Wonderful :rolls eyes:

[Paul_Klein]

So I'm starting a new campaign at 3rd level, and one of my players had the idea to instead start at 7th level and play the master to one of the 3rd levels PC (his apprentice).

He talked me into it, without me giving it much thought.

After a few days I gave it a lot of thought, and decided that I didn't like the idea of him being 4 levels higher then everyone else. One of my players also had a problem with it. He contends that it would add much in the way of PC-PC roleplaying and interaction. Plus he has already written a backgrounf and givin a lot of thought beind the character, becuase I at first approved it. Nevermind we won't start playing for another month.

(Keep in mind, because of the campaign, for someone to be the master of someone else, they need to be minimum 7th level).

I basically put my foot down and tell him while I agree the roleplaying interaction would be interesting, I don't like the idea of him being higher level than the other players. I apoligized for going back on what I said, but told him "no."

He claims this is the only great character concept he has and if he can't play it he doesn't want to play in the campaign. I told him I'm sorry to hear that. He says he's not playing.

Two problems:

1) I don't want him to quit, especially over something as stupid as this, as he is a good player and a large amount of the glue that keeps us together.

2) We play at his place, which is the only place any of us can think of where we can get together and play. No player, no place to play.

Any thoughts or opinions? Was I right? Should I just concede to him?

 

[dreaded_beast]

It's never a good idea to concede right from the start. Who is to say this player may not start making unreasonable demands since he knows you have already given in once?

On the other hand, is this player someone you can trust to be a good "roleplayer" and not abuse being 4 levels higher than the rest of the party?

Good luck to you.

 

[Geoff Watson]

If you let him walk all over you, he'll be demanding staves of the magi by next week. Put your foot down. If he's stubborn, look harder at finding somewhere else to play.

Geoff.

 

[Flyspeck23]

What if you made the master an NPC? He'd be there to interact with, and the player could concentrate on the apprentice.

That's the only way I'd allow something like that IMC. If he's being stubborn ("But I wanna play BOTH, or else my character concept is wrecked..."), it looks a lot like he's simply attached to the idea to play by far the most powerful PC in the party...

 

[Plane Sailing]

He claims this is the only great character concept he has and if he can't play it he doesn't want to play in the campaign. I told him I'm sorry to hear that. He says he's not playing.

Two problems:

1) I don't want him to quit, especially over something as stupid as this, as he is a good player and a large amount of the glue that keeps us together.

2) We play at his place, which is the only place any of us can think of where we can get together and play. No player, no place to play.

Any thoughts or opinions? Was I right? Should I just concede to him?

He's being a total idiot, selfish and self-centred. Of course he could come up with another "character concept" if he tries hard enough. Ask him how he would feel if everyone else only felt they could play a character concept that was *11th* level, leaving his apprentice as an NPC. Would he be happy with that? Would he be happy being 4 levels below everyone else? I would think not.

For a positive solution to the problem, perhaps the best bet would be to place this campaign on hold for a while and play another exciting and interesting d20 game for a while while feelings cool down, then discuss it amongst yourselves in the cold, clear light of dawn later.

Cheers

 

[S'mon]

I'd allow it - but make him 65 years old (or equivalent for demihuman) with age penalties to STR DEX & CON, and give him an NPC class - Adept or Warrior, say. After all he wants the 7th level PC for the roleplay possibilities not the power, right? If not, he's the worst kind of munchkin and you should ban HIM from the game, not just his PC.

 

[RangerWickett]

Everyone's so negative at 5 in the morning.

Discuss with him, and see if you two can come up with a character concept together that he likes. Keep his first character idea around as an NPC, and if you're up for doing something unusual, let him roleplay the NPC whenever they meet up. But because the guy's higher level, he has higher-level things to deal with, so he can't accompany the party on adventures.

Or, yeah, give the character kinda crappy classes, and make him old and fragile.

Or, if you really don't want to have the player leave, and if he really is being stubborn, make the whole group 7th level.

 

[TiQuinn]

Any thoughts or opinions? Was I right? Should I just concede to him?

No, don't concede. Based on what you told me, he's not that great a player and you probably don't want him. If that's the one great character concept he can come up with, then he's not very imaginative.

 

[Zappo]

Bah. Throw a couple of vampires at the party during the first session, and make sure that they know who their target is. Problem solved.

 

[Piratecat]

Don't concede. He's being selfish, all right. I like S'mon's idea if he won't relent.