Too many character ideas, not enough games

[Rejusu]

I haven't even started my upcoming campaign and already I've got ideas for more characters I want to play. Yet I've already committed to my current character and I'm looking forward to playing him. Problem is that looking at all the D&D stuff for my upcoming game has just given me ideas for future games. Anyone else have this issue?

Considering that one of the other characters I want to try out is a Thrallherd I was almost tempted to play that instead then bring the character I've already rolled in as a thrall. I think though that next time I want to play I want to try the Bone Knight from Eberron Five Nations. Not 100% sure how I'd build it yet but I think I'd be tempted to mix Ur-Priest in there for full casting progression. Plus Ur-priest fits well with the flavour of the Bone Knight.

[Dr.Epic]

I think everyone deals with having an awesome character they would like to use but can't for one reason or another.

[Averis Vol]

definitely, i have upwards on 8 characters built for the campaign i'm in....i know i shouldn't keep building, but ever character concept is more juicy then the last.
its gotten to the point where i have to actively restrain myself from skimming through books when i'm bored for fear of birthing another character.

[Feytalist]

I've said this before, but I've got roughly 35 fully statted and backstoried characters just ready for play. They get drafted and retired whenever I start a new game. A few I liked so much that I played them twice.

It's not an obsession, it's a hobby :smallbiggrin:

[DigoDragon]

I'm usually the DM for my group so yes, I know of that problem.
Though I can't say I have as many concepts on the backburner as Feytalist. That's dedication to a hobby right there. :smallcool:

[Dumbledore lives]

I have a bunch of character concepts, including vague ideas for backstory, but I only fully stat out and develop characters when I'm sure I'm in a game, otherwise disappointment reigns.

[Rejusu]

I have a bunch of character concepts, including vague ideas for backstory, but I only fully stat out and develop characters when I'm sure I'm in a game, otherwise disappointment reigns.

Yeah, it's kind of hard to stat out a character without knowing your ability scores at a bare minimum. Then again if you have enough characters waiting in the wings chances are that no matter what's banned or what your ability scores are you should have something that fits.

[mattie_p]

If you're on good terms with your DM, put them on loan to use as NPCs. You can have a backstory reason to know them (or know about them, explaining metagame knowledge) and there could be plothooks galore.

[prufock]

In my group we rotate GMs for games, so I have a dual problem.

1) I come up with far more character ideas than I will ever get to play. I literally have a list of about 50 characters with builds, personalities, and sometimes backstories. I just keep making them, hoping to one day get a chance to play one in a campaign.

2) I come up with more game ideas that I would like to run than I reasonably have time to do. Right now I'm running a 3.5 campaign. I already have another 3.5 campaign idea in mind, plus a Mutants and Masterminds game, plus a Star Wars game, plus etc.

One possible solution is to use some of my character ideas as NPCs in my campaigns, but they're too good for that, for the most part. I want them to be playable characters and immerse myself in them. I can't do that to the extent I want to as a GM.

Another solution would be to play shorter campaigns. Playing campaigns at 6-8 sessions would allow more games and more characters per year, but some campaigns just can't be resolved in that time. The one I'm GMing now is actually slated to be a level 1-20 and possibly epic long-term campaign, which will probably take a full year.

[Krazzman]

I have this problem too.

We startet an ALL Dwarven campaign recently and before that I build:
Human Zen Archer
Half-Elven Zen Arcane Archer
Human Sorcerer
Human Ranger
Human Barbarian
Dwarven Barbarian
Dwarven Druid
Dwarven Cleric
Human Cleric
At the start of the campaign I rolled with Dwarven Druid (my GF took the Dwarven Barbarian I build with her[after asking the playground for advice of course]) and now I ended up with a Dwarven Alchemist (probably going grenadier...) stuck in my head :(

[Particle_Man]

I've said this before, but I've got roughly 35 fully statted and backstoried characters just ready for play. They get drafted and retired whenever I start a new game. A few I liked so much that I played them twice.

It's not an obsession, it's a hobby :smallbiggrin:

Wow. That is enough that you could take one, give it leadership and then have every single follower fully statted out with backstories! :smallcool:

Anyhow, yeah I make a lot of characters I will probably never get to play. Not just D&D either. 7th Sea does this to me for some reason. Anima too.

[Bloodgruve]

Maybe they will fix this problem in 5E...

Why would a game give you so many options and builds and not give you the time to explore them? I think that TSR/WoTC/Hasbro have just published all this content and are now sitting back laughing at all of the frustration they've caused.

This is a very real problem and something should be done about it.

Blood~

[TuggyNE]

Maybe they will fix this problem in 5E...

Why would a game give you so many options and builds and not give you the time to explore them? I think that TSR/WoTC/Hasbro have just published all this content and are now sitting back laughing at all of the frustration they've caused.

This is a very real problem and something should be done about it.

Blood~

Wait. You consider this amount of flexibility in possible character concepts/executions a bad thing?

I find it difficult to express just how strongly I disagree with this.

[Bloodgruve]

Wait. You consider this amount of flexibility in possible character concepts/executions a bad thing?

I find it difficult to express just how strongly I disagree with this.

Just some light sarcasm. The problem is the lack of time and its effect of hindering my exploration of all these interesting options.

I have 7 character builds currently and not enough games to play them in. And the games that I currently have end up getting canceled more often than not which is even worse...

Blood~

[Mystify]

I have this problem too. So many possibilities... and then a campaign takes so long...

[Rossebay]

Maybe they will fix this problem in 5E...

Why would a game give you so many options and builds and not give you the time to explore them? I think that TSR/WoTC/Hasbro have just published all this content and are now sitting back laughing at all of the frustration they've caused.

This is a very real problem and something should be done about it.

Blood~

Stop Kharacters! Invisible D&D!

That's awesome, though. +1 to you. :smallbiggrin:

[TuggyNE]

Just some light sarcasm. The problem is the lack of time and its effect of hindering my exploration of all these interesting options.

I have 7 character builds currently and not enough games to play them in. And the games that I currently have end up getting canceled more often than not which is even worse...

Blood~

Ah, my sarcasm detector was on the blink :smallredface:. Blue text is your friend, though....

[Azoth]

I can understand the feeling and usually have 10 or more char builds/concepts in mind at any time. It is part of the reason I enjoy DMing a bit. Making rival units for the BBEG gets some of them into the light especially if they are supposed to be reoccuring villans. Nothing better than watching the PCs poop themselves when they catch a glimpse of one of these suckers up ahead. It is better since I don't use the screen or fiat in battles so they remember that whooping before was legit.