So you sit down at the table with your friends, pull out your DM screen, set the mood, and start your campaign. Eventually, the first fight of the night breaks out. Since you trusted your friends to make respectable characters, it's an easy encounter designed to gauge them more than anything else. Everybody takes a bit of damage, and deals a little bit...
Except for Finnigan.
You know, the huge munchkin you failed to spot? The guy didn't get hit, and killed almost every one of the enemies.
What do you do?
You could kill him, but then he'd get bitter and it would disjoint the entire session. You can't ask him to "change the character" -- that's unheard of. So how do you handle it?
Some people suggest you punish him behind the scenes; let people hit him with low rolls, make him miss when he really didn't, but that's neither fun nor honest.
Others say just put up with it for the night, and then don't invite him back. Please, don't ever do that; it's a ridiculous suggestion.
AD&D is a game... toy with him. If a character is too powerful, give him "The Curse of the Gods". Break his armour or his sword. Disfigure him horribly (subtract his precious stats). Make him go crazy/cursed and have to role-play with an imaginary leprochaun on his shoulder. Make -him- the target of some nasty guild, just because -- you can actually build a campaign around the bugger. This is a safe option, because if the party is failing, the "hero" will save the day. That's why he's the target. He's amazing.
I'm sure there are a few decent anti-munchkin ideas out there... if not, I bet there will be a couple funny stories... c'mon! Lets hear 'em!
Dealing with Munchkins!
I said this earlier,
Munchkins aern't afraid of Death, because they can make new characters.
But they fear level draining more than anything else. They'll cak ther pants just thinking about being a level behind everyone else.
If this guy is really becoming a problem, then just take him aside and tell him to play properly or leave the group. I know from exepreince that one disruptive player can upset the whole game, so get rid of him before everyone else gets bored.
Munchkins aern't afraid of Death, because they can make new characters.
But they fear level draining more than anything else. They'll cak ther pants just thinking about being a level behind everyone else.
If this guy is really becoming a problem, then just take him aside and tell him to play properly or leave the group. I know from exepreince that one disruptive player can upset the whole game, so get rid of him before everyone else gets bored.
Drat, no pictures. Click here to see what my sig WOULD of looked like.
Here's my Comic Strip , it's a bit crap, but worth a read.
http://www.kevandjeff.co.uk
Here's my Comic Strip , it's a bit crap, but worth a read.
http://www.kevandjeff.co.uk
Hehe
Well, I will have to admit, that to some extend I am a munchkin myself.
Players want some fun...some are laxy about it (average human been) and other work harder to find glitch to be strong and all(munchkin).
There is no single best solution to anything, but be sure, that player wanna be good, this actually motivate him/her enought to find something munchkin in a way or another, and motivation is your ally.
As a DM I usually fail to find the perfect solution, but the munchkin player love to be the target of the boss mob and 3 others, so what...
On the other end you will have the player that just wanna roleplay and dont care as long as get attention and lot of talking, and some are just killing time and supporting the group.
Having 1 or 2 munchkin player(s) in a group is good, having a group of munckin is not any better then having a group of 5 heavy chatty roleplayers that want to do about anything social in the group.
No player request more or less, they just request different stuff, the munchkin wanna be a hero, uber, killing machine of Doom...well, sure...to some extend
You handle the campaign and if you need to add 1 level to every mob in the campaign and 2 levels to the boss(that will be on the munchkin), do it.
Everyone want a role, everyone want a place and almost everyone will take to much place if you allow them the occasion.
Who say a DM job was easy?
The guy with a half orc that have 5 intel, that is easy, to keep him happy, make him uber and machine killing of Doom(he must feel it is hard, that he can always lose, but as much as possible, avoid him from losing)...the guy with a toon that have no clear fighting edge, that is a great challenge for you, far greater then anyone battle efficient!
I tend to be to harsh with my players and to overkill them(bad bad me), yet...they always wanna play more (or quit after 1 or 2 games). This is a game, and you need to motivate your players, and munchkins aint hard to motivated, not at all.
Just make sure your munchkins dont unmotivated the others, if you need to support the others to keep them usefull, do it...hehe, always try to add...adding is better then refraining. Always
Well, I will have to admit, that to some extend I am a munchkin myself.
Players want some fun...some are laxy about it (average human been) and other work harder to find glitch to be strong and all(munchkin).
There is no single best solution to anything, but be sure, that player wanna be good, this actually motivate him/her enought to find something munchkin in a way or another, and motivation is your ally.
As a DM I usually fail to find the perfect solution, but the munchkin player love to be the target of the boss mob and 3 others, so what...
On the other end you will have the player that just wanna roleplay and dont care as long as get attention and lot of talking, and some are just killing time and supporting the group.
Having 1 or 2 munchkin player(s) in a group is good, having a group of munckin is not any better then having a group of 5 heavy chatty roleplayers that want to do about anything social in the group.
No player request more or less, they just request different stuff, the munchkin wanna be a hero, uber, killing machine of Doom...well, sure...to some extend
You handle the campaign and if you need to add 1 level to every mob in the campaign and 2 levels to the boss(that will be on the munchkin), do it. Everyone want a role, everyone want a place and almost everyone will take to much place if you allow them the occasion.
Who say a DM job was easy?
The guy with a half orc that have 5 intel, that is easy, to keep him happy, make him uber and machine killing of Doom(he must feel it is hard, that he can always lose, but as much as possible, avoid him from losing)...the guy with a toon that have no clear fighting edge, that is a great challenge for you, far greater then anyone battle efficient!
I tend to be to harsh with my players and to overkill them(bad bad me), yet...they always wanna play more (or quit after 1 or 2 games). This is a game, and you need to motivate your players, and munchkins aint hard to motivated, not at all.
Just make sure your munchkins dont unmotivated the others, if you need to support the others to keep them usefull, do it...hehe, always try to add...adding is better then refraining.
Always Munchkins?
I'm sorry, but i was "listening" to your conversation all about Munchkins... and what's a munchkin? I'm sorry, but I live in the other side of the world, and I don't know what it is, but i think that above all, the group is what matters, not a single character.
I'm sorry, but i was "listening" to your conversation all about Munchkins... and what's a munchkin? I'm sorry, but I live in the other side of the world, and I don't know what it is, but i think that above all, the group is what matters, not a single character.
"A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."
Re: Munchkins?
A Munchkin is someone who breaks the rules (as opposed to a min/maxxxer, who stays within the rules) for personal gain, for example:
"can I be Chaotic Lawful?"
Originally posted by bookai
I'm sorry, but i was "listening" to your conversation all about Munchkins... and what's a munchkin? I'm sorry, but I live in the other side of the world, and I don't know what it is, but i think that above all, the group is what matters, not a single character.
A Munchkin is someone who breaks the rules (as opposed to a min/maxxxer, who stays within the rules) for personal gain, for example:
"can I be Chaotic Lawful?"
Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes right down to the bone
Just my luck...
I started a new D&D campaign about a month ago, after having simply sacked my entire group back in 2002 for simply being too obnoxious for words. Simply put: After having played various roleplaying games for 15 years, every member og the group was a lawyer. They did very little roleplaying, and very much arguing about rules. So one late November evening, for the sake of the game, and for the sake of our non-rpg related friendships, I killed the bally lot of'em and haven't played or even discussed rpgs with them ever since.
So now I've started out with a new crew. They're inexperienced, enthusiastic, funny and inventive. Just what the doctor ordered, right?
WRONG!!!!!!
Each and every one of them managed to roll up a bloody powerhouse monstermunchkin character! If it wasn't for the fact that the dice belonged to me, I would have checked them to see if they were doctored. Never in my life have I encountered a party with statistics so far above the average. The lowest starting statistic in the entire group is 12!!!!
So, what am I supposed to do, except push for heavier challenges and monsters right from the start?
I started a new D&D campaign about a month ago, after having simply sacked my entire group back in 2002 for simply being too obnoxious for words. Simply put: After having played various roleplaying games for 15 years, every member og the group was a lawyer. They did very little roleplaying, and very much arguing about rules. So one late November evening, for the sake of the game, and for the sake of our non-rpg related friendships, I killed the bally lot of'em and haven't played or even discussed rpgs with them ever since.
So now I've started out with a new crew. They're inexperienced, enthusiastic, funny and inventive. Just what the doctor ordered, right?
WRONG!!!!!!
Each and every one of them managed to roll up a bloody powerhouse monstermunchkin character! If it wasn't for the fact that the dice belonged to me, I would have checked them to see if they were doctored. Never in my life have I encountered a party with statistics so far above the average. The lowest starting statistic in the entire group is 12!!!!
So, what am I supposed to do, except push for heavier challenges and monsters right from the start?
I am not young enough to know everything. - Oscar Wilde
Support bacteria, they're the only culture some people have!
Support bacteria, they're the only culture some people have!
12 is below average. 4d6 drop lowest averages at about 12.24.
And you're not really calling your players munchkins because they have high stats, right?
Besides, +2 str is only +1 to hit and damage, which is not nearly as dangerous as certain classes.
And you're not really calling your players munchkins because they have high stats, right?
Besides, +2 str is only +1 to hit and damage, which is not nearly as dangerous as certain classes.
Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes right down to the bone
I mean a single 12... as in, there is one twelve. The average stat in the group 15,65, and that is not funny. Considering that every single one of them has chosen to be a half-elf, and have a thing for the Fighter/Rogue or Fighter/Wizard supercombos, we are talking future Golden Munchin Award winners here...
I am not young enough to know everything. - Oscar Wilde
Support bacteria, they're the only culture some people have!
Support bacteria, they're the only culture some people have!
The biggest problem with muchakins isn't the munchakin himself, but the fact that you have to put so much attention onto him to make sure he doesn't disrupt the game. This takes too much from the other players who don't appreciate being treated like dust, or left in the corner with no functionality.
As far as character creation goes, this is easily solved by using 25-point buy. It's fair, it's balanced, and it's what the game was designed on ( racial bonuses are very noticable w/ this point buy ). I played AD&D 2nd ed. and got fond of the random dice rolling, but too often one player can make the others into piles of steaming poo. People will naturally try to find a niche and so you'll find that there will be a wide variety in the stats people choose.
If the munchakin is already in action, you feel you can't make him reroll his character? Then make everyone make new characters ( or at least stats ) with the point buy, that way you're not zeroing him out.
Any other problems that arrise will be much easier to deal with as a DM with everyone starting on equal footing.
Hope this helps, happy gaming.
As far as character creation goes, this is easily solved by using 25-point buy. It's fair, it's balanced, and it's what the game was designed on ( racial bonuses are very noticable w/ this point buy ). I played AD&D 2nd ed. and got fond of the random dice rolling, but too often one player can make the others into piles of steaming poo. People will naturally try to find a niche and so you'll find that there will be a wide variety in the stats people choose.
If the munchakin is already in action, you feel you can't make him reroll his character? Then make everyone make new characters ( or at least stats ) with the point buy, that way you're not zeroing him out.
Any other problems that arrise will be much easier to deal with as a DM with everyone starting on equal footing.
Hope this helps, happy gaming.