Am I being favorite-ed? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Am I being favorite-ed? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Lady_Dragon
03-12-07, 06:44 PM I need to ask your opinions on this...
My husband just started up his campaign in a homebrew world. Since I have more time to prepare, he and I come up with a reasonably interesting background for my char.
"I know," I say, "she was born to a wealthy family...but, not TOO wealthy, and she had to flee the country as a child because she couldn't control her magic and ends up living with the barbarians for 8 years."
I didn't want to be special because I'm married to the DM, but within the first few sessions I find out that my long-lost family is group of very influential, very wealthy, not-so-legitimate-businessmen. So, now I'm apparently a Soprano. And my background keeps getting more complex every session. Despite several adventure hooks and prodding from other players, I am still reluctant to advance my storyline for fear of hogging gametime. I didn't ask to have influence, but all of a sudden my character has it, but I'm reluctant to use it. I do realize I'm not the only one with an interesting background, though. I'd just hate to lose our players. Or am I just being paraoid that any iota of playtime he focuses on me is equal to favoritism?
bobothechimp
03-12-07, 06:50 PM It seems what you're doing now by ignoring hooks is hogging more gametime than accepting the quests.
Shan_TheBabau_Burke
03-12-07, 07:48 PM Discuss it with the other players. Tell them that you think that's what's happening and though you would like to keep your character's background developing, you don't want it to be the only thing happening.
You can even offer to help them develop their characters a bit since you know a little about the world yourself. That way they can have cool backstory quests too. Then you won't be the only one.
If you follow your quest too much and they whine and cry, then maybe hubby will shift gears. If they seem okay with it, charge ahead!
Don't totally sacrifice your character in fear of favoritism, just be sure to help the other characters work on their backgrounds too.
SunTzuWarmaster
03-12-07, 09:54 PM As a DM, I typically target the newer player that appears the least interested for the first backstory quest.
Lady_Dragon
03-12-07, 10:28 PM Thanks for your input so far. You're all right. I should ask the other players how they feel about following my backstory and stop spending playtime going, "not right now". Maybe I AM slowing things down. Besides, the first adventure we went on was another player's quest.
AndrewD2
03-12-07, 10:58 PM The current game I'm playing in is run by my roomate. There are four players, my wife, me, and two friends. One of the two friends stays the weekend here on game weekends due to travel distance and so the four of us have a lot of time to converse with the GM. The last player, who although only lives five minutes away doesn't get to converse much due to work schedules and the like. The three of us with the GM have all already had our characters majorly worked into the plot of the adventures after three sessions, but the fourth has not. I don't think it's necessarily a favourtism thing, but more possibly having the time to talk with you means that's where a lot of ideas come from.
DyloniusFunk
03-13-07, 12:32 AM Thanks for your input so far. You're all right. I should ask the other players how they feel about following my backstory and stop spending playtime going, "not right now". Maybe I AM slowing things down. Besides, the first adventure we went on was another player's quest.

I honestly don't think they will care abut whose backstory the plot hooks come from, i cna say s a player i don't generally pay attention to that kind of stuff. As long as the game is fun, i get a little time in the sun each session and wind up getting something useful I'm generally happy. Now if you were to suddenly start getting mads amount of treasure and magic items or NPCs were to starty fawning over you and offering favors and free stuff because of your mob ties, i might get annoyed then. Doesn't sound like that's gonna happen, but ina case with partners who are player/DM, it's understandable for that to be in the back opf the other players mind seven if they are to nice to say anything about it.
kelvinaw273
03-13-07, 09:23 AM I use backstory for plots myself, and I have to say that the character who has the most interesting backstory gets the most plots, and them's the breaks. If the other players want more hooks from their own backstory, they need to provide it for the DM.
highbulp
03-13-07, 09:42 AM I'd say it's likely that your husband isn't favoring you, he's favoring your character idea. Either he just came up with a bunch of ideas because you guys could talk about it, or maybe he just really likes the concept and so is working with it. As a fellow DM, I would tell you to take all the hooks he can throw at you. It sounds like he's enjoying whatever he's working on, and he just happens to be using your character for an "in." I would go with it.

Though as someone else suggested, you can mention it to the other players and tell them if they feel like you're hogging the game, just let you know and you'll back off. But in my experience, players won't complain about an interesting story--if anything, they'll work harder to work themselves more into that story.
plasword
04-01-07, 09:02 PM Maybe the problem is a little bit of both favoritism & paranoia if the other players don't mind no problem if they see it as favoritism talk 2 hubby dm & put the character on the sacrificial altar of marriage counsel 4 the sake of your freinds & your game.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lady_Dragon 03-12-07, 06:44 PM	I need to ask your opinions on this... My husband just started up his campaign in a homebrew world. Since I have more time to prepare, he and I come up with a reasonably interesting background for my char. "I know," I say, "she was born to a wealthy family...but, not TOO wealthy, and she had to flee the country as a child because she couldn't control her magic and ends up living with the barbarians for 8 years." I didn't want to be special because I'm married to the DM, but within the first few sessions I find out that my long-lost family is group of very influential, very wealthy, not-so-legitimate-businessmen. So, now I'm apparently a Soprano. And my background keeps getting more complex every session. Despite several adventure hooks and prodding from other players, I am still reluctant to advance my storyline for fear of hogging gametime. I didn't ask to have influence, but all of a sudden my character has it, but I'm reluctant to use it. I do realize I'm not the only one with an interesting background, though. I'd just hate to lose our players. Or am I just being paraoid that any iota of playtime he focuses on me is equal to favoritism?
bobothechimp 03-12-07, 06:50 PM	It seems what you're doing now by ignoring hooks is hogging more gametime than accepting the quests.
Shan_TheBabau_Burke 03-12-07, 07:48 PM	Discuss it with the other players. Tell them that you think that's what's happening and though you would like to keep your character's background developing, you don't want it to be the only thing happening. You can even offer to help them develop their characters a bit since you know a little about the world yourself. That way they can have cool backstory quests too. Then you won't be the only one. If you follow your quest too much and they whine and cry, then maybe hubby will shift gears. If they seem okay with it, charge ahead! Don't totally sacrifice your character in fear of favoritism, just be sure to help the other characters work on their backgrounds too.
SunTzuWarmaster 03-12-07, 09:54 PM	As a DM, I typically target the newer player that appears the least interested for the first backstory quest.
Lady_Dragon 03-12-07, 10:28 PM	Thanks for your input so far. You're all right. I should ask the other players how they feel about following my backstory and stop spending playtime going, "not right now". Maybe I AM slowing things down. Besides, the first adventure we went on was another player's quest.
AndrewD2 03-12-07, 10:58 PM	The current game I'm playing in is run by my roomate. There are four players, my wife, me, and two friends. One of the two friends stays the weekend here on game weekends due to travel distance and so the four of us have a lot of time to converse with the GM. The last player, who although only lives five minutes away doesn't get to converse much due to work schedules and the like. The three of us with the GM have all already had our characters majorly worked into the plot of the adventures after three sessions, but the fourth has not. I don't think it's necessarily a favourtism thing, but more possibly having the time to talk with you means that's where a lot of ideas come from.
DyloniusFunk 03-13-07, 12:32 AM	Thanks for your input so far. You're all right. I should ask the other players how they feel about following my backstory and stop spending playtime going, "not right now". Maybe I AM slowing things down. Besides, the first adventure we went on was another player's quest. I honestly don't think they will care abut whose backstory the plot hooks come from, i cna say s a player i don't generally pay attention to that kind of stuff. As long as the game is fun, i get a little time in the sun each session and wind up getting something useful I'm generally happy. Now if you were to suddenly start getting mads amount of treasure and magic items or NPCs were to starty fawning over you and offering favors and free stuff because of your mob ties, i might get annoyed then. Doesn't sound like that's gonna happen, but ina case with partners who are player/DM, it's understandable for that to be in the back opf the other players mind seven if they are to nice to say anything about it.
kelvinaw273 03-13-07, 09:23 AM	I use backstory for plots myself, and I have to say that the character who has the most interesting backstory gets the most plots, and them's the breaks. If the other players want more hooks from their own backstory, they need to provide it for the DM.
highbulp 03-13-07, 09:42 AM	I'd say it's likely that your husband isn't favoring you, he's favoring your character idea. Either he just came up with a bunch of ideas because you guys could talk about it, or maybe he just really likes the concept and so is working with it. As a fellow DM, I would tell you to take all the hooks he can throw at you. It sounds like he's enjoying whatever he's working on, and he just happens to be using your character for an "in." I would go with it. Though as someone else suggested, you can mention it to the other players and tell them if they feel like you're hogging the game, just let you know and you'll back off. But in my experience, players won't complain about an interesting story--if anything, they'll work harder to work themselves more into that story.
plasword 04-01-07, 09:02 PM	Maybe the problem is a little bit of both favoritism & paranoia if the other players don't mind no problem if they see it as favoritism talk 2 hubby dm & put the character on the sacrificial altar of marriage counsel 4 the sake of your freinds & your game.