Re: [DL] Reluctant Player Member

["Ronald Conner" <marshalron@hotmail.com>]

> >    My point is that Marshals should insist players create characters who
>  >will intergrate into the group with relative ease.  While it might be
fun to
>  >play an abrasive old miner who refuses to leave his mine near Deadwood,
it
>  >doesn't really serve the common good to introduce him into a campaign
about
>  >tracking down the James' Gang.  That doesn't mean the characters have to
get
>  >along with each other like old friends, merely that they accept to ride
with
>  >each other.  Think Eli Wallach and Clint Eastwood in "The Good, The Bad,
The
>  >Ugly."

> When I start a new game, I consider it my burden to figure out how to get
> all the players together.  Once the game is started any new players (or
> replacement characters) have to come up with their own reasons why they
are
> going to stick with the party.
>

I've got a bit of the same troubles with my friends d&D game.  Big group of
players about 10-20 who show up intermittently at best.  I hated every
minute of it because the players who like to munchkin out get all the combat
and then the real RP is left to the wayside because everyone wants more exp.

Well I got out.  In protest my character sat in an elevator trap till it
submerged in lava.

That aside I came up with a pretty neat idea for my own game.  the idea is
simple but I think that it may only work for certian types of systems.

5 players.
all 5th level.
The game starts with them haveing a lich's death curse put on them.  Each
and every member of the party has exactly 5 weeks to live.  So the heros
have a choice, die in bed unfullfilled or go out with a bang.  Guess which
they picked?

Each character has to submit a death wish.  something that they will achieve
before the final day.  and each week the party will attempt to make that
goal come true for that character.  In the end it's a limited game with some
highlites and the players make the outline of the game for me.  Neat huh?

I'm still trying to figure a way for this to carry over into deadlands but I
may never get to.  the process is just a little too different.

But as far as character motivation you can't get much better than impending
doom and death curses.

Ron "Sadistic Marshal" Conner

PS. wish me luck I submitted my lawyerin rules to pyramid magazine, if they
like it I may just be the next freelancer!