Munchkinism is dead?
Saw this on RPG.net:
I think this reflects a significant cultural shift in the hobby. My impression is that, back in the day, if what the text says a class is good at and what the mechanics mean a class is good at were out of whack, it wasn't a big deal - you were expected to play to the former, and exploiting the latter was decried as "power-gaming" or "munchkinism". That doesn't happen anymore, unless you're playing with a whole group of grognards; playing your character the way the mechanics for his class suggest he should be played - regardless of what the flavour text says - is no longer stigmatised.
I don't think this meets the the abuse of both the at table social contract and the rules that I qualify as munchkinism. It's definitely power gaming, which is very annoying (Paul, je te regarde) but a valid play style as long as it doesn't upset the enjoyment of the other players.
I always saw Munchkinism as part and parcel with Monty Haul games. Munchkinism is a play style that needs to be encouraged by the play group, starting with the GM & then the other players.
And there's so many games that one game's Munchkinism is another game's standard play style (D&D Munchkinism is Exalted's casual play).
I think this reflects a significant cultural shift in the hobby. My impression is that, back in the day, if what the text says a class is good at and what the mechanics mean a class is good at were out of whack, it wasn't a big deal - you were expected to play to the former, and exploiting the latter was decried as "power-gaming" or "munchkinism". That doesn't happen anymore, unless you're playing with a whole group of grognards; playing your character the way the mechanics for his class suggest he should be played - regardless of what the flavour text says - is no longer stigmatised.
I don't think this meets the the abuse of both the at table social contract and the rules that I qualify as munchkinism. It's definitely power gaming, which is very annoying (Paul, je te regarde) but a valid play style as long as it doesn't upset the enjoyment of the other players.
I always saw Munchkinism as part and parcel with Monty Haul games. Munchkinism is a play style that needs to be encouraged by the play group, starting with the GM & then the other players.
And there's so many games that one game's Munchkinism is another game's standard play style (D&D Munchkinism is Exalted's casual play).