Comments on: How do You Handle Absent Players? http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/01/how-do-you-handle-absent-players Game mastering advice, ideas & resources • Dedicated to helping GMs Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/01/how-do-you-handle-absent-players/comment-page-1#comment-9141 Martin Wed, 24 Jan 2007 23:48:30 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=600#comment-9141 I like seeing all the different variations that different groups use -- there really are a <i>lot</i> of ways to tackle this problem. As far as rescheduling to get around missing players, my current group is actually small enough (four total, including our GM) that we <i>do</i> reschedule. Ironically, the session that got me thinking about this topic -- the one that was supposed to happen without me, breaking our usual pattern -- never gelled, and everyone just played WoW instead. ;) I like seeing all the different variations that different groups use — there really are a lot of ways to tackle this problem.

As far as rescheduling to get around missing players, my current group is actually small enough (four total, including our GM) that we do reschedule. Ironically, the session that got me thinking about this topic — the one that was supposed to happen without me, breaking our usual pattern — never gelled, and everyone just played WoW instead. ;)

]]> By: GilaMonster http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/01/how-do-you-handle-absent-players/comment-page-1#comment-9087 GilaMonster Sun, 21 Jan 2007 12:48:35 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=600#comment-9087 I generally go for option 2. I find it the easiest option and, since I run an urban, modern game, is fairly easy to manage. We generally say if one person can't come, we play and they get written out, if two or more can't come, we reschedule. Group is 6 total. The only time I really had a problem was when I called a session as a battle started, trying out finishing on a cliffhanger, and the next session one of the players couldn't come. Another player played his char for the duraion of the battle, then I got rid of the character for the rest of the session. I generally go for option 2. I find it the easiest option and, since I run an urban, modern game, is fairly easy to manage.

We generally say if one person can’t come, we play and they get written out, if two or more can’t come, we reschedule. Group is 6 total.

The only time I really had a problem was when I called a session as a battle started, trying out finishing on a cliffhanger, and the next session one of the players couldn’t come. Another player played his char for the duraion of the battle, then I got rid of the character for the rest of the session.

]]> By: Orcrist http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/01/how-do-you-handle-absent-players/comment-page-1#comment-9084 Orcrist Sun, 21 Jan 2007 08:14:16 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=600#comment-9084 We usually use #2. There was a time when we were collecting some artifact for a multi-part collecton quest. We had just pulled into this creepy abandoned town before ending the session, and the next time we met one of our players couldn't make it. (This happens a lot with him, he's extremely flakey) Basically he watched the horses while we fought hordes of zombies, wyverns, centaurs, and a manticore. We solved the problem of him not getting any combat experience with the rest of us by basically having him fight off zombies while we collected the artifact. (An invulnerable cauldron) Thus we got to continue the story and he wasn't left behind level-wise. It should be noted that his character eventually got vaporized by a Red Wizard because the DM got sick of him missing so many games. Our cleric died at this point also, as our warrior drop-kicked him off a cliff from thirty feet in the air. I think the whole group was sick of having our healer played by the DM. Basically none of the options work very well, but I think 2 is the best. Mostly just try to make sure you have a reliable group of players before you commit to any serious gaming. We're going to have to get creative with our next couple of meetings though. Our cleric in another campaign came down with mono, so he's out for the next month or so. We usually use #2. There was a time when we were collecting some artifact for a multi-part collecton quest. We had just pulled into this creepy abandoned town before ending the session, and the next time we met one of our players couldn’t make it. (This happens a lot with him, he’s extremely flakey) Basically he watched the horses while we fought hordes of zombies, wyverns, centaurs, and a manticore.

We solved the problem of him not getting any combat experience with the rest of us by basically having him fight off zombies while we collected the artifact. (An invulnerable cauldron) Thus we got to continue the story and he wasn’t left behind level-wise.

It should be noted that his character eventually got vaporized by a Red Wizard because the DM got sick of him missing so many games. Our cleric died at this point also, as our warrior drop-kicked him off a cliff from thirty feet in the air. I think the whole group was sick of having our healer played by the DM.

Basically none of the options work very well, but I think 2 is the best. Mostly just try to make sure you have a reliable group of players before you commit to any serious gaming.

We’re going to have to get creative with our next couple of meetings though. Our cleric in another campaign came down with mono, so he’s out for the next month or so.

]]> By: Victor http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/01/how-do-you-handle-absent-players/comment-page-1#comment-9027 Victor Thu, 18 Jan 2007 08:02:45 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=600#comment-9027 After having two campaigns killed by absent players, I went with, 6: Run games where it isn't a problem. I do this two ways. The first is by never ending the game in the middle of a story. I always finish an arc each session. So the game never starts the next time with "Well, you four had just entered the Evil Tower, only it's you three now, because Fred is gone." The second is by avoiding "party" based games. The characters are working together because they have the same goals, but don't always like each other. And they also have secondary goals that don't always mesh with the other characters. The secondary goals create subplots. So if I'm missing a player, it's not the end of the world. I'm just not going to be playing with the subplots. Oh, and I don't run D&D, which neatly avoids the "Oh shit, Fred isn't here, we don't have a cleric" problem. --Victor After having two campaigns killed by absent players, I went with,

6: Run games where it isn’t a problem.

I do this two ways. The first is by never ending the game in the middle of a story. I always finish an arc each session. So the game never starts the next time with “Well, you four had just entered the Evil Tower, only it’s you three now, because Fred is gone.”

The second is by avoiding “party” based games. The characters are working together because they have the same goals, but don’t always like each other. And they also have secondary goals that don’t always mesh with the other characters. The secondary goals create subplots. So if I’m missing a player, it’s not the end of the world. I’m just not going to be playing with the subplots.

Oh, and I don’t run D&D, which neatly avoids the “Oh shit, Fred isn’t here, we don’t have a cleric” problem.

–Victor

]]> By: Dave M http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/01/how-do-you-handle-absent-players/comment-page-1#comment-9017 Dave M Wed, 17 Jan 2007 04:00:32 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=600#comment-9017 I tried the "chessman curse" once in my AD&D campaign. - the character gets turned into a chess piece if he doesn't show. BIG mistake; the thief promptly sold it at the market as an antique! Now I usually use the fade-out and 1/2 xp as if the character were a henchman I tried the “chessman curse” once in my AD&D campaign. – the character gets turned into a chess piece if he doesn’t show. BIG mistake; the thief promptly sold it at the market as an antique! Now I usually use the fade-out and 1/2 xp as if the character were a henchman

]]> By: fluffaderm http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/01/how-do-you-handle-absent-players/comment-page-1#comment-9007 fluffaderm Tue, 16 Jan 2007 21:41:48 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=600#comment-9007 Our rule of thumb is, if we have 4 players, we play. If you aren't there, I will work out a reason for you to be gone. I hand out a flat XP reward at the end of the game to everyone present. If you are missing for a game, you can earn that same XP by writing up a journal to fill in the missing details of what your character was up to during the game you missed. Players seem to enjoy writing these, everyone has an equal chance to get the same amount of XP, and they are rife with new plot hooks! -Jill Our rule of thumb is, if we have 4 players, we play. If you aren’t there, I will work out a reason for you to be gone.

I hand out a flat XP reward at the end of the game to everyone present. If you are missing for a game, you can earn that same XP by writing up a journal to fill in the missing details of what your character was up to during the game you missed. Players seem to enjoy writing these, everyone has an equal chance to get the same amount of XP, and they are rife with new plot hooks! -Jill

]]> By: Telas http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/01/how-do-you-handle-absent-players/comment-page-1#comment-9001 Telas Tue, 16 Jan 2007 18:08:43 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=600#comment-9001 Brian: You call that a backfire? I call that good roleplaying!! :D Brian:

You call that a backfire? I call that good roleplaying!!

:D

]]> By: Brian http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/01/how-do-you-handle-absent-players/comment-page-1#comment-8998 Brian Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:54:16 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=600#comment-8998 Another issue is that the GM generally needs to make sure all of the players are on the same page as to how the absence is treated, particularly the question of how IC the situation is. A past campaign I was in handled player absences by having the character wander off to handle personal business of their own in town, catching up with the party the next session. This backfired slightly when, after the second time the party was ambushed during a (not entirely trusted) character's unexplained absence, the player came back to find the next session beginning with his character being attacked, subdued, stripped naked and interrogated. Another issue is that the GM generally needs to make sure all of the players are on the same page as to how the absence is treated, particularly the question of how IC the situation is.

A past campaign I was in handled player absences by having the character wander off to handle personal business of their own in town, catching up with the party the next session.

This backfired slightly when, after the second time the party was ambushed during a (not entirely trusted) character’s unexplained absence, the player came back to find the next session beginning with his character being attacked, subdued, stripped naked and interrogated.

]]> By: Jason http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/01/how-do-you-handle-absent-players/comment-page-1#comment-8997 Jason Tue, 16 Jan 2007 16:00:44 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=600#comment-8997 At my table we play it as 1 or 4/5. If you can't make it, you have two options: 1) Your character does nothing, is affected adversely by nothing (but is along for the ride if someone sends the PC's elsewhere, etc.). You get no XP, but nothing bad happens to you either. 2) You provide your character sheet (including current spells prepared, if a caster)and your character gets played as intelligently as possible, and gets full XP. People usually go for option 2.... At my table we play it as 1 or 4/5.

If you can’t make it, you have two options:

1) Your character does nothing, is affected adversely by nothing (but is along for the ride if someone sends the PC’s elsewhere, etc.). You get no XP, but nothing bad happens to you either.

2) You provide your character sheet (including current spells prepared, if a caster)and your character gets played as intelligently as possible, and gets full XP.

People usually go for option 2….

]]> By: Patrick http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/01/how-do-you-handle-absent-players/comment-page-1#comment-8994 Patrick Tue, 16 Jan 2007 13:16:13 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=600#comment-8994 Ever see "The Gamers"? (http://www.deadgentlemen.com/) Yea, that's how. :) Ever see “The Gamers”? (http://www.deadgentlemen.com/)
Yea, that’s how. :)

]]> By: sirus http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/01/how-do-you-handle-absent-players/comment-page-1#comment-8993 sirus Tue, 16 Jan 2007 08:22:53 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=600#comment-8993 back when our group played dnd we just asked the absent player what -he- wanted to happen to his character. yeah sure, the character can be played by another player, but is the absent player aware that his character might die while he's away? some are not, and therefore the choice should be entirely up to the player. one other thing that you can do is talk to the player and design it so that the character is out accomplishing his or her own goals. i find this to be the best and most believable way to handle an absent player/character. when the player comes back you then follow up on what that particular person has been up to and what he/she has accomplished. you could also make a quick solo-session...that would be even better. back when our group played dnd we just asked the absent player what -he- wanted to happen to his character. yeah sure, the character can be played by another player, but is the absent player aware that his character might die while he’s away?
some are not, and therefore the choice should be entirely up to the player.
one other thing that you can do is talk to the player and design it so that the character is out accomplishing his or her own goals. i find this to be the best and most believable way to handle an absent player/character. when the player comes back you then follow up on what that particular person has been up to and what he/she has accomplished. you could also make a quick solo-session…that would be even better.

]]> By: Troy Taylor aka Carolina http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/01/how-do-you-handle-absent-players/comment-page-1#comment-8992 Troy Taylor aka Carolina Tue, 16 Jan 2007 05:59:21 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=600#comment-8992 Gets explained out -- usually the missing PC(s) are the the guys "picked" to guard the adventurer's base or campsite, or posted as a lookout at key juncture in the dungeon. I've mentioned this on this site before, but whenever possible, I love to utilize the "caravan" option (made all the easier by a description of a caravan by our very own Martin in a fairly recent Dragon issue). The caravan serves as a "base" for the PCs, and the ones not present for a given session return to the caravan for R&R while the others, who are present, carry on the adventure. It's worked well in a lot of situations. Gets explained out — usually the missing PC(s) are the the guys “picked” to guard the adventurer’s base or campsite, or posted as a lookout at key juncture in the dungeon.

I’ve mentioned this on this site before, but whenever possible, I love to utilize the “caravan” option (made all the easier by a description of a caravan by our very own Martin in a fairly recent Dragon issue).

The caravan serves as a “base” for the PCs, and the ones not present for a given session return to the caravan for R&R while the others, who are present, carry on the adventure. It’s worked well in a lot of situations.

]]>