Optimization Imbalance

[BayardSPSR]

Before people start assuming things, the game of question is NOT 3.5 and in fact NOT D&D at all. It's a homebrew system.

The problem I have in one the two games I'm running is that I have a player whose character is a jack of all trades, master of none-type. It's not a problem inherent to the character class; it's just the way he built it.

Details/explanation spoilered for textwall:

Spoiler

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He can deal some damage at range (but not nearly as much as another in the party), deal damage hand-to-hand (but not nearly as well as another in the party), can take a hit (but not nearly as many as another in the party), and can cast some magic-like effects (but not nearly as many nor as powerfully as another in the party).

The only thing he really has an advantage in are his agility-type stats, but only a small one, and he hasn't taken the abilities to capitalize on that. He's got decent combat abilities, but his stats there are average. He's got a few decent negotiation-related abilities and bonuses, but his stats there are just shy of average.

Alone, he could cover any role, but the group makes him a bit redundant. When I present the group with challenging situations, he almost always has a choice of doing several different things with mediocre effectiveness (where the others choose between doing four or five different things well).

EDIT: Clarification: He can do nothing well, and the rest of the party makes him redundant to near the point of uselessness.

Should I try to fix this or help him fix this? If so, how should I go about it?

[TheOOB]

There is nothing wrong with a well rounded character unless they always hog the spotlight. As long as there is a party member who is better then them in most pursuits, it shouldn't be a problem. Punishing a character for building well is never a good idea unless they cheat, instead make encounters that highlight other characters abilities.

In any case, if you feel they are too good in too many areas without giving too much up, it's likely a problem with the system and not the player, which is fairly common. Many systems have scaling costs for things that get out of hand to the point where specializing doesn't make you enough better at something for the heavy cost to make it worth it.

[BayardSPSR]

There is nothing wrong with a well rounded character unless they always hog the spotlight. As long as there is a party member who is better then them in most pursuits, it shouldn't be a problem. Punishing a character for building well is never a good idea unless they cheat, instead make encounters that highlight other characters abilities.

In any case, if you feel they are too good in too many areas without giving too much up, it's likely a problem with the system and not the player, which is fairly common. Many systems have scaling costs for things that get out of hand to the point where specializing doesn't make you enough better at something for the heavy cost to make it worth it.

No no no no no - quite the opposite. I apologize for being misleading. His build is rounded, yes, but badly rounded to the point of uselessness.

His build is bad at little, but good at nothing. There's not a thing he can do that someone else in the party can't do better.



That which is spoilered should explain better, but I'll look it over again to make sure it says what I mean.
EDIT: I see how it did not. Clarified.

[Nero24200]

I would gently push him to try and specilise in at least one area. Having a jack of all trades is handy for solo games or even games with few players, but in a group it means he's likely to be on the sidelines for alot. Specilising in somthing will mean there is a general need for him. It could be something trival, just as long as its something.

A few fantasy games already do this - In D'n'D the jack of all trades (Bards) are able to use social skills/spells alot more easily out the box than other skill monkeys or casters. The other jack of all trades class (Factotum) still gains abilities that make him unique (such as the ability to take extra actions). In other games like Death Watch the jack of all trades class (Tactical Marine) still gains skills that others wouldn't (mostly fellowship-based skills).

Alternatively, if you don't have a problem adding a little more homebrew to the pile, why not invent a few new abilities which are keyed off of multiple abilities? For instance, if he has a mix of everything (assuming typical fantasy that means skills, combat, social abilities and magic) why not add abilities that only work effectively when some of those elements are combined? It would mean that the jack of all trades archtype has a little more appeal.