Stray Thoughts on Herding Stray Cats - or - Thoughts on Returning the MMO Player to the Tabletop RPG

When I ran the Swords & Wizardry session a week and a half ago for my two players, both were lapsed gamers that were coming from MMO's like Everquest and Star Wars.

My Elvin Ranger was the one stuck for the longest in MMO mode.

He wanted to be "DPS" and do damage from afar. I reminded him that with 2 HD at first level, he had twice the HP of the cleric and did better damage in melee too. Besides, with a 2 person party, everyone is on the front line, not to mention the danger of shooting your fellow playing in the back with your stray shots.

He then wanted to lay a snare trap in the dungeon. Sigh

Now, in every MMO I've played with this player, from EQ2 to Warhammer to Star Wars and in between, he's always played an Elvin Ranger (of the closest facsimile) - I just didn't think he would try to carry over the MMO gameplay and tactics to the tabletop. Maybe I should have tried 4e with them ;)

In the end it all worked out - they both had fun and want more, and the ranger in question started to understand the differences in gameplay with the change in the medium.

Of course, for the next session, we're moving to Crypts & Things, which should stir up even more questions and issues, but if you aren't being asked questions, are you truly gaming?