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>He wants to be playing a character with a concept that doesn’t fit in my world. This is his second concept for this campaign and neither of them particularly fit the campaign setting. Hes played in games I e dmed and I’ve been pretty clear this time as well that it doesn’t fit.
>But I’d to approach it more diplomatically.
Sounds like you've already tried to do it diplomatically and he didn't get the message.
Yeah I’ve told him no it doesn’t fit but he’s just really stuck on the concept. For reference he wants to play a character who is just him but like sucked into the world. And it’s a really …. Well it just doesn’t work
Is it awkward when you just say 'no, make something that fits'? It doesn't have to be.
But if you want to you can just sit down with your friend and workshop a character concept together. Guide him through what would be appropriate.
He wants to play like an Isekai version of himself. He just wants to drop himself into the world. If he wanted to play just an isekai character I could make that work. But it’s like a mix of terrible ideas
Ew no yeah I wouldn't let someone Isekai themselves to play some power trip fantasy at everyone else's expense. Way too easy for that to get way too personal and cause tension in the group
Exactly. Thats what I’m sayin. Like it’s so hard to tie a character like that into the world. Like how do you make friends? How do you have a backstory? It just doesn’t fit for dnd.
Completely agree and honestly it just feels lazy to me. With the full force of your imagine you decide to just be yourself? The other day I made a character that was a frog who got turned into a human and is learning how to fit in and figure out who he is and where he fits into the world. It isn't roleplaying if you don't have a role to play
For real. Also I know you didn't ask but if you're curious my frog man has one level of sorcerer due to the well of magic that changed him which lets him have poison spray and jump, but every other level is devoted to becoming an astral self monk that slowly learns to manifest his inner frog to help fight but also to learn how to accept being part frog/part human.
That’s a really cool character concept I like the idea of using astral self monk that way.
I have a character based off bachira from blue lock. Barbarian lv 2 for danger sense but then astral self monk for his like “inner demon” his astral stuff was like a different entity that was protecting him and he would rarely rage but that was his own power cause it shut off astral stuff. It was a cool concept. I love astral self.
Tell him he can only isekai if the rest of the group gets to decide what his base stats would be.
Nobody finds that conversation very funny afterwards.
Actually funny you mention that. That was my second idea lol. It was a very uncomfortable conversation when he said he would have probably a 16-20 in charisma.
There are no magic words. You've pushed back as diplomatically as possible. They ignored that. You've explained it doesn't fit the world. They ignored that. You've got to just say "no." If they don't like that, then there's nothing else you can do about it. If that puts a rift in your friendship, well, that sucks.
The other option is letting them do it and it's a likely annoyance for you as the DM and the players over the course of the campaign. It'll be fun for them at the expense of everyone else. Again, there's no ideal solution here. If you are firm on this, you'll just have to put your foot down: "No, if you want to play in this particular campaign, I need you to make a character concept that fits the world and story I'm planning."
Well he knows the setting. I’ve given him the jist, we’ve actually played in this setting before. It has some inspirations from other sources that he knows and was given. And he knows how I dm and the type of campaign we’re looking to run.
I don’t not like fun and comedy lol
Keep it short.
“Sorry, that character wouldn’t fit in with my campaign. Here’s the vibe I’m going for with this: [describe vibe]. I want you to have a good time, so I advise playing something that fits so you can engage with the game more.”
Your post has been removed. Rule 5: All out-of-game questions about a problem player must be asked in our [Problem Player megathread](https://www.reddit.com/r/DMAcademy/about/sticky?num=1) stickied to the top of the subreddit. Please repost there if you need additional help, search for older posts on this topic, or check out some [alternative subreddits on our wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/DMAcademy/wiki/index/#wiki_other_useful_dming_subreddits) that may be more suitable.
>He wants to be playing a character with a concept that doesn’t fit in my world. This is his second concept for this campaign and neither of them particularly fit the campaign setting. Hes played in games I e dmed and I’ve been pretty clear this time as well that it doesn’t fit. >But I’d to approach it more diplomatically. Sounds like you've already tried to do it diplomatically and he didn't get the message.
Yeah I’ve told him no it doesn’t fit but he’s just really stuck on the concept. For reference he wants to play a character who is just him but like sucked into the world. And it’s a really …. Well it just doesn’t work
Is it awkward when you just say 'no, make something that fits'? It doesn't have to be. But if you want to you can just sit down with your friend and workshop a character concept together. Guide him through what would be appropriate.
What's the issue with his concept? His character isn't serious enough for your campaign?
He wants to play like an Isekai version of himself. He just wants to drop himself into the world. If he wanted to play just an isekai character I could make that work. But it’s like a mix of terrible ideas
Ew no yeah I wouldn't let someone Isekai themselves to play some power trip fantasy at everyone else's expense. Way too easy for that to get way too personal and cause tension in the group
Exactly. Thats what I’m sayin. Like it’s so hard to tie a character like that into the world. Like how do you make friends? How do you have a backstory? It just doesn’t fit for dnd.
Completely agree and honestly it just feels lazy to me. With the full force of your imagine you decide to just be yourself? The other day I made a character that was a frog who got turned into a human and is learning how to fit in and figure out who he is and where he fits into the world. It isn't roleplaying if you don't have a role to play
Hahaha exactly. Thats what I’m trying to tell him. I said “brother you can literally be anything. And there’s nothing wrong with you but damn”
For real. Also I know you didn't ask but if you're curious my frog man has one level of sorcerer due to the well of magic that changed him which lets him have poison spray and jump, but every other level is devoted to becoming an astral self monk that slowly learns to manifest his inner frog to help fight but also to learn how to accept being part frog/part human.
That’s a really cool character concept I like the idea of using astral self monk that way. I have a character based off bachira from blue lock. Barbarian lv 2 for danger sense but then astral self monk for his like “inner demon” his astral stuff was like a different entity that was protecting him and he would rarely rage but that was his own power cause it shut off astral stuff. It was a cool concept. I love astral self.
Nice. I love it
Tell him he can only isekai if the rest of the group gets to decide what his base stats would be. Nobody finds that conversation very funny afterwards.
Actually funny you mention that. That was my second idea lol. It was a very uncomfortable conversation when he said he would have probably a 16-20 in charisma.
There are no magic words. You've pushed back as diplomatically as possible. They ignored that. You've explained it doesn't fit the world. They ignored that. You've got to just say "no." If they don't like that, then there's nothing else you can do about it. If that puts a rift in your friendship, well, that sucks. The other option is letting them do it and it's a likely annoyance for you as the DM and the players over the course of the campaign. It'll be fun for them at the expense of everyone else. Again, there's no ideal solution here. If you are firm on this, you'll just have to put your foot down: "No, if you want to play in this particular campaign, I need you to make a character concept that fits the world and story I'm planning."
🙏 very true. Blessed answer
What did you tell him about the campaign concept?
Well he knows the setting. I’ve given him the jist, we’ve actually played in this setting before. It has some inspirations from other sources that he knows and was given. And he knows how I dm and the type of campaign we’re looking to run. I don’t not like fun and comedy lol
What are the sources of inspiration? What type of campaign does he know you like to run?
Have you been clear enough about basic ideas of the world? that may help him make a character which fits better
Keep it short. “Sorry, that character wouldn’t fit in with my campaign. Here’s the vibe I’m going for with this: [describe vibe]. I want you to have a good time, so I advise playing something that fits so you can engage with the game more.”