D&D; different games should cater to each of them. Maybe a single game can be broad enough to offer something for both, but I think they're going to have more fun if Timmies play with other Timmies and Spikes play with other Spikes. Johnny could probably go either way (creative combinations that are cool but not overly powerful could play well with Timmy; creative combinations that break game balance would play well with Spike).</blockquote>

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