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What is Munchkin?


name_tamer

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Re: What is Munchkin?

 

The type of person who would describe their character from a D&D game by listing class and equipment' date=' and then when asked to describe the personality of the character goes "Um, well..." because that's not a detail that occured to them as important.[/quote']

 

I've had the opposite problem at times . . . I enthusiastically discuss my ideas for the character's backstory and such with the GM, then arrive at the game and pass notes to continue that discussion, then we get to actual play and I discover I don't have an actual, you know, character ;)

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Re: What is Munchkin?

 

REAL MEN, REAL ROLEPLAYERS, LOONIES AND MUNCHKINS

By Jeff Okamoto, Sandy Petersen, and lots of others

 

The whole thing started around 1983 or so at a party at Pacificon at the Dunfey

Hotel in San Mateo in which the idea came up of classifying the different styles

of roleplaying. They came up with four different types, which are explained

below. Special credit goes to Perry Caro, Chris Guthrie, Rick Heli, Robert

Allen, and Ken Kaufman, to name a few.

 

The Real Man:

The tough macho type who walks up to the attacking dragon and tells him to

leave before he gets hurt.

 

The Real Roleplayer:

The intelligent cunning guy who tricks the constable into letting you all out

of prison.

 

The Loonie:

The guy who will do anything for a cheap laugh, including casting a fireball at

ground zero.

 

The Munchkin:

Need we say more?

 

 

=== PLAYER RELATIONSHIPS ===

 

REAL MEN:

*Real Men* think they're brothers in arms.

*Real Roleplayers* hide behind them.

*Loonies* harass them with stupid suggestions.

*Munchkins* say "I'm a Real Man, too!"

 

REAL ROLEPLAYERS:

*Real Men* protect them, on the off chance they may come up with something

useful.

*Real Roleplayers* sigh with relief to know they're not alone, and then get

their characters involved in love affairs and death feuds.

*Loonies* harass them with stupid suggestions.

*Munchkins* say "I'm a Real Roleplayer, too!"

 

LOONIES:

*Real Men* ignore them.

*Real Roleplayers* sometimes harass them back by taking a stupid suggestion and

making it work.

*Loonies* declare a pie fight at 20 paces . . . and cheat.

*Munchkins* try to imitate the jokes, and fall flat.

 

MUNCHKINS:

*Real Men* attack them on sight.

*Real Roleplayers* trick them into being cannon fodder.

*Loonies* make reasonable-sounding suggestions that will get the Munchkin

killed in an amusing way.

*Munchkins* query, "What's a Munchkin?"

 

=== GENERIC ===

 

Favorite FRPG:

*Real Men* play AD&D

*Real Roleplayers* play RuneQuest III

*Loonies* play Toon

*Munchkins* play anything by TSR

 

Favorite SFRPG:

*Real Men* play Star Trek: The Roleplaying Game

*Real Roleplayers* play Space Opera

*Loonies* play a variant Spawn of Fashan

*Munchkins* play anything by TSR

 

Favorite 1920's RPG:

*Real Men* play Gangbusters

*Real Roleplayers* play Call of Cthulhu

*Loonies* play a very variant Spawn of Fashan

*Munchkins* play anything by TSR

 

Favorite SHRPG:

*Real Men* play Champions

*Real Roleplayers* play Superworld

*Loonies* play an extremely variant Spawn of Fashan

*Munchkins* play anything by TSR

 

Favorite modern day/spy RPG:

*Real Men* play James Bond, 007

*Real Roleplayers* play Justice, Inc.

*Loonies* play an unrecognizable variant Spawn of Fashan

*Munchkins* play anything by TSR

 

Favorite Post-Holocaust RPG:

*Real Men* play Twilight 2000

*Real Roleplayers* play The Morrow Project

*Loonies* play an extremely unrecognizable variant of Spawn of Fashan

*Munchkins* play anything by TSR

 

Favorite King Arthurian RPG:

*Real Men* play Chivalry and Sorcery

*Real Roleplayers* play Pendragon

*Loonies* play a variant of Spawn of Fashan so variant it shouldn't be called

Spawn of Fashan anymore

*Munchkins* play anything by TSR

 

Favorite World/Setting:

*Real Men* play in Greyhawk/Sanctuary

*Real Roleplayers* play in Glorantha

*Loonies* play in Southern California

*Munchkins* play wherever has the most magic items

 

Favorite Gaming Magazine:

*Real Men* read The General

*Real Roleplayers* read White Dwarf

*Loonies* read the last few pages of Dragon/comic books

*Munchkins* read anything by TSR

 

=== FANTASY ===

 

Favorite Dungeon Activity

*Real Men* fight Red Dragons

*Real Roleplayers* bluff the Ogres

*Loonies* tell dirty jokes to Green Slime

*Munchkins* do whatever gives the most experience/rip each other off

 

Favorite Melee Weapon:

*Real Men* use Broadswords/Bastard Swords/Pole Axes

*Real Roleplayers* use Rapiers and Main-Gauches

*Loonies* use Stage Knives

*Munchkins* use whatever gives the most plusses

 

Favorite Thrown Weapon:

*Real Men* throw Spears/Javelins

*Real Roleplayers* throw Bolas

*Loonies* throw their friends' magic items

*Munchkins* throw whatever gives the most plusses

 

Favorite Missile Weapon:

*Real Men* shoot Long Bows/Composite Bows

*Real Roleplayers* shoot Crossbows

*Loonies* shoot Catapults loaded with offal

*Munchkins* shoot whatever gives the most plusses

 

Favorite Improvised Weapon in Barroom Brawl:

*Real Men* use bare hands/tables

*Real Roleplayers* use chairs, chair legs or pokers

*Loonies* use plastic Pepsi bottles or toothpaste

*Munchkins* use, you guessed it, whatever gives the most plusses

 

Favorite Improvised Thrown Weapons:

*Real Men* throw Munchkins (can you blame them?)

*Real Roleplayers* throw beer mugs, pool balls and rocks

*Loonies* throw Nerf frisbees

*Munchkins* are too busy running from the Real Men/Whatever gives the most

plusses

 

Favorite AD&D Spell:

*Real Men* cast Fireballs

*Real Roleplayers* cast Find the Path

*Loonies* cast Otto's Irresistible Nose-Picking

*Munchkins* cast Smite Ruler and Transfer Loyalty of Populace

 

Favorite RQ3 Spirit Spell:

*Real Men* cast Bladesharp 10 on their swords

*Real Roleplayers* cast Demoralize on their foes

*Loonies* cast Befuddle on their friends

*Munchkins* cast Fireball

 

Favorite RQ3 Sorcery Spell:

*Real Men* cast Dominate Human on others

*Real Roleplayers* cast Damage Resistance on their familiars/themselves

*Loonies* cast Dominate Human on themselves

*Munchkins* cast Meteor Swarm

 

Favorite RQ3 Divine Spell:

*Real Men* cast Berserker on themselves

*Real Roleplayers* cast Heal Body

*Loonies* cast Face Chaos on the Crimson Bat

*Munchkins* cast Timestop

 

Favorite GURPS Magic Spell:

*Real Men* don't use magic, but they'll let the mage cast Hawk Flight on them

so they can pursue the foe

*Real Roleplayers* cast Lend Language on the strangers they meet

*Loonies* cast Mystic Mist in the town square

*Munchkins* cast Enslave on the city guard

 

Favorite AD&D Psionic Ability:

*Real Men* use Body Weaponry

*Real Roleplayers* use Shape Alteration

*Loonies* use Sea Anemone Hypnosis

*Munchkins* use Assume Godhood

 

Favorite Alignment:

*Real Men* are Lawful Good

*Real Roleplayers* don't use alignment

*Loonies* are Amoral Silly

*Munchkins* are whatever gives the most plusses

 

Favorite Religious-type Character:

*Real Men* play Paladins

*Real Roleplayers* play Clerics

*Loonies* play street preachers

*Munchkins* play Demigods

 

Favorite Non-Human PC:

*Real Men* play Dwarfs

*Real Roleplayers* play Morokanths

*Loonies* play a Dwarf-Elf halfbreed

*Munchkins* play whatever gives the most plusses/Demi-gods

 

Favorite Undead to Summon:

*Real Men* summon Ghosts

*Real Roleplayers* summon Wraiths

*Loonies* send in an AD&D troll wearing a sheet

*Munchkins* summon Cerberus

 

Favorite Way of Extracting Information from the Goblins:

*Real Men* torture them

*Real Roleplayers* cast Legend Lore/Telepathy/Mind Read

*Loonies* tell puns to them

*Munchkins* peek behind the GM's shield

 

Favorite Demon/Devil:

*Real Men* like Asmodeus

*Real Roleplayers* like Cacodemon

*Loonies* like Spiro Agnew

*Munchkins* like Satan's grandfather

 

Favorite God:

*Real Men* worship Humakt/Orlanth

*Real Roleplayers* worship Issaries/Lhankor Mhy

*Loonies* worship Hare Krishna

*Munchkins* worship whoever gives the most plusses

 

Favorite Miscellaneous Magic Item:

*Real Men* love Adamantine Claws

*Real Roleplayers* love Repulsor Rays

*Loonies* love Radioactive Teeth/+3 Kleenex

*Munchkins* love Uru's Hammer

 

Favorite Potion:

*Real Men* drink potions of Superheroism

*Real Roleplayers* drink potions of Animal/Plant Control

*Loonies* drink potions of Jell-O

*Munchkins* drink potions of Deity Control

 

Favorite Ring:

*Real Men* wear rings of Elemental Control

*Real Roleplayers* wear rings of Free Action

*Loonies* wear rings of Smurf Control

*Munchkins* wear rings of Infinite Wishes/the One Ring

 

Favorite Stick (Rod/Staff/Wand):

*Real Men* wield staves of Striking

*Real Roleplayers* wield wands of Healing

*Loonies* wield rods of styrofoam

*Munchkins* wield staves of Deity Power

 

Favorite Armor:

*Real Men* wear Plate Mail

*Real Roleplayers* wear Elven Chainmail

*Loonies* wear Horse Barding

*Munchkins* wear powered armor a la Starship Troopers

 

Favorite Helm:

*Real Men* wear a Helm of Brilliance

*Real Roleplayers* wear a Helm of Telepathy

*Loonies* wear a Helm of Blindness (``Works great against medusas'')

*Munchkins* wear a Helm of 360-Degree Vision with Force Field

 

Favorite Shield:

*Real Men* don't use shields (can't wield a two-handed weapon)

*Real Roleplayers* use a Kite Shield

*Loonies* use a panty shield

*Munchkins* don't get the previous joke/use a Shield of Automatic Parry

 

Favorite Glove/Gauntlet:

*Real Men* fight bare-handed

*Real Roleplayers* wear Gloves of Dexterity

*Loonies* wear THE Glove of Michael Jackson Charisma

*Munchkins* wear Gauntlets of Infinite Ring-Wearing

 

Favorite Footwear:

*Real Men* wear Seven League Boots

*Real Roleplayers* wear Boots of Stealth

*Loonies* wear house slippers

*Munchkins* wear Boots of Infinite Speed

 

Favorite Mount:

*Real Men* ride heavy war horses

*Real Roleplayers* ride palfreys

*Loonies* ride sheep

*Munchkins* ride heavy war tyrannosauri

 

Favorite NPC:

*Real Men* like Tarl Cabot

*Real Roleplayers* like Medea

*Loonies* like Doctor Who

*Munchkins* like Darth Vader/Teela Brown

 

Favorite Animal to use as a Familiar:

*Real Men* have Black Cats

*Real Roleplayers* have Owls

*Loonies* have Slugs

*Munchkins* have whatever gives the most plusses/Ancient Red Dragons

 

Favorite Kind of Elf:

*Real Men* like the Pinis' elves

*Real Roleplayers* like Tolkien's elves

*Loonies* like Santa's elves

*Munchkins* like Storm Giants with pointed ears

 

Favorite Kind of Dwarf:

*Real Men* like Tolkien's Dwarfs

*Real Roleplayers* like Glorantha's Dwarfs

*Loonies* like the Seven Dwarfs

*Munchkins* like Earth Elementals with beards

 

Favorite Food to take on Expeditions:

*Real Men* bring along burgers, fries, milkshakes, and pizza

*Real Roleplayers* bring along iron rations

*Loonies* bring along Froot Loops/aluminum rations

*Munchkins* bring along whatever gives the most plusses

 

Favorite Fantasy Author:

*Real Men* read J.R.R. Tolkien ``Lord of the Rings''

*Real Roleplayers* read Robert Asprin's ``Thieves' World'' series

*Loonies* read Robert Asprin's ``Myth'' series

*Munchkins* read E. Gary Gygax

 

When they encounter a sleeping dragon:

*Real Men* wake it up and THEN attack it.

*Real Roleplayers* sneak away quietly.

*Loonies* tie its shoelaces together.

*Munchkins* have their 34th-level thief backstab it with their +17 Sword of

Slay Anything, and then put all its treasure in one backpack and run away.

 

Favorite Town Activity:

*Real Men* drink ale in the tavern and start bar fights.

*Real Roleplayers* drink wine in the tavern and talk to everyone.

*Loonies* order watermelon daquiris and start food fights.

*Munchkins* say ``What's a town?''

 

=== SCIENCE FICTION ===

 

Favorite Science Fiction Weapon:

*Real Men* use Laser Pistols/Blasters/Light Sabers

*Real Roleplayers* use Stun Guns/Tanglers

*Loonies* use Thermonuclear Hand Grenades/Tripod Flamers

*Munchkins* use whatever gives the most plusses

 

Favorite Method of Handling Alien Monster:

*Real Men* drive off the Bug-Eyed Monsters invading the Earth

*Real Roleplayers* negotiate with the refugees from the evil Empire

*Loonies* hitch a ride with Vogons

*Munchkins* invade the BEMs' home planet and enslave them all

 

Favorite Science Fiction Movie:

*Real Men* watch the Star Wars films

*Real Roleplayers* watch ``2001: A Space Odyssey/2010: Odyssey Two''

*Loonies* watch ``The Three Stooges Go To Mars''

*Munchkins* watch the Star Trek films

 

Favorite Method of Space Travel:

*Real Men* use Hyperspace/Warp Drive

*Real Roleplayers* use suspended animation

*Loonies* use the Infinite Improbability Drive

*Munchkins* push the button and it goes

 

Favorite Star to Put a Colony Around:

*Real Men* colonize Beta Lyrae

*Real Roleplayers* colonize Alpha Centauri

*Loonies* colonize Cygnus X-1

*Munchkins* colonize wherever gives the most plusses

 

Favorite Science Fiction Author:

*Real Men* read Isaac Asimov

*Real Roleplayers* read Arthur C. Clarke

*Loonies* read Bored of the Rings/Doon/Hitchhiker

*Munchkins* read E. Gary Gygax

 

Favorite Monster:

*Real Men* like the Alien

*Real Roleplayers* like the Moties

*Loonies* like the beach ball from Dark Star

*Munchkins* like E.T.

 

Favorite Variant Human:

*Real Men* play Heavy Worlders

*Real Roleplayers* play Light Worlders/Spacers

*Loonies* play Sex Androids

*Munchkins* play Enhanced Humans with all the advantages

 

=== MISCELLANEOUS ===

 

Favorite Bar to Hang Out In:

*Real Men* hang out at the Vulgar Unicorn

*Real Roleplayers* hang out at the White Hart

*Loonies* hang out at the Big Bang Burger Bar/Restaurant at the End of the

Universe

*Munchkins* hang out wherever they don't get carded

 

Favorite Superhero:

*Real Men* like Batman (The Dark Knight)

*Real Roleplayers* like Jericho

*Loonies* like Bat-Mite/Flaming Carrot/Cutey Bunny

*Munchkins* like Galactus

 

Favorite Modern weapon:

*Real Men* use .44 Magnums

*Real Roleplayers* use Walther PPKs

*Loonies* use water pistols

*Munchkins* use Infinite-Repeating Uzis

 

Favorite Actor:

*Real Men* like John Wayne

*Real Roleplayers* like Claus Kinski

*Loonies* like Curly

*Munchkins* watch Saturday-morning cartoons

 

Favorite Actress:

*Real Men* like Raquel Welch

*Real Roleplayers* like Adrienne Barbeau

*Loonies* like Phyllis Diller

*Munchkins* are far too young to know about Sex

 

Favorite Actor to play James Bond:

*Real Men* like Sean Connery

*Real Roleplayers* like George Lazenby

*Loonies* like David Niven

*Munchkins* like Roger Moore

 

Favorite Card Game:

*Real Men* play Gin

*Real Roleplayers* play Bridge

*Loonies* play Fizzbin/Fungus and Fruitbats

*Munchkins* cheat at Poker

 

Favorite Music:

*Real Men* listen to Bruce Springsteen

*Real Roleplayers* listen to 14th-century madrigals

*Loonies* listen to Weird Al Yankovic

*Munchkins* watch MTV

 

Favorite Magazine:

*Real Men* read Soldier of Fortune and argue about whether the ads are real.

*Real Roleplayers* read the Journal of Abnormal Psychology and argue about the

point value of disadvantages.

*Loonies* read National Lampoon and bitch about how it's gone downhill.

*Munchkins* read comic books and argue about whether Spider-Man should have

married MJ.

 

Favorite Convention Activity:

*Real Men* ``Do the Dealer's Room''/hang out in the con suite

*Real Roleplayers* go to seminars/hide in their rooms and play games

*Loonies* play video games/do hoax zines

*Munchkins* run and shout and cut in lines

 

Favorite Gaming Awards:

*Real Men* vote for the (new) Charles Roberts awards from 3W

*Real Roleplayers* vote for the Origins Awards

*Loonies* come in at the end of the Origins ceremony to vote on the Silver

Hatchets

*Munchkins* vote for the Strategists Club awards

 

Favorite Type of Dice:

*Real Men* like 20-siders

*Real Roleplayers* use three 6-siders

*Loonies* use 30-sided for everything

*Munchkins* have them all, and like to roll as many as possible

 

=== CALL OF CTHULHU ===

 

Favorite Spell:

*Real Men* don't believe in magic

*Real Roleplayers* cast Elder Sign

*Loonies* cast Summon Smurf

*Munchkins* cast Control Cthulhu

 

Favorite Monster:

*Real Men* like Deep Ones

*Real Roleplayers* don't like any of them

*Loonies* like Masters of the Universe Slime

*Munchkins* like Azathoth

 

Favorite Type of Character to Play:

*Real Men* play Private Investigators

*Real Roleplayers* play Professors of Ancient Egyptian Archaeology

*Loonies* play Red Indian Sex Maniacs

*Munchkins* play Magic-Users

 

===PARANOIA===

 

Capsule Opinion:

*Real Men* think the weapons are OK, but hate the background.

*Real Roleplayers* think the campaigns are too short.

*Loonies* think the game isn't funny enough.

*Munchkins* don't think the game is supposed to be funny.

 

Favorite Service Group:

*Real Men* like Armed Forces.

*Real Roleplayers* like Tech Services and CPU.

*Loonies* like R&D.

*Munchkins* like IntSec.

 

Favorite Secret Society:

*Real Men* like Anti-Mutant, Frankenstein Destroyers, and PURGE.

*Real Roleplayers* like Free Enterprise and Sierra Club.

*Loonies* like Corpore Metal, Death Leopard, and Mystics.

*Munchkins* like Psion.

 

Favorite Mutant Power:

*Real Men* like Adrenalin Control.

*Real Roleplayers* like Hypersenses.

*Loonies* like Project Total Chaos.

*Munchkins* like characters with the works.

 

Favorite Weapon:

*Real Men* like cone rifles.

*Real Roleplayers* like laser pistols.

*Loonies* like chainsaws and anything from R&D.

*Munchkins* like Plasma Generators.

 

Favorite Target:

*Real Men* shoot Commie Mutant Traitors.

*Real Roleplayers* shoot the Munchkins' characters.

*Loonies* shoot anything fragile-looking.

*Munchkins* shoot anything in sight, starting with the other PCs.

 

Favorite Mission:

*Real Men* like to hunt down Commie Mutant Traitors.

*Real Roleplayers* like to try to survive the briefing.

*Loonies* like to place themselves under surveillance and report hourly.

*Munchkins* like to attack a rival Alpha Complex.

 

=== TFOS ===

 

Capsule Opinion:

*Real Men* can't understand the game at all.

*Real Roleplayers* think the game is silly.

*Loonies* think the game is about them.

*Munchkins* want to play their 700-point Champions character.

 

Favorite Character Type:

*Real Men* play Near Humans.

*Real Roleplayers* play Humans.

*Loonies* play green fuzzy blobs that drip slime.

*Munchkins* play Deities.

 

Favorite Powers:

*Real Men* have Superspeed, Monster Out, and Superstrength

*Real Roleplayers* have Teleport, Deep Freeze, and Talk to Aliens.

*Loonies* have Bounce, Summon Pizza, and Telephone.

*Munchkins* have all of them.

 

Favorite Knacks:

*Real Men* like Shoot Big Raygun and Flying Saucer Piloting.

*Real Roleplayers* like Figure Things Out and Look Cool in Shades.

*Loonies* like Weird Science and Eat Anything.

*Munchkins* like Do Anything I Want.

 

Favorite Weapon:

*Real Men* like Zap Guns.

*Real Roleplayers* like Duplicator Guns.

*Loonies* like Goop Guns and Boy/Girl Guns.

*Munchkins* like AT-AT Walkers.

 

Favorite Transportation:

*Real Men* use flying saucers.

*Real Roleplayers* use the Number 42 Crosstown Expedience Route.

*Loonies* use Rocket Sneakers.

*Munchkins* use Battlestars.

 

=== CHAMPIONS ===

 

Capsule Opinion:

*Real Men* think this is how the world *should* be.

*Real Roleplayers* think there's too much combat.

*Loonies* think it's a great system for simulating reality.

*Munchkins* think starting characters don't have enough points.

 

Favorite Character Type:

*Real Men* like Bricks.

*Real Roleplayers* like Mentalists.

*Loonies* like Cream-Puff Projectors.

*Munchkins* like visiting Gods.

 

Favorite Power:

*Real Men* like Damage Resistance.

*Real Roleplayers* like Telepathy.

*Loonies* like Instant Change with the advantage Usable on Others.

*Munchkins* like Autofire Find Weakness.

 

Favorite Attribute:

*Real Men* like Strength.

*Real Roleplayers* like Ego.

*Loonies* like Comeliness.

*Munchkins* like Speed.

 

Favorite Disadvantage:

*Real Men* like Berserk.

*Real Roleplayers* like Psychological Limitations.

*Loonies* like Dependency on Spinach Egg Noodles.

*Munchkins* like Unusual Looks.

 

Favorite Power Limitation:

*Real Men* like Always On.

*Real Roleplayers* like Limited Uses.

*Loonies* like Activation on 8-.

*Munchkins* like Focus and Multipower.

 

Tactics in Hostage Situations:

*Real Men* demonstrate what'll happen to villians who injure hostages.

*Real Roleplayers* create an illusion of the hostages getting away.

*Loonies* taunt the villians.

*Munchkins* waste the villians with their 10d6 Autofire Armor-Piercing Ranged

Killing Attack, and use Regeneration Usable on Others to heal the injured

bystanders.

 

=== FANTASY HERO ===

 

Capsule Opinion:

*Real Men* like how expensive magic is.

*Real Roleplayers* don't like how expensive magic is.

*Loonies* like the bizzare disadvantages you can create.

*Munchkins* like the crossover from Champions.

 

Character Type:

*Real Men* play Dwarven Knights.

*Real Roleplayers* play Elven Mages.

*Loonies* play Halfling Knights.

*Munchkins* play their Champions characters.

 

Favorite Spell Limitations:

*Real Men* wish there weren't any, so magic would be even more expensive.

*Real Roleplayers* like Gestures, Incantation, and Concentrate.

*Loonies* like Side Effects.

*Munchkins* use the Champions rules.

 

Favorite Spells:

*Real Men* like any kind of magic greatsword.

*Real Roleplayers* like Percieve and Illusions.

*Loonies* like Dominate usable on Self Only.

*Munchkins* like Blast, Variable Advantage, Reduced END to zero.

 

=== GURPS ===

 

Capsule Opinion:

*Real Men* think there aren't enough combats.

*Real Roleplayers* think there aren't enough supplements.

*Loonies* think there aren't enough disadvantages.

*Munchkins* think there aren't enough hit points.

 

Favorite Advantages:

*Real Men* like Combat Reflexes, Strong Will, High Pain Threshold and

Toughness.

*Real Roleplayers* like Charisma, Danger Sense, Empathy, Literacy and Voice.

*Loonies* like Luck, Absolute Timing and Unusual Background.

*Munchkins* like Magery 3, Patron (Superman), and PK (80).

 

Favorite Disadvantages:

*Real Men* like Gigantism and Berserk

*Real Roleplayers* like Sense of Duty and Poverty

*Loonies* like Severe Delusions, Severe Phobias, Split Personality, Total

Pacifism and Berserk - all at the same time.

*Munchkins* like Enemies and Dependents (for the points).

 

Favorite Skills:

*Real Men* like Brawling, Two-Handed Sword, Broadsword and Shield.

*Real Roleplayers* like Acting, Bard, Detect Lies, Diplomacy, Fast-Talk,

Merchant, Savoir-Faire and Streetwise.

*Loonies* like to use ALL skills at a default level of 5.

*Munchkins* like Fast-Talk GM and Whine.

 

Favorite Combat Spell:

*Real Men* don't use magic.

*Real Roleplayers* cast Blur and Flash.

*Loonies* cast Create Object (cream pies) and throw them.

*Munchkins* cast Armor, Shield, Invisibility and Deathtouch.

 

Favorite Non-Combat Spell:

*Real Men* still don't use magic.

*Real Roleplayers* cast Major Healing.

*Loonies* cast Drunkenness on the other PCs.

*Munchkins* cast Linking spells on everything they own.

 

Favorite Supplement:

*Real Men* like Horseclans and Ice Age.

*Real Roleplayers* like Space, Horror and Japan.

*Loonies* like Toon.

*Munchkins* like Fantasy, Horror and Autoduel - in the same game.

 

Supplement Most Wanted:

*Real Men* want Wild West and World War II.

*Real Roleplayers* want Illuminati.

*Loonies* want Pet Rocks/Creeks & Crawdads.

*Munchkins* want Supers and Mecha, to add to their Fantasy/Horror/Autoduel

game.

 

FAVORITE ATTACK STYLE:

 

*Real Men* shout warcry, and wade into battle.

*Real Roleplayers* parry and counterattack; protect comrade's backs.

*Loonies* throw sword at opponent, then attack with scabbard and lunchbox.

*Munchkins*: leap in with secret 'twisted lotus' ninja decapitation strike.

 

FAVORITE WAY TO DIE:

 

*Real Men*: in battle, with boots on, going down swinging.

*Real Roleplayers*: on deathbead, after lengthy dramatic farewell speech.

*Loonies*: laughing while jumping into a portable hole, and carrying a bag of

holding.

*Munchkins*: die? You're kidding, right?

 

RESIDENCE:

 

*Real Men*: wherever he hangs up his two-hander

*Real Roleplayers*: Elsinor

*Loonies*: Toontown

*Munchkins*: Valhalla (after kicking out previous occupants)

 

DEALING WITH A DRAGON:

 

*Real Men* slay it. Preferably alone and with bare hands. (is this a trick

question or what?)

*Real Roleplayers* con it out of all its treasure, leaving the dragon (and the

GM) thinking it got the better deal.

*Loonies* summon the Sta-Puft marshmallow man.

*Munchkins* kill it, make armor out of the hide, and then resurrect it as a

familiar.

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Re: What is Munchkin?

 

I feel qualified to answer this one. Munchkin is a term that at least in my experience is applied to broken characters that abuse the rules and those that play them (munchkins). The vast majority of my characters fall into this category, then again my Gm is a stealth munchkin too; i think all Gms have to be to a certain degree sometimes. That said 'Munchkin' is not the same as 'bad roleplayer' and the term is often merely something hurled around as abuse (and more often than not wrongly) by people discontent with the game they are in looking for an outlet or those simply lacking a little experience based judgement.

 

Thats probably over 100 words and might re-iterate the opinions of others but what the hell...

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Re: What is Munchkin?

 

Well, it varies by person, but my definition of munchkin truly requires only two words:

 

A cheater.

 

Munchkinism, to me, is breaking the rules, like combining a Focus and Hero ID, or taking a limitation that isn't a limitation or a Disad that isn't a Disad at full value (No Legs for 20pts when you can fly), or things like trying to get more points for 'No hands' by taking it 'per finger'.

 

NOT synonymous with powergamer or min/maxxer.

 

I've wondered about this. Why (except for balance issues) can't you have OIHID and a Focus? For instance, a sword that I can only use when in Hero mode?

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Re: What is Munchkin?

 

I've wondered about this. Why (except for balance issues) can't you have OIHID and a Focus? For instance' date=' a sword that I can only use when in Hero mode?[/quote']I think this reference is not for weapons as much as for armor and/or powersuits.

 

Though, for weapons, a munchkin might try "Ok, he took my weapon away, I want to instant-change into my non-hero form this phase so my weapon will disappear, and do a half-move away. On my next phase, I will change back into hero form so I will have my weapon again."

 

Other things a munchkin will also do:

 

Try to build weapons as OAF and Restrainable at the same time. When you point out that's an illegal build (and FREd says so), he'll say "OK, you just have a different interpretation of the rules."

 

Create a VPP and put limitation on the powers, instead of the VPP, which don't limit the power since it can be changed easily.

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Re: What is Munchkin?

 

I think this reference is not for weapons as much as for armor and/or powersuits.

 

I was trying to build a character who turned into the Nike of Samothrace in the Louvre (plus head), that is, turned into a giant stone Goddess of Victory, who once changed had a sword that could be taken from her. It seemed that OIHID and a Focus would be the best way to do this, but as far as I could tell this would be illegal according to the rules. 'Twas a bummer.

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Re: What is Munchkin?

 

Can you have an OIHID that somehow IS a focus? I was thinking of G-Force, where they need their bracelets to change into their Hero ID uniforms.

 

And on the actual topic: I always figured a munchkin tended towards powergaming but made it more annoying by having a childish (in the bad way, ie temper tantrums) attitude and a propensity for having his own fun at the expense of everyone else's.

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Re: What is Munchkin?

 

Can you have an OIHID that somehow IS a focus? I was thinking of G-Force, where they need their bracelets to change into their Hero ID uniforms.

 

 

Well if the bracelets could be removed, then it wasn't an OIHID. It was just a IIF which included Instant Change. If they couldn't, then it wasn't a focus.

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Re: What is Munchkin?

 

Can you have an OIHID that somehow IS a focus? I was thinking of G-Force' date=' where they need their bracelets to change into their Hero ID uniforms.[/quote']In this particular instance, the bracelets wouldn't be OIHID, since they are available both in Hero form and Normal form. I don't know much about G-Force, but just from what you posted here, I'd say the bracelets would be a focus/foci that would have the Instant Change power. Then the characters powers could be OIHID, but there'd have to be a reasonable method of the characters going from Hero to Normal (K.O., braceletes removed in combat or after), otherwise it wouldn't be limiting the characters.

 

I pulled out my Enemies for Hire book (preFREd) and looked up "Ack Ack" McClearly who has his Battle Armor in OIHID. Enemies for Hire had a nice addition with Role-Man, Game Mechanic and Story Teller for some of the entries to explain different points of view. For "Ack Ack," Role-Man and Game Mechanic were used.

 

The following is from Enemies for Hire, pg. 7:

 

Role-Man: Sometimes the "Only In Hero ID" Limitation better represents the special effect behind powers in a battlesuit. When compared to an "Inobvious Inaccessible Focus," this variation reduces accessibility to be more obvious. Another way to look at this is an "Obvious Inaccessible Focus" which takes longer to remove from the character.

 

Game Mechanic: The "Only in Hero ID" Limitation (OIHID) can be used to represent a focus which is rarely taken away from the character... that's straight from the rules. When you buy a suit of armor this way, it doesn't mean there's never any penalty; if there wasn't, OIHID wouldn't be a Limitation. This is really a larger issue. Battlesuit characters who take a focus, or focus-like Limitation on many of their powers, then remain impenetrably buttoned up inside their armor, are hardly limited.

 

OIHID should never be combined with any of the focus Limitatons. OIHID is, essentially, a subset of the focus and characters can't take the OIF and OAF on the same power.

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Re: What is Munchkin?

 

wouldn't it be easier to use a multiform for your stone goddess kirby and then buy the sword with a focus for goddess form .
I don't have a stone goddess; that's Vestnik. ;) Though, if you're referring to me as a stone goddess, I'd prefer the masculine form, since I'm a male. :D
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Re: What is Munchkin?

 

Well if the bracelets could be removed' date=' then it wasn't an OIHID. It was just a IIF which included Instant Change. If they couldn't, then it wasn't a focus.[/quote']

 

Activating a bracelet is a perfectly acceptable form of OIHID. In fact I know of at least a few posters around here who require a physical object to be the trigger for OIHID as the discussion has come up before.

 

The bracelet doesn't get the Focus Limitation but it can be removed from your person preventing your changing as a plot device.

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Re: What is Munchkin?

 

In this particular instance, the bracelets wouldn't be OIHID, since they are available both in Hero form and Normal form. I don't know much about G-Force, but just from what you posted here, I'd say the bracelets would be a focus/foci that would have the Instant Change power. Then the characters powers could be OIHID, but there'd have to be a reasonable method of the characters going from Hero to Normal (K.O., braceletes removed in combat or after), otherwise it wouldn't be limiting the characters.

 

Interestingly, the show never showed how the heroes themselves turned off the transformation, but the villain, after finding a piece of one hero's "civvies" and discovering that it in fact did turn into part of her uniform, came up with a device to forcibly transform them back!

 

There was also an episode of the show where one member of the team lost his bracelet and didn't know it until he tried to transform.

 

It sorta-kinda feels like OIHID since the transformation usually involves an verbal activation ("Bird Go!" or "Transmute!" for those of us who remember Battle of the Planets), and probably could be treated as such for most game situations.

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Re: What is Munchkin?

 

I've had the opposite problem at times . . . I enthusiastically discuss my ideas for the character's backstory and such with the GM' date=' then arrive at the game and pass notes to continue that discussion, then we get to actual play and I discover I don't have an actual, you know, [b']character[/b] ;)

*chuckles* I've done that myself.

 

Actually, one of the things I tend to run into, myself, is woefully *under* powered characters. Maybe I just don't cram enough questionable limitations in... maybe I'm too fond of advantages that don't work out to be as valuable (1 1/2x KB isn't work as much as AP, after all), maybe I just don't 'build' right... *shrugs*

 

On the other hand, I've got character stories and concepts that sometimes intimidate GM's because I actually bothered to put effort into it. Go fig.

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