Players are a Fickle Lot

Today I wanted to talk a little bit about an issue that I have experienced from both sides of the table. I am a very skilled GM, but it is no secret that as a player I leave much to be desired. Part of the reason for that is that as a player I am very fickle. While it is my opinion that the reason for this is that I get to play so rarely, the fact remains that I can switch characters as the drop of a hat. I would consider this a great personal failing, if not for the fact that I have seen it in almost all of the people I have gamed with to a greater or lesser extent.

All gamers are by nature, creative people and that creativity can be hard to keep steady sometimes. Whether it is due to a player wanting to try out the mechanics of new classes, or one that gets interested in some facet of the game world that their character doesn't have anything to do with; eventually all GMs will have to deal with players wanting to change characters.

Now this doesn't necessarily mean that there is anything wrong with the game you are running, but you need to figure out how to deal with it. Most GMs, including your truly, feel that the players should have the right to play whatever character they want to. However, I recognize that changing characters, particularly when it becomes excessive, can have a huge effect on the game. My general thoughts on it are to allow the players to change characters, but to tell them not to be suprised if the plot tends to follow the more stable characters. This is simply to allow the GM to have some stability in his ability to plan, and should be expected by any reasonable player.

On the other hand, even with the plot following the "stable" players, this can be a problem for the GM. When it becomes so, the GM needs to recognize this and be willing to cut his losses. The purpose of the game is for everyone, including the GM, to have fun and it is his responsibility to make sure that this happens. In my opinion it is better to let a campaign end than to keep playing one that is not being fun, whether to the GM or the players.