From: | Glenn Robb <GLENNROBB@*******.NET> |
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Subject: | Dealing with Magpies |
Date: | Fri, 19 Dec 1997 15:09:11 -0700 |
> I also had to deal with another munchkin . . . <snipped and Edited!>
Hmm. WHY IN THE BLOODY HECK DO YOU CALL SUCH GAMERS MUNCHKINS! A munchkin is
a dwarf. A magpie is a player who:
. . . is always demanding the best. He wants the shiny stuff. A magpie wants
the referee's attention. They also want the NPCs to remember them. Of course,
the bigger and shinier your story, the more satisfaction he gets. Magpies will
also be up to the visible scope of your campaign, so in dealing with these
players . . .
Be careful what you give him. If a magpie is in the group, and your beginning
a campaign, only let him buy stuff from the Core Rules until the story calls
for the shinier stuff (Bioware, new cyberware, etc.). This includes spells.
Allowing magpies to learn more and extremely dangerous spells results in what
you Shadowrun GMs call Munchkinism. Don't let him get it at the beginning of
the Campaign. Doing so will upset player balance (how would the rabbit, snake,
eagle, and dragon of your group would love it if you did?).
I guess that's all my rants on the whole thing. Incidently, I got the term
"Magpie" from a little book I bought recently. It's called Gamemaster Law.
Buy it. It may even improve your Gamemaster skills, Gurth.
— Elton Robb