What is “munchkinism?” What does the Wizard of Oz have to do with *D&D?
Munchkinism is often confused with Monty Haul gaming in that both involve incredibly high power levels with a minimum of risk involved. However, where Monty Haul is usually the fault of the GM, munchkinism is usually the demesne of players, although one can encourage the other. Munchkin players often view the game as a contest which can be won, and done with a minimum of struggle and uncertainty. The player is winning when he defeats everything the DM throws at the character, and does it without breaking a sweat. Thus, having a character who can deal out large amounts of damage every round is more pleasurable, as it gives the player a better chance of “winning.” Some DM’s foster this “them vs. me” type of atmosphere (especially Monty Haul DM’s), but it is usually not the DM’s fault. Well, it somewhat is, as the DM has to allow the character in the first place, but it is the player who has the real problem here.
