minmaxer

plural minmaxers

1. roleplaying gamesA player who attempts to create an optimized character by minimizing unfavourable traits and maximizing favourable ones, typically by improving a single trait or ability to the exclusion of others.

   One thing that annoys me is when someone posts a character or something, built, as minmaxers would say, 'inefficiently.'

   1996 December 9, Harrigan, “Re: GURPS, sci-fi RPGing, and medical skills (was Re: Space-Rpg.)”, in rec.games.frp.misc (Usenet)

   2 more examples

   Point based systems have their problems. Some of us simply don't like them because, while D&D has its Munchkins, most of the PB-players we've encountered seem to be minmaxers whose greatest joy is wringing the very most out of their points. Forget ROLE playing.

   1992 December 2, Sea Wasp [username], “Re: Question on why people play AD&D and all”, in rec.games.frp.dnd (Usenet)

   I agree that a minmaxer can usually make a character more suited to particular situations on less points than a player driven by a pre-existing concept, but for a well-designed system there will always be *some* way that their character is less effective.

   2003 January 6, Timothy Little, “Re: Foolish Character Designers”, in rec.games.frp.gurps (Usenet)

   Synonyms: munchkin