Comments | navander: Munchkinism and the Art of Motorcycle Maintainence

navander

Munchkinism and the Art of Motorcycle Maintainence

Jul 26, 2005 10:27

Last weekend r0Xx0R3d. Got to go to Izzy's Wedding Reception Thing That Happened, which was awesome. Then on Saturday I went w/ Nick to see the DSO does the hits from Final Fantasy, which was St00pid awesome. I was humming all the next day. Then Sunday I got to go bowling with everbody, and I got free pie too. FREE PIE!!!!11!!1

In other news ( Read more... )

Comments 21

wahcrysob July 26 2005, 15:05:57 UTC

"In other news, I figured out munchkinism is bad."
Finally.

navander July 26 2005, 18:24:40 UTC

It was a synthesis of much knowledge, plus a decent amount of luck. My co-workers didn't understand why I decided to run up and down the plaza yelling eureka. Barbarians, all of them.

First, let me define bad. By bad I mean w/o value to the indvidual, and detrimental to his fellow players. Furthermore, by this definition, munchkinism isn't ALWAYS bad. In computer or video game rpgs it's very satisfying to wipe out a boss with one swipe from your axe. It also applies to pen and paper, however. Take a look at DnD, for instance. Here, the munchkin is king because there is an independent difficulty scale. The better I kill stuff, the more XP I get, the faster I level up and kill more things. The rest of the party appreciates this as well, because they get an even portion of the XP regardless of how well they do, thus benefiting from your munchkin tendencies. So what if they complain you boss them around? They're reaping your hard earned XP, aren't they? This is where the hardest lesson for a munchkin to learn becomes that ( ... )

wahcrysob July 26 2005, 18:37:06 UTC

Entirely true. Whereas in a more free-form system, such as Storyteller or Deadlands, where one earns ones own XP, it can be much more damaging. Not only is the munchkin bossy, being the big downside from the player point of view in D&D, but now he's generally hogging the screen and getting more XP, thus getting better, and so getting more XP, in a mobious (sp?) strip of RPing DOOM.
Let's not forget the dangers munchkins pose to the GM, which requires much more effort to discuss than I am willing to expend here and now.

navander July 26 2005, 19:11:30 UTC

Mobius.

And when was the last time an ST or Marshal rewarded the munchkin for munchkining? I know damn well that although Nick does give out XP for battlefield performance, he also keeps a VERY tight leash on what you can purchase with your XP, making power-gaming difficult. And the whole posse gets the bonus chips for solvin' mysteries or defeatin' the unholy abominations, right? Other than that, one gets chips for ROLEPLAYING, especially his flaws. Freeform systems require much greater skill as a GM, both to lessen and work around munchkin abilites, and to assign XP. The worst mistake a GM can make is to give out XP to the munchkin for doing what he does. The game would be doomed.

Thread 15

daphneavena July 26 2005, 16:26:21 UTC

hey, you need o send me you address. MEOW!!!

navander July 26 2005, 18:04:47 UTC

Right meow? Okay...

Meow, do you want my email address or my home address?

My email address used to be at msu.edu, but meow I just use my yahoo address, which is gtsaenz. I also have a OU email address, which I've only just meow gotten around to activating it.

Busta, what it is right meow.

My physical address I'd prefer not to post here meow. Give me an email and I'll send it out.

MEOW!

daphneavena July 27 2005, 04:43:53 UTC

meow mew meow, meow meow mew. Meow meeeow meow...meow.

*nods head lightly*

Meow.

(The comment has been removed)

herhilan July 30 2005, 17:38:06 UTC

Every time I don't get a chance to check my journal for a few days something like this happens. Anyhow, yeah, I agree that the GM is responsible for nipping munchkinism in the bud, but it can be really hard to control a munchkin if they can do it without the straight mechanics, just because they know exactly how to cheese the system. Now, I don't consider myself an 'evil' GM... but I do believe it to be my right, nay my *duty* to punish munchkinism when it detracts from the fun of other players. Nothing is more satisfying than having a munchkin run into an ancient god who really, REALLY doesn't like his face.

(The comment has been removed)

^_^:: jinkdarkstar August 7 2005, 16:50:55 UTC

I must say seeing everyone's stances and all about the exp dishing and munchkin bashing is rather amusing. All and all . . . makes me really miss playing, lol. Ah well, not with everyone's schedules as busy as they are it seems >_<

Its for the best I suppose that I can't.

**scampers off to go draw something**

Thread 5

ehy yhe hey there jdesjardins August 26 2005, 13:20:17 UTC

added yoo again. add der me.

Anywho. Munchkins are the glorified enemy and should be treated as such. They're the ones with the huge target in the front, and the "kick me" sign on der butt. the DM does have command. on his dropdown list (most often nicknamed dark-hearted evil O'teh fluffiness), I think it's the fifth to the second one before the third down: EXPLOIT WEAKNESS. Are you invulnerable to poison? no. BWAHAHA. Have I just been gimped? ...no.