Re: Whats a Munchkin?
 

Your sig line says it all.

Re: Whats a Munchkin?
 

I like the definition I once saw on RPGnet: a munchkin is the kind of roleplayer who, upon being told that the game will focus on political intrigue in fifteenth century Florence, asks to play a ninja.

In short it is a term for a player who doesn't care about the background of the game world or the enjoyment of the other players, only their own childish and tedious power fantasy. This generally involves having an ureasonably overpowered character, because that kind of person generally thinks of 'cool' and 'able to kill everyone I want to' as being closely related.

Re: Whats a Munchkin?
 

What is the opposite of a Munchkin? Is it someone who goes into a dungeon filled with monsters wearing nothing but Bermuda shorts and armed with nothing but his two fists? Is it someone who enjoys creating new characters all the time, and tries using his wits and clever conversation against the monsters when all they want to do is kill him?

Re: Whats a Munchkin?
 

I'm describing the sort of thing that causes my players to complain about someone's being a munchkin. I have never heard any gamer complain that another gamer is an "egoist."

Re: Whats a Munchkin?
 

I knew a guy once in a Champions game who took Quadripalegic as a limitation so he could put more points into his power suit -- which he never took off.

In one game an enemy with reality-warping powers transformed his battle suit into orange jello. That was lovely.

Re: Whats a Munchkin?
 

Nevertheless, the definition you propose doesn't recognize the munchkin's particular pathology being related to acquiring power, particularly with regards to killing ability. If I were to, say, play in a campaign set around Muslim resistance to the Crusades with a character named Fred Flintstone who drank heavily and sang show tunes, it would fit your definition but I doubt most people would call me a munchkin.

Me, I use the "Florentine ninja" definition mentioned upthread. It's funny and reminds me of the classical definition of chutzpa.

Re: Whats a Munchkin?
 

This is the best formal definition I have ever seen of Munchkin, as it concisely addresses the real issue. Munchkinism usually does involve powergaming but that's a symptom not the disease.

Which is why people who min/max their characters in typical D&D games don't draw the term because what they are doing SUITS THE GAME.

As a non formal definition I really like the one Perfect Organism mentioned.

Re: Whats a Munchkin?
 

Alright, but what did you expect?

"Well, I suppose I'll take off my suit and . . . er . . . lay here on the floor for a while, guys. Yeah, that's the ticket. Can you send someone back in about 20 minutes to help me put it back on?"

If I were quadruplegic and had a power suit that helped me walk, I certainly would not remove it during an adventure unless forced to. I don't see that this is an example of munchkinism.

Re: Whats a Munchkin?
 

The beauty of GURPS he would have Quadriplegic (Mitigated by Powersuit)...

Re: Whats a Munchkin?
 

Sure it is. Although he was paraplegic rather than quadruplegic, the main character of the series M.A.N.T.I.S. *often* was out of his power suit.

A disadvantage that does not disadvantage the character isn't a disadvantage.