Efficiency vs. Concept = Mutually Exclusive??

I think it's a little bit of a cop-out when players suggest that role-playing GAME characters (and the players that build them) should NOT be built EFFICIENTLY.

I used to rail against mini-maxing character stats. I hated playing games (as GM or fellow player) with gamers that knew the rules SO WELL and would squeeze (even bend/cheat the spirit of the rules) the most effectiveness out of stat creation.
After watching and playing with a dozen folks that tended to do that... I "learned" that using the system to maximize the opportunities my character (or NPCs as the GM) should have is not only my responsibility to my character, but also to the group I'm in (ie. the Team).

My caveat (which now I see goes across many of my fellow players): do not bend/break the concept in favor of making efficient rule choices. But do the best you can within the system.

I feel that doing all that one can to build a character toward the theme and the concept does NOT need to be a cop-out at lacking on efficiency in the build.
In a vacuum, two players can make the same character with the same awesome concept.

One can hamstring himself by not focusing and learning and creatively constructing the best options for what the rules can give to the character concept.
While another person can make the same concept using the best options with a little effort and still NOT "break" or even bend the SPIRIT of the rules or game.

In that vacuum, when the PCs come out to play in the game that character (and their player) suffers from the poor building of the first.
Just because the latter build is efficient does not mean it doesn't fit the concept.
Now...
When you BREAK or bend the concept completely in favor of a stat benefit. Then THAT is where I agree with my dislike of "efficiency" in mini-maxing stats.
That's a fine line.
But luckily - it's a big shiny bright line to be able to SEE the concept being broken.


Overall.... I still stink at building uber efficient stats for game characters. I have 3-4 friends that can run circles around me. And that's great! I don't mind. The trick is to do my best to use the rules given so that my character is not SO FAR BEHIND, just because I'm either lazy or purposely hamstringing my PC. It's unfair to the character and the team, in my humble opinion.

So question.
WHY would one build a PC that is not built efficiently as long as the stat creation still holds true to the concept?


A stupid simple but appropriate example:
My friends and I are playing Monopoly. I'm playing the "Thimble". Because I feel a Thimble should not be as fast as the Racecar, I choose to roll D4s instead of D6s like everyone else playing because it represents my concept better. Clearly my concept is met with a average slower speed at moving around the board. But that unnecessary choice hamstrings my chances to get to spaces before my fellow players playing the game...

Comparatively.
In BASH! I can make a character with the concept of using an invisible hand that can grab opponents. I could build it using Telekinesis and rely on the grapple rules or I could simply use the Force Field power.


Why would anyone do that? It doesn't break the concept, it's just efficient and elegant use of the rules.
 



A character that has a giant hand of force that regularly likes to grab opponents and hold them down could:

- build the power exclusively with Telekinesis
- build the power with the addition of Force Field



With TK alone, say you want to grab a villain and hold them down. The player would need to use their power in combination with the Wrestling rules.

Telekinesis: "Treating Telekinesis as Brawn for damage, lifting, or wrestling and Mind as Agility to hit."
+
Wrestling - Grab: "You grab your enemy and hold them fast. If you succeed, you have the opponent in your iron grip. From this point forward, it is Brawn against Brawn only. Each page, on his panel, your victim can try to break free."
... (then a page later) ...
"Each page, on your panel you may do one of the following moves to a grabbed opponent:"
"Restrain Them: Make a Brawn contest with the foe."


OR...


Simply build it with Force Field:
and "...trap an unwilling target, make a Mind contest against their Defense (Deflect is of no use). The force field lasts until it is destroyed by damage."



Not Efficient vs. Efficient.
Lots of unnecessary rule/rolls for a similar (if not better with FF) conclusion. (Note: that either could be "stunted" with Hero Dice on the other, which is an awesome option of HD)

That's the obvious example that comes to mind. But there are a number of ways that you might build any character inefficiently toward a concept that could be built equally worthy of the concept but a much more efficient use of your points, powers and rule usage.




To step up on my soap box...
(NOTE: not not not against anyone here, especially BASHMAN, whom I respect and think we're actually ON the same page on this)

My problem with mentioning building things toward a concept vs. efficiency is the mistake in thinking they are not mutually exclusive in any way, shape or form.

My problem is (honestly) less with the people that talk about this and more with the MESSAGE it sends to new players to the games. I get concerned that this jaded (and I feel incorrect) talk can color a game-player's attitude and ability before they try.

And many times those folks that say they'd rather build a character more to concept than focus on effectiveness are either doing the game system option/ability to build efficiently a disservice or are speaking from a position of:
- inability (they just aren't good at building)
- unwillingness to try (they don't care about their own PC or the team)
- laziness (they're unwilling to take the time)
- patronization (they think following "concept" is a superior attitude in game-play and won't/haven't consider concept and efficiency aren't exclusive)