Problem Characters

Here're some examples of the kind of characters I've seen played, games-mechanically, and some comments on them. All presume 100 points and the standard powers and stats.

These are potentially trouble characters for the GM. I've made out exact character designs, but obviously you should take them as general archetypes for what gets played. The patterns you're looking for are ones of general intent, not actual point expenditure.

The Stereotyped DRPGer

Psyche: 25
Strength: Chaos
Endurance: Amber
Warfare: 15

Powers:
Pattern [50pts]
Sorcery [15pts]

Artifacts:
Brooch: Racks Named and Numbered Spells [2pts]
Sword: Double Damage, alternate form (bracelet) [3pts]

Zero Stuff

What we have here is a very solid character, with sensible bidding and some of the most useful powers. The player is clearly overly experienced with the AmberDRPG. While he or she is obviously not particularly trying to Munchkin the game, he or she is also playing perhaps the most stereotypically "good" set of attributes and powers available. Most likely, he or she will consider the character typically Amberite and Machiavellian, and will be interested in playing a traditional role. All of which is fine, but it indicates someone who's a bit too interested in playing the game to win, and not enough to create a real, three-dimensional character.

Challenge such players to give their characters some intentional weaknesses, and spend some time trying to get through to them that they aren't in the game to "win." Don't be condescending about it — they already know Amber's not a game like chess, and that they won't literally win. But emphasize to them that some of the most intense and memorable moments of the game are when characters dive into something stupid for their own, flawed reasons, and somehow still come out alive at the end.

Common variants of this type include people who focus more on Psyche and powers and people who focus more on Warfare (and maybe Endurance and Strength). In all cases, the things to watch out for are a couple of low-power, very useful artifacts, and such a player will almost never consider selling down his or her Warfare or Psyche.

The Psychic Munchkin

Psyche: 25
Strength: Human
Endurance: Amber
Warfare: Human

Powers:
Adv. Pattern [75pts]
Sorcery [15pts]

Artifacts:
Widget: Racks Named and Numbered Spells. Confers invulnerability to conventional weapons. Confers Regeneration. [25pts]
Pet Wolf: Double Damage teeth, invulnerable to conventional weapons, regeneration. The 2 point Warfare option. Speaks.[13pts]

Bad Stuff: 3

You've got a big-ass problem on your hands. Here you have someone who's powergaming, big time. He has lowered his Strength and Warfare to Human levels, then taken artifacts which he believes will compensate for those disadvantages. He then bought the two (arguably) most powerful Powers in the game, and no doubt intends to use them to their fullest effect.

Artifacts are the key to power in Amber, and you should be very skeptical of anyone with more than a few points in them. Let's look at some of the trouble spots here:

Confers Invulnerability to Conventional Weapons and Regeneration: These powers should be absolutely disallowed in most games. They turn the spirit of the game from epic fantasy to super-hero. Nobody should be able to buy enough artifacts to make up for crippling attribute bids. In general, you should be very wary of any conferral powers.

The wolf: The player is being smart, here. First of all, he's buying a wolf, which, he'll argue, means that he doesn't have to pay for things like movement or vitality – they're already intrinsic in the animal. Secondly, he's not worrying too much about the things that artifacts aren't good at doing, such as Warfare, but spending a lot on things like armor, which the rules have as very useful. He's going to get this animal to do his fighting for him, and its style will be to be completely willing to take blows (onto its invulnerable hide) to get in even the smallest nips (with its double damage teeth).

This player needs to either find a more mature attitude or leave the game.

The Warfare Munchkin

Psyche: Human
Strength: 5
Endurance: 5
Warfare: 50

Powers:
Pattern [50pts]

Artifacts:
Big-Ass Sword: Deadly Damage [4pts]
Jump-suit: Invulnerable to Conventional Weapons, Confer Psychic Barrier [13pts]

Bad Stuff: 2

This is just the same Munchkin with a different focus. Note the similarities: lots of points in artifacts compensating for low stats.

Some particular things to watch out for:

Confer Psychic Barrier. No.

Invulnerable to Conventional Weapons jumpsuit. This is another little powergaming tactic. In order to avoid paying the cost for another "conferral," he just takes a full body garment that he plans to wear constantly. It's the Julian syndrome, and this player doesn't even have the good grace to make it big, bulky armor. Likely, he even plans to sleep in it.

Solution here is the same as above: Either ditch the player or get him to grow up quick.

The Overly-Innocent

Psyche: 15
Strength: 15
Endurance: 15
Warfare: 15

Good Stuff: 40

This person's plan is clear: He or she is going to play an innocent from Shadow, unaware of his or her Amber heritage, and will provide a fresh, young look at Amber. And there's no problem with that... So long as it's done well.

Unfortunately, it's harder than it looks. First of all, that's an awfully one-dimensional background. While the good-hearted-farmboy is an okay archetype for heroic high-fantasy, it's a little simple for Amber. Encourage the player to insert some more depth of character into his or her world: Just because they don't know about Amber doesn't mean that they have to come from some idyllic past.

Furthermore, make sure the player knows that the "only innocent in Amber" schtick can make him or her miss out on a bunch. While some people will do the decent thing and ruthlessly abuse the innocent, many will just ignore someone so alien. You, as the GM, have a responsibility to make the Elders ruthlessly abuse this PC, but the other PC's may well not do anything of the sort, which can make the player's life somewhat frustrating.

The Frustrated Chaosian

Psyche: 20
Strength: Chaos
Endurance: 15
Warfare: 17

Powers:
Shapeshifting [35pts]
Logrus [45pts]

Bad Stuff: 12

This poor player really, really wants to play a Chaosian. However, he or she got overexcited in the bidding and payed a little too much in stats. Hey, don't laugh – for one thing, you probably encouraged it.

Now, this player is left with the unattractive options of dropping a stat to Human level or taking an unreasonable amount of Bad Stuff. Give the poor kid a break. Be generous with campaign contributions, or maybe suggest taking about 30 points in Good Stuff and buying Logrus later. Work with players like this and help them get what they want – don't tell them "tough luck."

New to the Game

Psyche: 12
Strength: 20
Endurance: Amber
Warfare: Chaos

Powers:
Conjuration [20pts]
Shapeshift [35pts]
Sorcery [15pts]

Good Stuff: 8

If you see a really random character sheet like this, there's only two explanations for it: 1. This is an old, cagey AmberDRPG player with a complex and specific background, or 2. This is a clueless newbie.

I'll presume that you can tell the difference.

If it is the newbie, just gently point out some of the problems that his or her character will have. Some common mistakes are not giving onesself a way to get around Shadow or getting Sorcery but being incapable of hanging spells anywhere. Other issues can be needlessly buying down important attributes.

Get a feel for the background the player is looking for, here, and then suggest some alternative versions of the character to him or her.

The Monomaniac

Psyche: Amber
Strength: Amber
Endurance: Amber
Warfare: 100pts

Say what? For some reason, this person has decided to do one thing to the exclusion of all others. There are a variety of reasons why it may come up, from just being bored with "typical Amberites" to wanting a challenge to simple curiosity.

Bring this player to one side and talk with him or her. Get a feel for why he or she is doing this, and whether it's really important to him or her, or just something to try. Then consider what it'll do to your game. If you think that the character is just going to totally screw up the plot you have planned (e.g., for the character above, you'd planned to take out all the high-Warfare Familymembers, then hit Amber with a big army), disallow the character.

Don't let an unreasonable player ruin your game. On the other hand, if the player knows what he or she is doing, and it's not going to mess you up, don't impose your ideas of what's fun to play on the player.

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