DM Nightmare... [Archive] - Wizards Community

DM Nightmare... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Sarkorn
05-10-07, 09:39 PM Hello folks, its my first time to the forums but I have a predicament and need some advice with a DM and a game of Eberron.

All the players are friends from high school and we been playing D&D since then. In the group there is two DM's, me in particular, and another DM who reads every sentence of every book published by Wizards. He recently got into Eberron and played several sessions before I joined. The group of people consist of an aristocrat/wizard princess, a warforge fighter, a bard, an Kenku assassin, and a changling rogue. I joined as a gish (fighter/sorc). All the players were lvl 7 and I started at 6. My character's background was a nephew of a king but wanted to put that behind him, but the DM didn't like that because my character was the second in line to the throne but didn't want to be king and wanted to avoid it all that stuff. However, one of the other characters IS the heir to a throne and another character one would get a nation once the princess gets to power. Then the DM banned my character saying it was too powerful, even though the kenku has an eye in his head that has true seeing and detect magic all in 360 degree rotation.

I changed to a different class but then he allowed my gish with some limitations but then changed my story to just a minor noble that was hated because of what happened in the last war. We played--sort of--but it was really lack-luster with cliches (I was suppose to enter a tournament even though my character said he wouldn't and I have no other reason).

So this brings me to my question, I like the group and want to still play D&D with them, but what should I do? Do you guys have any advice?
SturmGrenadier
05-10-07, 09:48 PM Hi guys, im the warforged fighter/juggernaut in this group, and everything stated above is true, the DM seems to get on a power trip and play favorites. In the beginning of the campaign he basically made me make a warforged artificer (i hated it with a passion) until i heckled him enough to cause a series of events in the campaign that basically lead to me making a new warforged fighter. it seems to me that if you dont do what he likes the he gimps you... my char is lvl 7 with two levels into juggernaut, but compared to our kenku assassin and his eye ( i refer to it as the eye of OP) im a weak lil *****... the OP is a DM that i have played with since middle school, and he and i agree that he uses items to bribe players into submission, and, since neither he nor i will bend to his will he gimps us to keep us from changing his campaign.
wal9000
05-10-07, 09:55 PM The easiest solution would be to just start a new game with a new dm, but that also has the potential to cause some hard feelings. Have you tried talking to him about it and pointing out that other people are trying to have fun too?
Krusk
05-10-07, 10:02 PM stop playing with that dm?

what i would do, seems like you both dont like it. Start your own game.
temparus2000
05-10-07, 10:25 PM It sounds like the dM chooses your classes FOR you? That's what it seemed like to me when I read your original posts. If that is the case, then you have a classic control-freak DM and you likely won't enjoy the campaign if you're not in his click (and it sounds like you aren't). I'm sure you already thought of quitting and starting your own campaign, but that is an obvious answer, so I'll assume that isn't possible for you. I'll also assume you've talked to the DM already and nothing has changed. If you in fact have, yet don't want to quit, then your only remaining choice is just to grin and bear it. Some DM's are like that, but maybe he just dosen't trust you yet. Give him some room and maybe he'll give you more slack as time goes on.
ranewen
05-10-07, 11:08 PM when the DM starts chosing your feats and skills for you.. i'd find another group.. sounds as if you're playing NPC's that the DM has created, but is "letting" you play. it doesn't sound like much fun with the way he makes your characters either.
Ack
05-10-07, 11:18 PM Politely let the GM know that you aren't having fun in the campaign as he is running it. Give him a session to have a chance to alter his ways. If he doesn't, let him know that you will be leaving and starting a game of your own. Let the other players know (discreetly) that you will be okay with any of them coming along too; don't be blatant about it.

One way or another, that should solve it.
Cold Napalm
05-11-07, 12:08 AM 1) buy a conductor hat

2) give the hat to him the next time he forces YOUR character to do anything or bribes players to do what he wants.

3) Stand up and walk away and invite them all to play a REAL game.

Or be sensible and follow the advice of others here...but mine's more fun hehe.
Max Octavious Xavier
05-11-07, 01:16 AM If you can't or won't quit and start a new group, I would suggest playing a plain character with little or no background. That way there is little for the DM to mess with. Whatever you do, try to resist the urge to "get back" at him by ruining his plot/game/campaign. No good can come from that. Good luck.
Cold Napalm
05-11-07, 03:04 AM If you can't or won't quit and start a new group, I would suggest playing a plain character with little or no background. That way there is little for the DM to mess with. Whatever you do, try to resist the urge to "get back" at him by ruining his plot/game/campaign. No good can come from that. Good luck.

That's not true. If your willing to sever all friendly relations with the DM and all players involved, it's a great amount of fun and you get a nice vindictive high thats quite satisfying. Or did you mean good as in good aligned? cuz you know, this path is kinda evil and all...but it feels so good :devil: .
calronmoonflower
05-11-07, 03:12 AM 1) buy a conductor hat

2) give the hat to him the next time he forces YOUR character to do anything or bribes players to do what he wants.

3) Stand up and walk away and invite them all to play a REAL game.

Or be sensible and follow the advice of others here...but mine's more fun hehe.

Or you could buy toy train and use it as a paper weight. When the DM starts this stuff move it back and forth and make train noises. :D

More seriously, your DM sound like he is used to training new players rather than working with experienced players.

Tell him point blank (and in a non-insulting manner) that you know how to make a character and a back story and you do not need to be guided like newbies.

The DM should still give input, but he isn't playing the character.
Cold Napalm
05-11-07, 03:19 AM Or you could buy toy train and use it as a paper weight. When the DM starts this stuff move it back and forth and make train noises. :D

Ohhh...I really love this idea. Next time I'm in a game with a railroading DM I'm so gonna buy me a thomas the train set and do this.
Kouk
05-11-07, 03:38 AM I am in agreement with talking to him, but more than that I am interested in how you made a Fighter/Sorcerer overpowered?
SturmGrenadier
05-13-07, 02:41 AM It sounds like the dM chooses your classes FOR you? That's what it seemed like to me when I read your original posts. If that is the case, then you have a classic control-freak DM and you likely won't enjoy the campaign if you're not in his click (and it sounds like you aren't). I'm sure you already thought of quitting and starting your own campaign, but that is an obvious answer, so I'll assume that isn't possible for you. I'll also assume you've talked to the DM already and nothing has changed. If you in fact have, yet don't want to quit, then your only remaining choice is just to grin and bear it. Some DM's are like that, but maybe he just dosen't trust you yet. Give him some room and maybe he'll give you more slack as time goes on.

lol well he doesn't HAVE a click, thats the problem, he thinks hes making one but hes just choosing favorites and hoping they will like him for it, the OP here is a great DM but apart from myself and him there are no DMs in the group, and since both the OP and i want to PLAY and not DM well that leaves us with playing with this yahoo
On_the_wings_of_TPK
05-13-07, 02:01 PM lol well he doesn't HAVE a click, thats the problem, he thinks hes making one but hes just choosing favorites and hoping they will like him for it, the OP here is a great DM but apart from myself and him there are no DMs in the group, and since both the OP and i want to PLAY and not DM well that leaves us with playing with this yahoo

I know that pain. I've been DMing for 5 years almost non-stop. Everytime i try to be player the fates conspire and somehow it get s derialed.

first attempt: DM and group turned out to be a nightmare. DM and best friend were stuck in the, "second is best" crap, but instead of just playing second ed, they insisted on "fixing" 3ed. This included 2 random tables for crit fumbles. A list of house rules that was a system unto itself. This included 'rules' for patching in just about every sytem imaginable into their 2nd, 3rd, and 3.5 trian-wreck-stew of a game. using a couple of loop-holes I had a 12th level wizard that did about 500ish points of damage over 4 spells per round. My wife played a necromancer, with a vampire cohort. The vampire had an AC of 60, and all the other fun stuff. This kinda made up for the fact that our avergae encounter was EL 21... Not that mattered becuase the bad guys would just stand there and shoot at us with their judge plasma pistols of doom. They never moved more then 5ft, and would fall over when the DM figured the encounter was challenging enough. And of course the rogue, who thought that choatic on the character sheet ment he shouldn't search for traps untill the dwarven defender brow beat him into it. Then he wondered why they went off in his face all the time.

Second Attempt: Play post with controll freak. We left his game when he enlightened us to a couple of things: 1) he felt that the DM should be able to tell his players what levels, and character chioces they should make in the name of role-playing. Example, his player wanted to tkae a level as ranger, but he felt that psion was a better fit, and told him so. 2) He really didn't understand all this powergaming stuff (Using 32 PB I left my druids Cha at an 8) and that it didn't matter anyway becuase he could, as DM, if he wanted to asign a -4 penalty to all my rolls, and I wouldn't know it. 3) he had penalty of unspoken house rules, that i should just know, and not have problem with. (such as with is PB all mental stats had to be 9+) but he couldn't be arsed to write them out for us.

third attempt: The long and the short of it was that the DM was favouring his best friends character. Everything the golden boy did was a screaming success. Everything everyone else did met with utter fialure. Then the random magic f***s your wizard crap came up, and I left. (was playing a 21st level wizard)

fourth attempt: Is a 3 hour drive away...still thinking about that one. Wife doesn't really want to, and the game isn't really my style...but it is a chance to play....

Fiveth attempt: Wife DMs. Great DM fun camapign.. interesting NPCs, really puts a lot into it. Even bends reality a bit to shelter stupid player moves. Players can't be arsed to show up. Twice in a :censored: row with two separate sets of players!

Sometimes you just gotta face the truth. You want a good gaming experience then you'll have to DM it yourself. Man that :censored: sucks.
temparus2000
05-13-07, 09:17 PM lol well he doesn't HAVE a click, thats the problem, he thinks hes making one but hes just choosing favorites and hoping they will like him for it, the OP here is a great DM but apart from myself and him there are no DMs in the group, and since both the OP and i want to PLAY and not DM well that leaves us with playing with this yahoo

I don't understand what advice you are looking for now. Are you just trying to see if others will confirm that your DM is a bad one? If it is, I'd say yes, as far as my personal tastes go. Other than that, I don't know what you are asking for now.
kelvinaw273
05-14-07, 03:37 AM Hi guys, im the warforged fighter/juggernaut in this group, and everything stated above is true, the DM seems to get on a power trip and play favorites. In the beginning of the campaign he basically made me make a warforged artificer (i hated it with a passion) until i heckled him enough to cause a series of events in the campaign that basically lead to me making a new warforged fighter. it seems to me that if you dont do what he likes the he gimps you... my char is lvl 7 with two levels into juggernaut, but compared to our kenku assassin and his eye ( i refer to it as the eye of OP) im a weak lil *****... the OP is a DM that i have played with since middle school, and he and i agree that he uses items to bribe players into submission, and, since neither he nor i will bend to his will he gimps us to keep us from changing his campaign.

.... and you are still playing with him why, exactly?

Sorry, friends don't do that to each other. One of you other guys set up a game and show him how it should be done. Or just tell him to stop playing favorites and treat you all the same, lest you walk.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Sarkorn 05-10-07, 09:39 PM	Hello folks, its my first time to the forums but I have a predicament and need some advice with a DM and a game of Eberron. All the players are friends from high school and we been playing D&D since then. In the group there is two DM's, me in particular, and another DM who reads every sentence of every book published by Wizards. He recently got into Eberron and played several sessions before I joined. The group of people consist of an aristocrat/wizard princess, a warforge fighter, a bard, an Kenku assassin, and a changling rogue. I joined as a gish (fighter/sorc). All the players were lvl 7 and I started at 6. My character's background was a nephew of a king but wanted to put that behind him, but the DM didn't like that because my character was the second in line to the throne but didn't want to be king and wanted to avoid it all that stuff. However, one of the other characters IS the heir to a throne and another character one would get a nation once the princess gets to power. Then the DM banned my character saying it was too powerful, even though the kenku has an eye in his head that has true seeing and detect magic all in 360 degree rotation. I changed to a different class but then he allowed my gish with some limitations but then changed my story to just a minor noble that was hated because of what happened in the last war. We played--sort of--but it was really lack-luster with cliches (I was suppose to enter a tournament even though my character said he wouldn't and I have no other reason). So this brings me to my question, I like the group and want to still play D&D with them, but what should I do? Do you guys have any advice?
SturmGrenadier 05-10-07, 09:48 PM	Hi guys, im the warforged fighter/juggernaut in this group, and everything stated above is true, the DM seems to get on a power trip and play favorites. In the beginning of the campaign he basically made me make a warforged artificer (i hated it with a passion) until i heckled him enough to cause a series of events in the campaign that basically lead to me making a new warforged fighter. it seems to me that if you dont do what he likes the he gimps you... my char is lvl 7 with two levels into juggernaut, but compared to our kenku assassin and his eye ( i refer to it as the eye of OP) im a weak lil *****... the OP is a DM that i have played with since middle school, and he and i agree that he uses items to bribe players into submission, and, since neither he nor i will bend to his will he gimps us to keep us from changing his campaign.
wal9000 05-10-07, 09:55 PM	The easiest solution would be to just start a new game with a new dm, but that also has the potential to cause some hard feelings. Have you tried talking to him about it and pointing out that other people are trying to have fun too?
Krusk 05-10-07, 10:02 PM	stop playing with that dm? what i would do, seems like you both dont like it. Start your own game.
temparus2000 05-10-07, 10:25 PM	It sounds like the dM chooses your classes FOR you? That's what it seemed like to me when I read your original posts. If that is the case, then you have a classic control-freak DM and you likely won't enjoy the campaign if you're not in his click (and it sounds like you aren't). I'm sure you already thought of quitting and starting your own campaign, but that is an obvious answer, so I'll assume that isn't possible for you. I'll also assume you've talked to the DM already and nothing has changed. If you in fact have, yet don't want to quit, then your only remaining choice is just to grin and bear it. Some DM's are like that, but maybe he just dosen't trust you yet. Give him some room and maybe he'll give you more slack as time goes on.
ranewen 05-10-07, 11:08 PM	when the DM starts chosing your feats and skills for you.. i'd find another group.. sounds as if you're playing NPC's that the DM has created, but is "letting" you play. it doesn't sound like much fun with the way he makes your characters either.
Ack 05-10-07, 11:18 PM	Politely let the GM know that you aren't having fun in the campaign as he is running it. Give him a session to have a chance to alter his ways. If he doesn't, let him know that you will be leaving and starting a game of your own. Let the other players know (discreetly) that you will be okay with any of them coming along too; don't be blatant about it. One way or another, that should solve it.
Cold Napalm 05-11-07, 12:08 AM	1) buy a conductor hat 2) give the hat to him the next time he forces YOUR character to do anything or bribes players to do what he wants. 3) Stand up and walk away and invite them all to play a REAL game. Or be sensible and follow the advice of others here...but mine's more fun hehe.
Max Octavious Xavier 05-11-07, 01:16 AM	If you can't or won't quit and start a new group, I would suggest playing a plain character with little or no background. That way there is little for the DM to mess with. Whatever you do, try to resist the urge to "get back" at him by ruining his plot/game/campaign. No good can come from that. Good luck.
Cold Napalm 05-11-07, 03:04 AM	If you can't or won't quit and start a new group, I would suggest playing a plain character with little or no background. That way there is little for the DM to mess with. Whatever you do, try to resist the urge to "get back" at him by ruining his plot/game/campaign. No good can come from that. Good luck. That's not true. If your willing to sever all friendly relations with the DM and all players involved, it's a great amount of fun and you get a nice vindictive high thats quite satisfying. Or did you mean good as in good aligned? cuz you know, this path is kinda evil and all...but it feels so good :devil: .
calronmoonflower 05-11-07, 03:12 AM	1) buy a conductor hat 2) give the hat to him the next time he forces YOUR character to do anything or bribes players to do what he wants. 3) Stand up and walk away and invite them all to play a REAL game. Or be sensible and follow the advice of others here...but mine's more fun hehe. Or you could buy toy train and use it as a paper weight. When the DM starts this stuff move it back and forth and make train noises. :D More seriously, your DM sound like he is used to training new players rather than working with experienced players. Tell him point blank (and in a non-insulting manner) that you know how to make a character and a back story and you do not need to be guided like newbies. The DM should still give input, but he isn't playing the character.
Cold Napalm 05-11-07, 03:19 AM	Or you could buy toy train and use it as a paper weight. When the DM starts this stuff move it back and forth and make train noises. :D Ohhh...I really love this idea. Next time I'm in a game with a railroading DM I'm so gonna buy me a thomas the train set and do this.
Kouk 05-11-07, 03:38 AM	I am in agreement with talking to him, but more than that I am interested in how you made a Fighter/Sorcerer overpowered?
SturmGrenadier 05-13-07, 02:41 AM	It sounds like the dM chooses your classes FOR you? That's what it seemed like to me when I read your original posts. If that is the case, then you have a classic control-freak DM and you likely won't enjoy the campaign if you're not in his click (and it sounds like you aren't). I'm sure you already thought of quitting and starting your own campaign, but that is an obvious answer, so I'll assume that isn't possible for you. I'll also assume you've talked to the DM already and nothing has changed. If you in fact have, yet don't want to quit, then your only remaining choice is just to grin and bear it. Some DM's are like that, but maybe he just dosen't trust you yet. Give him some room and maybe he'll give you more slack as time goes on. lol well he doesn't HAVE a click, thats the problem, he thinks hes making one but hes just choosing favorites and hoping they will like him for it, the OP here is a great DM but apart from myself and him there are no DMs in the group, and since both the OP and i want to PLAY and not DM well that leaves us with playing with this yahoo
On_the_wings_of_TPK 05-13-07, 02:01 PM	lol well he doesn't HAVE a click, thats the problem, he thinks hes making one but hes just choosing favorites and hoping they will like him for it, the OP here is a great DM but apart from myself and him there are no DMs in the group, and since both the OP and i want to PLAY and not DM well that leaves us with playing with this yahoo I know that pain. I've been DMing for 5 years almost non-stop. Everytime i try to be player the fates conspire and somehow it get s derialed. first attempt: DM and group turned out to be a nightmare. DM and best friend were stuck in the, "second is best" crap, but instead of just playing second ed, they insisted on "fixing" 3ed. This included 2 random tables for crit fumbles. A list of house rules that was a system unto itself. This included 'rules' for patching in just about every sytem imaginable into their 2nd, 3rd, and 3.5 trian-wreck-stew of a game. using a couple of loop-holes I had a 12th level wizard that did about 500ish points of damage over 4 spells per round. My wife played a necromancer, with a vampire cohort. The vampire had an AC of 60, and all the other fun stuff. This kinda made up for the fact that our avergae encounter was EL 21... Not that mattered becuase the bad guys would just stand there and shoot at us with their judge plasma pistols of doom. They never moved more then 5ft, and would fall over when the DM figured the encounter was challenging enough. And of course the rogue, who thought that choatic on the character sheet ment he shouldn't search for traps untill the dwarven defender brow beat him into it. Then he wondered why they went off in his face all the time. Second Attempt: Play post with controll freak. We left his game when he enlightened us to a couple of things: 1) he felt that the DM should be able to tell his players what levels, and character chioces they should make in the name of role-playing. Example, his player wanted to tkae a level as ranger, but he felt that psion was a better fit, and told him so. 2) He really didn't understand all this powergaming stuff (Using 32 PB I left my druids Cha at an 8) and that it didn't matter anyway becuase he could, as DM, if he wanted to asign a -4 penalty to all my rolls, and I wouldn't know it. 3) he had penalty of unspoken house rules, that i should just know, and not have problem with. (such as with is PB all mental stats had to be 9+) but he couldn't be arsed to write them out for us. third attempt: The long and the short of it was that the DM was favouring his best friends character. Everything the golden boy did was a screaming success. Everything everyone else did met with utter fialure. Then the random magic f***s your wizard crap came up, and I left. (was playing a 21st level wizard) fourth attempt: Is a 3 hour drive away...still thinking about that one. Wife doesn't really want to, and the game isn't really my style...but it is a chance to play.... Fiveth attempt: Wife DMs. Great DM fun camapign.. interesting NPCs, really puts a lot into it. Even bends reality a bit to shelter stupid player moves. Players can't be arsed to show up. Twice in a :censored: row with two separate sets of players! Sometimes you just gotta face the truth. You want a good gaming experience then you'll have to DM it yourself. Man that :censored: sucks.
temparus2000 05-13-07, 09:17 PM	lol well he doesn't HAVE a click, thats the problem, he thinks hes making one but hes just choosing favorites and hoping they will like him for it, the OP here is a great DM but apart from myself and him there are no DMs in the group, and since both the OP and i want to PLAY and not DM well that leaves us with playing with this yahoo I don't understand what advice you are looking for now. Are you just trying to see if others will confirm that your DM is a bad one? If it is, I'd say yes, as far as my personal tastes go. Other than that, I don't know what you are asking for now.
kelvinaw273 05-14-07, 03:37 AM	Hi guys, im the warforged fighter/juggernaut in this group, and everything stated above is true, the DM seems to get on a power trip and play favorites. In the beginning of the campaign he basically made me make a warforged artificer (i hated it with a passion) until i heckled him enough to cause a series of events in the campaign that basically lead to me making a new warforged fighter. it seems to me that if you dont do what he likes the he gimps you... my char is lvl 7 with two levels into juggernaut, but compared to our kenku assassin and his eye ( i refer to it as the eye of OP) im a weak lil *****... the OP is a DM that i have played with since middle school, and he and i agree that he uses items to bribe players into submission, and, since neither he nor i will bend to his will he gimps us to keep us from changing his campaign. .... and you are still playing with him why, exactly? Sorry, friends don't do that to each other. One of you other guys set up a game and show him how it should be done. Or just tell him to stop playing favorites and treat you all the same, lest you walk.