Noun: "(gaming) a 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"
1992 July 1, doug, “Re: GURPS: Skill Levels vs. Attribute Levels”, in rec.games.frp.misc[1] (Usenet):
As far as I can see, while your "Gifted" advantage does allow a character to have one physical skill at a high level for less points, since character D still costs less than character A (DX 15 + Gifted + skill vs. DX 15 + skill), it helps the minmaxer just as much as it does the non-minmaxer, and will thus lead to TRULY GROSS characters from those inclined to create them.
1992 December 2, Sea Wasp [username], “Re: Question on why people play AD&D and all”, in rec.games.frp.dnd[2] (Usenet):
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.
1994 August 6, scott david orr, “Re: GURPS Eidetic Memory”, in rec.games.frp.misc[3] (Usenet):
And add 5 points for the ability to remember stuff. As can be seen from this, even a devoted minmaxer will have trouble squeezing more than 45 points of a 30-point advantage, […]
1996 May 17, Bill Seurer, “Re: GURPS Magic”, in rec.games.frp.gurps[4] (Usenet):
I had a minmaxer once show me how to create an utterly devatasting[sic] mage.
1996 December 9, Harrigan, “Re: GURPS, sci-fi RPGing, and medical skills (was Re: Space-Rpg.)”, in rec.games.frp.misc[5] (Usenet):
One thing that annoys me is when someone posts a character or something, built, as minmaxers would say, 'inefficiently.'
1997 September 7, Sea Wasp [username], “Re: Foolish question?”, in rec.games.frp.dnd[6] (Usenet):
Minmaxing is the behavior characterized by sorting through the various rules of an RPG to find the best way to design a character that will minimize his flaws and maximize his potential benefits. Used as a derogatory term, it's emphasizing the fact that this behavior is often done without any regard for character design as a personality and sometimes without regard even for the spirit of the character class. A minmaxer would never, for instance, take a character trait which would decrease his character's effectiveness in any way, even if that character trait would make perfect sense for the character as they were describing him/her.
2000 October 12, Dr Nuncheon [username], “Re: Cav, Bbn, Rgs, Pal vs. Ftr”, in rec.games.frp.dnd[7] (Usenet):
In that case, why try for balance at all? I take a more moderate stance - I realize that there will always be minmaxers and the like, and games should not *over*constrain just because of the minmaxers - but there's no reason to throw out all the constraints either. That's like saying "we shouldn't have any rules, because someone might abuse them." Babies, bathwater, and all that.
2003 January 6, Timothy Little, “Re: Foolish Character Designers”, in rec.games.frp.gurps[8] (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.
