>From: ASHLEY MUNDAY <aescleal_at_...>
>
>"I'm also trying to avoid the "munchkin" scenario..."
>
>I wouldn't bother trying to avoid it using rules.
>Munchkins are attracted to rules 'cause they give 'em
>something to manipulate which doesn't require any
>human interaction - hence their attraction to DnD for
>one thing.
Well said. If the player really is out to make a superior character, and it's done in an offensive way, then you're going to have problems with that player no matter what rule system you use. (To use ForgeSpeak we say that this is a problem at the level of the Social Contract, not at the Creative Agenda level).
Often the rebuttal is that what they reall mean by "munchkin" is honest powergamers. To which I can only reply that in tons and tons of actual play, with a lot of players, some of whom could be considered powergamers, I've never seen this become a problem. That is they just don't engage in the behavior you fear. For whatever reason. (One reason that I've noted is that Common Magic just tends to be...common. That is you don't see impressive abilities like "Lightning Spear" in common magic, you have to make due with Sharpen Blade which is hard to see as being used actively in a fight).
But, lets say that someone did do this. It's just not problematic. HQ doesn't rely on balance. The only time that this would be a problem is if all of your players suddenly decided that the only way to play would be to become Self Rock dudes, and proceed as you state. Which I'm just not seeing.
Even if that happened...so what. Play it out with all it's ramifications, as Ash suggests. It's just not a problem.
Lastly, I can argue that some of the other types are far stronger than the powergaming method that you provide. For instance, I think that Animist Practitioners are, in some ways, the most powerful of characters (HP expenditures considered). In terms of general breadth, nothing can compete with an Adept.
So, I really think you're fixing a problem that doesn't exist here. That said, I don't see any particular problems with the implementation, and if it fits your game world better, then I don't see why not to do it. I just don't agree that there's a powergaming potential here.
Mike
Powered by hypermail