Munchkin? I think not.

[Anthar]

I've noticed that various board members seem to feel that certain character/equipment combinations are overpowering and are defects that should not be allowed in the game. I feel however, that these "munchkin" facets merely reflect that not everything is equal in life. Some people in life struggle through adversity and strife to do the best they can acheive and on the other hand some people seem to go through life with a silver spoon shoved up their backside. Things are just not even and some have advantages that simply put them above and beyond the rest without even having to try.

In the game terms this could be viewed as characters having advantage such as genetics, wealth, intelligence or just plain luck. That being said certain combinations should have a good explanation as to why they have come to be and certainly if the PC's have worked to create circumstances that give them these advantages then why not let them have it? Just keep in mind that if it works for the PC's then it can work for their enemies. If they created an uberweapon then what keep it from getting stolen and used on the PCs or better yet if this unique weapon that the PCs are known to use is implicated in some horrendous attrocity, well it can put the PCs in quite a predicament.

Good players keep GMs on their toes and viceversa.

[Killer Cyborg]

I've noticed that various board members seem to feel that certain character/equipment combinations are overpowering and are defects that should not be allowed in the game. I feel however, that these "munchkin" facets merely reflect that not everything is equal in life. Some people in life struggle through adversity and strife to do the best they can acheive and on the other hand some people seem to go through life with a silver spoon shoved up their backside. Things are just not even and some have advantages that simply put them above and beyond the rest without even having to try.

Munchkin is wanting (and/or expecting, and/or demanding) the silver spoon and no effort.

Not everything that is high-powered is munchkin, but that doesn't mean that nothing is.

[Anthar]

Now in addition there are things that are "munchkin" and these usually involve anything that disregard rules and limitations on PCs. This can include things like allowing certain races to aquire powers or OCCs that are obviously not allowed. Such as allowing a Lizard Mage to become any of the magic OCCs offered by the Three Lords of Magic in Dweomer, which specifically states no mdc creatures.

[Noon]

Usually it's not the power but the effort involved in engaging it - that effort usually isn't terribly fun and usually doesn't pay off in any interesting ways (again, not terribly fun)

[Spinachcat]

Good players keep GMs on their toes and viceversa.

Good players are not munchkins.

Good players respect the effort of the GM and aim to create characters that fit within the campaign parameters of the GM. Munchkins seek to bend the rules and circumvent the expected power level of the campaign.

Of course, it is the responsibility of the GM to set clear expectations of power level during chargen. As always, the most powerful word in the GM arsenal is NO.

Learn it, love it, use it as needed.