Re: [DL] The old Powergamer question

[Allan Seyberth <darious@darious.com>]

Some spoilers follow.



Ronald hit on my suggested solution - but there is already a mechanic in 
play - Corruption points.    A guy like this would definitely be on the 
Reckoners waiting list.

The next time he does something bad, tell him to mark a one down somewhere 
on his character sheet.  The next time he does something evil, have him put 
another one down.  (Keep track of them yourself as well, or they may 
disappear off of his sheet.  Track date and incident involved as well so 
that you can "prove" to the character that you aren't making it up.)

When he gets enough corruption points to equal his spirit die type - as Ron 
says - take his character sheet and thank him for the new bad guy.  Oh - 
and in case the character comes back harrowed, I'd give each point of 
corruption as a flat bonus to

It takes longer to implement, but this method has some advantages.
One.  Most munchkins, heck most players, get nervous when there is an 
obvious countdown in effect.  The second time he earns a point the player 
should get a clue.  To be fair you shouldn't award more than one corruption 
point a night in order to give things a chance to sink in.
It's the marshal equivalent of having Mom count to five before the beatings 
begin.  :)
Two.  It lets the other players know that you are working to keep things 
under control and that there will be an eventual end to the madness.
Three.  And here's the best part - if the player decides to look it up, or 
if you decide to tell him, he will learn that the ONLY way to reduce 
corruption points is through the expenditure of legend chips.  And how do 
you get legend chips?  By being a good guy.  BAM.  Your anti-hero is now on 
the path of redemption.

It's a nice, mostly non-confrontational, manner to get the point 
across.  If the player doesn't like it and starts throwing a fit, everyone 
else at the table will know that you've done your best to be fair.  After 
all, you could have just killed off the character.

And if he does hand you a new villian - USE it.  Evilly.  Creatively.  Let 
this villian be the most cunning, evil and twisted thing to make the party 
sorry it ever lived.  After all - this guy knows what the party's powers 
and weaknessess are.  Make this guy such a pain to the group that the 
player's themselves will make certain that another one doesn't come along - 
curbing the munchkin's behavior.

Anyway.  My $0.02 Union.

At 08:42 PM 5/19/2001 -0700, you wrote:
 ><snip long player related problems.>
 >
 >Ok here is the way I see the problem.
 >
 >Your player doesn't want to play a hero in a western horror game, he wants
 >to play an anti hero in a super powers game.
 >
 >Think the really nasty version of batman who would just as soon shoot the
 >joker as arrest him.
 >
 >Now the solution.
 >
 >1.Let the other players deal with him In character.  If he shoots of the
 >fingers of the other players, let him, but they will toss him out of the
 >group.
 >
 >2.If he wants to start player on player combat tell him that the attacker
 >can't chip anything.  Rolls, damage whatever, no chips for bastards who
 >shoot their allies in the back.
 >
 >3. Tell him his actions have gained him the attention of some powerful
 >friends. (aka the reckoners).  Let him start hearing voices that urge him to
 >do things.  Award him chips for being evil in character, tell him that
 >cheating is ok and is now encouraged and he should do it blatently and
 >obviously in front of the other players. (note: do not tell the other
 >players this or you may have a small riot)
 >
 >Ok now the down side.  His character is now on a slideing alignment scale.
 >Take his spirit die type and multiply it by 2.  Take that number and set up
 >a chart in your notes.  Every time he performs an evil act give him a point
 >on the scale.  For every two points, give him (note you may want to choose
 >the powers for him because some of them would be too wussy)  a new spell or
 >ability from the book o' the dead, yes that means he gets free harrowed
 >powers for nothing without the manitou and while still living, these powers
 >should be described in use in the most disgusting way possible, he is useing
 >powers not meant for the living remember.  When he hits half way strike the
 >character down and bring him back horrowed, don't let him make dominion
 >rolls just set his dominion total at 1 give the rest to the manitou and say
 >that the reckoners are letting him run his own show.  Continue to give him
 >points for cheating, hurting innocents, or attacking party members.  When he
 >has a full score, take his character away and use it as the new villian.
 >
 >Should he get thrown out of the group before he is fully evil allow him to
 >continue to play as a villian against the other players.  But, give the
 >other players 2 levels of faith each for free.  That gives them the
 >protection miricle, next rule that his character has tainted his soul to
 >such a degree by accepting powers of the reckoning that he is now considered
 >to be an evil creature and thus is subject to all the penalties there of and
 >can be blocked with protection.
 >
 >This is not an easy or short way to do this but it will show him that
 >playing an evil character takes practice and skill that he neither has nor
 >can fake.  If he has a problem with any of this and decides that he doesn't
 >like it, now the real fun begins.
 >
 >
 >If he decides to repent:
 >
 >Now that handy chart that you have is going to be his lifeline.  If he
 >reached halfway, and want to turn back bring the full power of the undead to
 >bear on him.  Use chips to take control and ruin his plans at least three
 >times a game.  send cultists after him with spells that force him to make
 >dominion checks.  As long as he wants to try and be good fight him for every
 >point.
 >
 >Now everypoint on that chart must be bought off with legend chips.  Not the
 >kind that you just go out and earn either.  He must make some kind of
 >sacrifice to urn his part of the chip.  He must defer to the other
 >characters, be kind, save the innocent, and generally be a repentant sob.
 >If you feel like it you can have the other players vote to see if he
 >deserves a chip for his actions in the adventure.
 >
 >side notes, if he's trying to be good don't let him buy new harrowed powers.
 >Also it's a good idea to take away the use of the free powers while he's on
 >the recovery.  Should he reverse course again either forwards or back kill
 >the character.  The reckoners have pulled his manitou or the side of good
 >has pulled his soul for jacking around with fate.
 >
 >Now the final solution: (sounds very wwII and you're right it's close)
 >
 >Kill him.  Kill him again, and again, and again.  Use a NPC blessed that
 >declares his actions an abomination to the lord and slays him on the spot.
 >no save, no appeal.  Keep the priest in town, make him invincible it's easy
 >with blessed.
 >
 >If he deceides that you are being heavy handed, you are, tell him to put up
 >with it or leave, it's a horror game not a hack and slash fest for his
 >amusement.  You run the game the way you want to, not the way he wants you
 >to.
 >
 >Use this as your mantra, "I'm doing this for your own good."
 >
 >Whenever he calls you on a rule, or makes you feel like you aren't doing a
 >good job. just say it "I'm doing this for your own good."
 >
 >Ron Conner
 >
 >Say it with me now!  "I'm doing this for your own good."
 >
 >
 >To unsubscribe, send a message to esquire@gamerz.net with
 >       unsubscribe deadlands
 >as the BODY of the message.  The SUBJECT is ignored.

-------------------
Allan Seyberth
darious@darious.com
Deadlands fan site - http://www.darious.com/

The colder the X-ray table, the more of your body is required to be on it.