My rune weapon is better than yours

[Elly_G]

I have come across a number of players that absolutely must have either the most high tec, or best magic weapon in the game. Whose stats are higher than everyone else’s, by way of the Min-max or perhaps outright cheating. (I don’t like to audit sheets- perhaps I should.) I have a player right now who is not happy unless they are playing something “better and cooler” than everyone else.
IE, I ask for first lev characters to be drawn up, and I get a first level godling with tattoo magic in a huge mecha suit- that is made like a rune weapon, and has its own soul...ect

It’s not game balance which is the issue; we all know any mix of characters will work. More, it is the mentality of the player, and the combativeness which is disrupting during the game. I find that I multitask better than most of my players and can outthink them with a smaller sheet. Unfortunately, this is not fun for anyone, and I want to make this fun even for my munchkins.

Any ideas on how to both mentally, and in game, deal with these interesting players?

Elly_G

[mrloucifer]

Honestly, once the players have become a problem that affecting the game for both the players and GM, I remove them from my game. If the only satisfaction he has is in his meta gaming, you just cant win against that misdirected mentality.

This isnt to be blunt and mean, its simply saving your game for those who do enjoy it the way it meant to be played. Years ago I had the same EXACT kinda player, and one by one the others stopped coming as he destroyed the fun for all involved and he was really the only player left.

[Natasha]

You should probably make the character together. So I would suggest trying to have a conversation about it first. I believe that communication and honesty are two of the foundations for a successful relationship. If you know what each other wants, you're on your way to making sure it each other gets it. If that doesn't work, the player doesn't work.

[jedi078]

Make up a clear cut set of character creation rules.

Make everyone roll attributes in front of at least you the GM if not the entire player group.

Next limit players to those OCC's/RCC's you know will not unbalance YOUR game.

As for starting gear have each character start out with X amount of credits meant to buy starting gear. Do not just let them have all of what is listed in the book for starting gear. Some OCC's list some outrageous stuff such as Robot of choice for the Operator OCC. The player could pick just about anything if the GM does not place limits upon the players. Of course do use some common sense when it comes to starting equipment. If the player is running a Glitter Boy pilot, and you the GM has approved of that character then let the player have a Glitter Boy. Just make sure he gets a low amount of credits to buy other stuff.

In the end players shouldn't care too much what kind of limits you place on them if they know your a good GM.

[Elly_G]

So many great Ideas- I'll think about what will work for the group. Thanks all

[Vrykolas2k]

I boot such players quickly; rather like how I go through peoples' 3.5 D&D characters to make sure they won't become a Pun-Pun, I look over Rifts characters with a fine-toothed comb. It isn't "power level" per se that bothers me, most of my groups range from normal humans to godlings and they all contribute about equally, it's the gear some people think they start with or need to acquire later that I watch for.
Yes, samurai get their daisho. Yes, a godling gets a lesser rune weapon, damage range from 4d6 to 6d6 MD. Yes, I allow Naruni weaponry and that from a character's native land, but finding a way to stay stocked in ammo can prove challenging. Yes, a Cosmo-Knight can make two weapons (though I always start them out as Fallen, and let them earn their way back, just to make sure they're not going to abuse the power).
And so on.

[wolfsgrin]

The last player to play in that way was booted from the table. I had never done that before. It felt great though. My players and I now have no anxieties towards the games we play in now. Sometimes people just don't fit well, and as much as we want to hammer a player in, either for more players or to spare somebody's feelings. It never works out, and all your good players will usually find something else to do if as a GM or the crux point for your group does nothing about the bad elements in the game(s). I don't know about you but I've invested tons of money, time, and all the other cliches and I just wont to put up with it anymore, granted I'll give them plenty of chances and lay it to the player but it wont take me too long to kick you if you don't want to play by our table's standards. I'll just take my GI Joes and go home.

[Noon]

Unfortunately, this is not fun for anyone, and I want to make this fun even for my munchkins.

Perhaps if everyone is okay with the munchkin having a spotlight time turn during a session and the munchkin is okay with just that turn and not being able to munch out in every moment of the game, it could work out.

Does anyone in the group have any tolerance for other playstyles? If not, your doomed. But it's not just his fault then - it's everyones fault.

And in terms of making this fun for the munchkin, no, the whole 'the soul is an old one and acts out' will not make it fun for him.

[Spinachcat]

Boot to the head!

Seriously, who needs this immature nonsense during their free time? Gamers have less game time than years ago, and nobody has the right to derail games with their childishness.

Send him home to his computer games where he can wallow in cheat-code god-mode heaven.

[Cinos]

Well first, the mech-rune-suit isn't even canon, EACH part would need it's own soul, slap said player.

Second, don't let him be a Godling. Simply no reason to do so. I don't see why PC's ever think the should ever be allowed to pick about 40% of the O.C.C's / R.C.C's in these books, most are there for niche games or for bad guys who need to be able to fight off 4-5 heroes at once, or in games in which that's the level of power, thus keeping the balance of power between players and their opponents / events.

If that's no help, require all players to pass their character ideas through the GM first, no ifs, ands, or buts. I very rarely allow players to create a character without me being present, to both ensure fairness, but it also simply helps me create story line being involved in the character creation process (typically when starting a new game, we all just sit down and storm ideas and roll characters, perhaps do a start of it if we stay on task for the creation process / go with early ideas, which is rare).

The best medicine for this style of play is harsh reality and rules (don't get me wrong, power gaming isn't bad or wrong, god forbid, I'm often the biggest munchkin and min-maxer in a group, with only one of my players who's as bad with it as I am), but when it comes to simply attempting to always out do your fellow players, force spot-light on yourself, and go god-mode at every chance, problems start to emerge (more-so if that's not in-line with your groups Meta). Stern rules quickly applied is the best way to go about it. A lot of this tends to stem from a "See what I can get away with" or "Need for discipline" mindset, simply offer these guides and rules and keep them enforced.

[KillWatch]

Having the best or most high tech is a liability. People want them. And the not so good people are willing to do anything to get it

[The Dark Elf]

Ok so he's a godling. Gods are nothing but diminished without worshippers. If he has NO worshippers then his powers are greatly lacking. A bonus side adventure would be for him to regain his full potential by saving town after town from whatever horrors you choose and eventually he can have his full stats/powers of the OCC.....