Part Three of "How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Players"

I'm gonna try to make this a thing I do, since some folks out there actually read blogs; hopefully my experience with roleplaying and game-mastering will be able to help others develop themselves and their characters into dramatic powerhouses... or, at the very least, something more fun than it may already be.

In the third installment, we're gonna address a character's possessions... and how to get rid of the tricky stuff.

First, some terminology explanation: A 'Monty Haul' campaign is a story in which the players tend to receive MASSIVE amounts of loot/magic items from their adventures. It's a reference to the classic host of the old 'Let's Make A Deal' gameshow (Monty Hall), which could send folks home with TONS of fabulous prizes. Hence, a campaign where you tend to get a lot of nifty stuff in each treasure trove is referred to as a 'Monty Haul' campaign.

A character's stuff can be very important to them; I can't even begin to recall how much crap my old Epic-Level Rogue used to carry with him at all times. All sorts of magic doohickeys, gizmoes, gadgets and even seemingly mundane stuff ALL had a place in my inventory, and I was exceedingly resourceful because of it.

But I played fairly; even when I had a SUPERULTRAMEGAPOWERTHINGY, I only used it once - and it was so damn beautiful, the TIMING of it...

*ahem* Sorry; got carried away, there.

Anyway, the problem we're going to address here is NOT how to deal with players who have a lot of stuff... but it's about what you do when their stuff begins to derail your plot and piss off your other players.

It's not as difficult as you'd think... but it DOES dance a line with some players, as they're REALLY attached to gear that's super powerful - and honestly, who wouldn't be? THAT'S why it has to be handled carefully and respectfully... or at least as respectfully as your players typically are, for what it's worth.

The Situation [cue suspenseful music]:

You've been working with this group for a while, and they have a bit of experience under their collective belt - more importantly to this example, they have amassed a LOT of magical/special gear between themselves, and it's beginning to get more and more difficult to present them with a legitimate challenge, as they always seem to have the right item for the right moment.

Solutions [heroic trumpet-laden fanfare]:

Okay, the biggest issue here is NOT that there are magic/special items... it's that there are FAR too many to maintain any form of challenge. Heck, there are certain magical items that could change the face of (insert your world's name HERE)... but the gathering of sheer STUFF they have could throw any artifact into a cocked hat!

Don't panic; the fact is that it boils down to a simple question: Are they doing this on purpose, or is it accidental? Accidents are valid, by the way - sometimes, folks just don't realize what they're doing is disruptive; they just think it's really cool they have this thingy in the first place, and they want to make sure it gets used.

This is a simple fix - just tell them what's going on. In many cases, they might volunteer to give up some stuff in order to maintain a balance. Many RPers realize the story is more important than the characters, and will be happy to help out.

As for the ones who know, yet don't care because they feel it's their RIGHT to use and abuse ANYTHING you hand them... well, that's who this particular missive is aimed at.

What about this: Make them give it up. Oh, your entire party is dedicated to the church of (yackety-shmackety), and they've been carving out a reputation as badasses, due to the nifty widgets they own? Well, they are QUITE the pillar of (whojiwhatsis's) community, aren't they? Well, seeing as how they mean SOOOOOO much to their religion, then their diety (nfjwoxbgbgj) would want them to set an example for the masses... in the form of a donation to the church of certain 'Holy Relics' they carry, to be displayed at the most high church of (ingapingawingaloo), so that it might bring hope to the poor folks who worship (mekkalekkahimekkahineyho).

Yeah, turn down your deity's DIRECT request; I don't think I have to suggest anything to GMs out there about THAT mistake. Heh heh heh.

What about this: They didn't own it first. That enchanted battleaxe the barbarian's been using has made it impossible for the rest of the party to even get struck by an enemy, let alone seriously stormed. But that axe has some HISTORY, brah... and the one who made that history with it wants it back! After all, where would King Arthur be without his Excalibur? Milton without his Swingline Stapler? Twilight Sparkle without Spike?

It just so happens that this particular NPC is, oh, only 20 levels higher than the highest level PC... and he'll ask nicely for it back.

ONCE.

After that, rough 'em up a bit - and if the NPC is having trouble, remember that the party may have a lot of stuff on their side... but if this NPC also rules a large, distant kingdom... well, that could be a completely different campaign altogether!

What about this: Monty Haul parties are a dime-a-dozen. Oh, they're having to go against a corrupt official, but the stuff they have will make it WAAAAAY too easy? Alright then... TWO can play at that game.

The PCs can't have been the only adventurers EVER... so there had to be other parties that had a LOT of magic/special loot, right? Of course there were... and the NPC in question was the LEADER of one of those groups, so they have quite an impressive stockpile of 'toys' as well!

This is a blatant 'taste of your own medicine' plan, as you'll be countering EVERYTHING they pull out with something even better and more powerful. Do this enough, and either they'll tone down the amount of times they rely on their stuff... or they'll use all their tricks up completely, and you'll be in the clear anyway.

What about this: Magic doesn't always work with itself well. The magical energies of magical objects are assumed to be completely stable... but what if they AREN'T? What if, simply by being in such close proximity, the energies of the magical items within begin freaking out?

Oh, there's all SORTS of fun with that! Magical illnesses, effects transferring to an entirely different item, a single item sucks up ALL the magic from the other items, the energies mutate into some sort of monster (with all the collected abilities of said items!), they tear open a portal to another dimension, or even simply outright EXPLODE...

Man... *clicks tongue* such AWFUL things can happen to a Monty Haul party, can't they?

Simply keep in mind that magic items are ALWAYS suspect at a GM's whim... and if you do it judiciously enough, even a Monty Haul campaign will think TWICE before activating the Sacred Stone Of (hominahominahomina) to finish their fights for them.