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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dynel" data-source="post: 1567649" data-attributes="member: 19362">I am running a game now.  In this game, I have three players.  One of the players is a min/maxer to the core.  He contributes to the game in a constructive manner, but he takes all the feats/skills/spells necessary to make sure he can overcome just about anything he thinks I'm gonna throw at him (and the party).This guy, whom I'll call Mark, gets the itch to DM every once and a while - and he's getting the itch now.  My campaign isn't over yet, but within about 4 or 5 months it will be.  In the past 4 years he's DMed twice, each game lasting approximately 6-7 months.  Although I've known him for about 15 years, his DMing style just hit me like a ton of bricks during this campaign with him as a player.He DM's exactly like he plays.  Power gamer.Mark loves combat, and loves to throw monsters at us constantly.  He doesn't care much for "in-depth" roleplaying encounters, mysteries, puzzles, and the like.  He pretty much tells us the scenario and expects us to jump at the chance to go on whatever quest he has designed for us.Don't get me wrong...he tries to be a good DM.  I have no authority to say, "sorry, Mark, no one like your style of DMing, so I'm gonna keep running the game," when if fact they have come to me and wonder why I don't keep running.  But I'd like to play, too.I couldn't believe the similarities until a couple of weeks ago when I was really paying attention to what he had been doing over the past few game sessions and drawing a similarity to his DMimg style.My question is this.  If I know that he's going to be running a power game, do I use that to my advantage and create a badass character, min/maxing him out?  The last game with him as DM I was playing a thief (same four people - one guy was a wizard and my wife was a fighter) and I had to constantly get into combat and help our fighter because we were always outnumbered (numerically and/or powerwise).  My thief eventually died (a third time) and I told my party not to get him raised and was allowed to roll up a new character - a 10th level cleric (party level was 12).  I think I'm a good enough roleplayer to contribute to the game and create some good times, even though my character is min/maxed, but is this just inviting Mark to throw even bigger and badder stuff at us?  I don't think I've min/maxed a character in 12 years, and it's not really what I want to do (I'd really like to have a go at a bard or maybe a druid) but I'm thinking maybe its necessary for the survival (and enjoyment) of the party.So, I ask again...when, if ever, is it okay to purposely and deliberately to min/max a character if you expect a DM's game is heading that direction?</blockquote>

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