Aberrant RPG - When you're friends can smash bridges...

[Darkwave]

...and you can't, what do you do? This is the situation I'm currently facing: Several of the players in my campaign having been playing the same character for close to one and two years (real time) and thusly have racked up the experience points and consequent godlike power. Now a new player has entered the game and, in fairness to the players who have spent the time racking up the exp the old-school way, I made her create a character using standard creation rules of 30 nova poits, et al. The problem is that her character is severely underpowered compared to the rest of the group. She consequently has no fun in the campaign because the other players are racking up the actions and large dice pool rolls, eating up time, and are SO powerful, that her skills while unique, still pale in comparison to the diversity of powers the older players have managed to squeeze out their concepts (a credit to their creative talents as roleplayers!).

I thought about allowing her to make a higher powered character so she is more on the level with the other players, but I'm afraid of that cheapening the efforts the existing players went through to make their characters what they are. I've also considered altering the focus of the game, which is something of a corporate nova/pseudo-elite theme right now, into something that will allow for a more diversified or non-combat oriented player to get involved. Of course, this could have repercussions since many of my players have engineered their characters to be well-suited to this campaign, and I don't want to just up and switch the focus, or worse yet, start a new campaign and have my players make new characters. (I considered that option quite seriously.)

Any advice on how to tackle this subject would be well appreciated.

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"When did HE become a nova? Natural Agitator? No sh!t, dude!"

[Jager]

First off, how many players do you have? If you have a small number (3 or 4), then what bases do they not cover? Do they need someone who is socially adept, but not combat oriented, or, maybe a steath expert. Mind you, I run on the 10, 20, 30, 45 principle. That is, not all novas are created equally. All the PC's start out at the same level, but NPC's don't. Your new player could be just such wonderkid (45 points). Just make sure that the new player diversifies their powers so as not to outshine the veterans who have earned their spot. Or, just reward the newbie extra xps, because they are following in the footsteps of the nova pioneers. They blazed the trail and paid the costs of figuring out how things work, and now they are passing those lessons and techniques to the newer generation. The vets are still big, but the new player is gaining ground fast, building on their experience. That could foster a mentor/student relationship between the PC's. As the new player approaches the xp totals of the rest of the group, slow down the awards until things even out. I actually prefer this method, but it also relies on the player to not abuse this generosity. Good Luck.

[The Ranger]

I like the awarding extra XP idea. (Good one Jager) I also don't think that giving the new character a few extra Nova Points would hurt.

I am playing in a similar game at the moment where the older characters have been around for so long that they could be recreated only by the use of about 80 or so NPs. The GM threw me 10 extra NPs and I was over the moon. The player should look for a niche that is not occupied at the moment and work from there.

The problem is not really with the power level but the fact that the old characters have so much development time behind them and the GM knows their interests etc so it is easier/automatic to cater for these familiar characters.

Perhaps you should center a plot or two around the new character to place him in the thick of the action?

[Jager]

Ranger is correct without a doubt. If possible, center a whole new story thread (villian or other problem) around the new player. The problem or danger should involve everyone, but for the newbie, its personal. Ranger, thanks.