Character constantly being avoided in every scenario - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Character constantly being avoided in every scenario

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
manawar
Dec 24, 2008 3:26:49 Howdy, first time posting on this forum. I just don't know what to do anymore, so I've come seeking some advice about this problem.

I'm currently in a homebrew campaign with three other players, all of which of the martial melee type. We are currently level 12, and I have had to make a new character recently. I am currently playing a Dark Pact Warlock with the Darkwalker paragon path, which the DM thanked me for playing.

The main problem I have been having is the DM will not attack me, not even with opportunity attacks. Over four actual encounters, I have been attacked once, which happened to be the first encounter. Since then, once the DM noticed how much damage the Dark Spiral ability did, he has come up with excuses not to attack my character... at all. While this sounds good for a ranged attacker, it doesn't fit my character. He has resorted to saying things such as, "They don't see you as a threat" (2nd encounter), "They already know what happens when they hit you" (3rd encounter, when no one has even hit me), "They have telepathy and know what you're trying to do" (last encounter).

He doesn't attack my character when they walk in circles around foes. He doesn't attack my character when standing next to an enemy and casting a ranged spell. He won't attack my character period.

It's just making me frustrated because he's deliberately trying to under power my character's potent ability, when our fighter knocks every encounter to bloodied in the first round.

The other problem is that the DM skips over me completely in any RP scenario. He has deliberately called my past characters, "stupid from a roleplaying aspect" and doesn't care for anything I have to contribute to the campaign.

I'm just wondering if I'm blowing this out of proportion or should I pull the DM aside and talk to him about these things. I've attempted it before, but the other players here called me paranoid.
#2
etarnon
Dec 24, 2008 8:12:18 Well you want to play your PC to it's abilities, but the DM and you are ooc metagaming, a bit.

Be careful here.

If you go agressive and start rushing in, what happens, when the DM switches?

He can then say "You wanted my NPCs to attack your PC, now your PC is dead. What's the problem? Isn't this what you (and perhaps secretly he) wanted?"

I'd just play the PC. Having characters not attack you is a big advantage. I think it's something the DM is not ready to deal with, perhaps preferring the clean sword fight swing per round kind of deal.

One solution is to outside the game, point blank ask directly, "Are you concerned that if my PC gets attacked, the dark spiral will (Whatever it does) and it will solve your encounter too easily?"

His answer will be telling.

Plus it seems like your DM has gone easy on you guys if your power is not even being used and the warriors are clearing out challenges very easy.

Be careful, I say, and just play your PC.

Kind of like if you had a sniper, and all of the encounters were enemy coming from the bushes, close up. Frustrating, perhaps, but possible.

I think your time will come, sooner than you think.

I don't think you are being paranoid, since the DM has clearly stated his "Reasons" why not, to you, directly.

Good luck.
#3
nowiwantmydmg
Dec 24, 2008 11:44:30 I don't know what the dark pact does, but take advantage of him not attacking you. Don't charge into the fray and try to get smacked as that should get you killed eventually, but take advantage and use powers that you wouldn't normally be able to frequently use quite often. An untouched warlock can dominate encounters, do so; he'll change his tune.
#4
The_Stray
Dec 24, 2008 14:23:14 For those of you who are curious, the Darkspiral Aura works like this: Each time a creature under your Warlock's Curse is reduced to 0 hp, you gain a point to your aura. from then on, you deal 1d6 necrotic and psychic damage to any creature that targets you with a melee or ranged attack (not a close or area attack, though). This expends the aura unless you are dealt over 12 damage, in which case the creature is weakened for the triggering attack and you get to keep a point in your aura.

This means that you have a sort of "you whack me, I whack you" vibe going, and is one of the few Warlock Pacts that is worth tagging onto minions.

@OP: If your DM is going to ignore you in combat because you've been feeding your aura, let him. The point of the Darkspiral is to make yourself an unappealing target to begin with. You get to go through most fights scott free, blasting away at foes without retaliation because he's being a prick. You get to do striker damage that will only get more potent as you go up in level.

The RP ignoring thing, however, is a problem, and you need to speak to him about it. Tell him directly that you don't like feeling like you're being ignored, and that if he wants to keep you as a player he should try to include you a little more.
#5
solik
Dec 24, 2008 14:38:47 Enjoy not being attacked! Stop putting resources into defenses. If you took any armor or defense feats, or Toughness, retrain them out. Put everything into offense. Move without fear of Opportunity Attacks. Go all out!

The roleplay bit is more serious. Take him aside and ask him how you can adjust your character to make it useful for roleplaying scenes. That way, you're not confrontational about it, which probably wouldn't lead to the problem being solved.
#6
manawar
Dec 25, 2008 2:05:39
Well you want to play your PC to it's abilities, but the DM and you are ooc metagaming, a bit.

That's just the thing though. I don't charge into combat. I didn't even do the whole going into combat to provoke OA's until our last encounter, just to see if the DM really was avoiding attacking me at all costs.

Plus it seems like your DM has gone easy on you guys if your power is not even being used and the warriors are clearing out challenges very easy.

Tonight that changed. He started throwing level 15 and 16 encounters at us. I was not touched once again. I did sit there and blast away from the back as I usually do. I honestly was doing the most damage this combat. When I asked, in game, why the enemies weren't attacking me, his reply was, "The Gnoll looks tastier." We were fighting Githyanki, so the comment to me obviously made no sense.

Stop putting resources into defenses. If you took any armor or defense feats, or Toughness, retrain them out. Put everything into offense. Move without fear of Opportunity Attacks. Go all out!

I really don't have anything that adds to defenses. The majority of my items and feats are for the most possible damage output.

The RP ignoring thing, however, is a problem, and you need to speak to him about it. Tell him directly that you don't like feeling like you're being ignored, and that if he wants to keep you as a player he should try to include you a little more.

Didn't get to talk to him about this tonight, since we all rushed out so we could get home and get some sleep for Christmas.

I appreciate the advice everyone, hopefully things will work out better next week.
#7
merchant_of_shadows
Dec 25, 2008 3:28:15 Get the Called Shot feat from Dragon that gives you +5 damage when your prime shot ability kicks in and start obliterating enemies at point blank.
Move into the enemy lines to offer flanking bonuses to your martial friends.
Keep a nice escape power for when your DM finally snaps and starts attacking you.

As for him ignoring you in the role playing situations - talk with him before/after the session to tell you what is the problem with your character and how he can fit better in his campaign.
#8
Titanium_Dragon
Dec 25, 2008 3:37:18 Okay, seriously? That's what Dark Spiral does. Its not wrong for the DM to avoid attacking you, because monsters know what will happen if they do the same as PCs do. Monsters are aware of the same things PCs are, so its not at all unreasonable for them to avoid attacking a character who wants to be attacked. The purpose of powers like this is NOT to have monsters attack you all the time but to discourage monsters from doing so. Feel free to move into melee combat for flanking and prime shot bonuses and consider yourself fortunate.

Its not unfair for the DM to do that to you, because that's what the power does - discourage monsters from attacking you.

On the other hand, as far as RP goes, that is bad. The correct thing to do is simply talk to the DM and tell him you feel like you're being left out of RP scenarios.
#9
salla
Dec 25, 2008 3:42:14
Okay, seriously? That's what Dark Spiral does. Its not wrong for the DM to avoid attacking you, because monsters know what will happen if they do the same as PCs do. Monsters are aware of the same things PCs are, so its not at all unreasonable for them to avoid attacking a character who wants to be attacked. The purpose of powers like this is NOT to have monsters attack you all the time but to discourage monsters from doing so. Feel free to move into melee combat for flanking and prime shot bonuses and consider yourself fortunate.

Its not unfair for the DM to do that to you, because that's what the power does - discourage monsters from attacking you.

On the other hand, as far as RP goes, that is bad. The correct thing to do is simply talk to the DM and tell him you feel like you're being left out of RP scenarios.

There's 'discourage' and there's 'prevent'. The DM is taking it a little TOO far, I think.

The monsters could also attack him before anybody drops, since IIRC, Darkspiral Aura, as a pact boon, doesn't do anything until a cursed creature drops. Though, technically, a monster only knows the effects of powers that are used on it; unless it's observed the power's effects, it can't know what powers a PC has that haven't been used. You don't know if the Ranger has Twin Strike until he puts an arrow in each of your butt cheeks, after all.

I do find it ironic that the DM is afraid Darkspiral will make things too easy, and yet he's making things even easier by leaving a striker unmolested.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 manawar Dec 24, 2008 3:26:49	Howdy, first time posting on this forum. I just don't know what to do anymore, so I've come seeking some advice about this problem. I'm currently in a homebrew campaign with three other players, all of which of the martial melee type. We are currently level 12, and I have had to make a new character recently. I am currently playing a Dark Pact Warlock with the Darkwalker paragon path, which the DM thanked me for playing. The main problem I have been having is the DM will not attack me, not even with opportunity attacks. Over four actual encounters, I have been attacked once, which happened to be the first encounter. Since then, once the DM noticed how much damage the Dark Spiral ability did, he has come up with excuses not to attack my character... at all. While this sounds good for a ranged attacker, it doesn't fit my character. He has resorted to saying things such as, "They don't see you as a threat" (2nd encounter), "They already know what happens when they hit you" (3rd encounter, when no one has even hit me), "They have telepathy and know what you're trying to do" (last encounter). He doesn't attack my character when they walk in circles around foes. He doesn't attack my character when standing next to an enemy and casting a ranged spell. He won't attack my character period. It's just making me frustrated because he's deliberately trying to under power my character's potent ability, when our fighter knocks every encounter to bloodied in the first round. The other problem is that the DM skips over me completely in any RP scenario. He has deliberately called my past characters, "stupid from a roleplaying aspect" and doesn't care for anything I have to contribute to the campaign. I'm just wondering if I'm blowing this out of proportion or should I pull the DM aside and talk to him about these things. I've attempted it before, but the other players here called me paranoid.
#2 etarnon Dec 24, 2008 8:12:18	Well you want to play your PC to it's abilities, but the DM and you are ooc metagaming, a bit. Be careful here. If you go agressive and start rushing in, what happens, when the DM switches? He can then say "You wanted my NPCs to attack your PC, now your PC is dead. What's the problem? Isn't this what you (and perhaps secretly he) wanted?" I'd just play the PC. Having characters not attack you is a big advantage. I think it's something the DM is not ready to deal with, perhaps preferring the clean sword fight swing per round kind of deal. One solution is to outside the game, point blank ask directly, "Are you concerned that if my PC gets attacked, the dark spiral will (Whatever it does) and it will solve your encounter too easily?" His answer will be telling. Plus it seems like your DM has gone easy on you guys if your power is not even being used and the warriors are clearing out challenges very easy. Be careful, I say, and just play your PC. Kind of like if you had a sniper, and all of the encounters were enemy coming from the bushes, close up. Frustrating, perhaps, but possible. I think your time will come, sooner than you think. I don't think you are being paranoid, since the DM has clearly stated his "Reasons" why not, to you, directly. Good luck.
#3 nowiwantmydmg Dec 24, 2008 11:44:30	I don't know what the dark pact does, but take advantage of him not attacking you. Don't charge into the fray and try to get smacked as that should get you killed eventually, but take advantage and use powers that you wouldn't normally be able to frequently use quite often. An untouched warlock can dominate encounters, do so; he'll change his tune.
#4 The_Stray Dec 24, 2008 14:23:14	For those of you who are curious, the Darkspiral Aura works like this: Each time a creature under your Warlock's Curse is reduced to 0 hp, you gain a point to your aura. from then on, you deal 1d6 necrotic and psychic damage to any creature that targets you with a melee or ranged attack (not a close or area attack, though). This expends the aura unless you are dealt over 12 damage, in which case the creature is weakened for the triggering attack and you get to keep a point in your aura. This means that you have a sort of "you whack me, I whack you" vibe going, and is one of the few Warlock Pacts that is worth tagging onto minions. @OP: If your DM is going to ignore you in combat because you've been feeding your aura, let him. The point of the Darkspiral is to make yourself an unappealing target to begin with. You get to go through most fights scott free, blasting away at foes without retaliation because he's being a prick. You get to do striker damage that will only get more potent as you go up in level. The RP ignoring thing, however, is a problem, and you need to speak to him about it. Tell him directly that you don't like feeling like you're being ignored, and that if he wants to keep you as a player he should try to include you a little more.
#5 solik Dec 24, 2008 14:38:47	Enjoy not being attacked! Stop putting resources into defenses. If you took any armor or defense feats, or Toughness, retrain them out. Put everything into offense. Move without fear of Opportunity Attacks. Go all out! The roleplay bit is more serious. Take him aside and ask him how you can adjust your character to make it useful for roleplaying scenes. That way, you're not confrontational about it, which probably wouldn't lead to the problem being solved.
#6 manawar Dec 25, 2008 2:05:39	Well you want to play your PC to it's abilities, but the DM and you are ooc metagaming, a bit. That's just the thing though. I don't charge into combat. I didn't even do the whole going into combat to provoke OA's until our last encounter, just to see if the DM really was avoiding attacking me at all costs. Plus it seems like your DM has gone easy on you guys if your power is not even being used and the warriors are clearing out challenges very easy. Tonight that changed. He started throwing level 15 and 16 encounters at us. I was not touched once again. I did sit there and blast away from the back as I usually do. I honestly was doing the most damage this combat. When I asked, in game, why the enemies weren't attacking me, his reply was, "The Gnoll looks tastier." We were fighting Githyanki, so the comment to me obviously made no sense. Stop putting resources into defenses. If you took any armor or defense feats, or Toughness, retrain them out. Put everything into offense. Move without fear of Opportunity Attacks. Go all out! I really don't have anything that adds to defenses. The majority of my items and feats are for the most possible damage output. The RP ignoring thing, however, is a problem, and you need to speak to him about it. Tell him directly that you don't like feeling like you're being ignored, and that if he wants to keep you as a player he should try to include you a little more. Didn't get to talk to him about this tonight, since we all rushed out so we could get home and get some sleep for Christmas. I appreciate the advice everyone, hopefully things will work out better next week.
#7 merchant_of_shadows Dec 25, 2008 3:28:15	Get the Called Shot feat from Dragon that gives you +5 damage when your prime shot ability kicks in and start obliterating enemies at point blank. Move into the enemy lines to offer flanking bonuses to your martial friends. Keep a nice escape power for when your DM finally snaps and starts attacking you. As for him ignoring you in the role playing situations - talk with him before/after the session to tell you what is the problem with your character and how he can fit better in his campaign.
#8 Titanium_Dragon Dec 25, 2008 3:37:18	Okay, seriously? That's what Dark Spiral does. Its not wrong for the DM to avoid attacking you, because monsters know what will happen if they do the same as PCs do. Monsters are aware of the same things PCs are, so its not at all unreasonable for them to avoid attacking a character who wants to be attacked. The purpose of powers like this is NOT to have monsters attack you all the time but to discourage monsters from doing so. Feel free to move into melee combat for flanking and prime shot bonuses and consider yourself fortunate. Its not unfair for the DM to do that to you, because that's what the power does - discourage monsters from attacking you. On the other hand, as far as RP goes, that is bad. The correct thing to do is simply talk to the DM and tell him you feel like you're being left out of RP scenarios.
#9 salla Dec 25, 2008 3:42:14	Okay, seriously? That's what Dark Spiral does. Its not wrong for the DM to avoid attacking you, because monsters know what will happen if they do the same as PCs do. Monsters are aware of the same things PCs are, so its not at all unreasonable for them to avoid attacking a character who wants to be attacked. The purpose of powers like this is NOT to have monsters attack you all the time but to discourage monsters from doing so. Feel free to move into melee combat for flanking and prime shot bonuses and consider yourself fortunate. Its not unfair for the DM to do that to you, because that's what the power does - discourage monsters from attacking you. On the other hand, as far as RP goes, that is bad. The correct thing to do is simply talk to the DM and tell him you feel like you're being left out of RP scenarios. There's 'discourage' and there's 'prevent'. The DM is taking it a little TOO far, I think. The monsters could also attack him before anybody drops, since IIRC, Darkspiral Aura, as a pact boon, doesn't do anything until a cursed creature drops. Though, technically, a monster only knows the effects of powers that are used on it; unless it's observed the power's effects, it can't know what powers a PC has that haven't been used. You don't know if the Ranger has Twin Strike until he puts an arrow in each of your butt cheeks, after all. I do find it ironic that the DM is afraid Darkspiral will make things too easy, and yet he's making things even easier by leaving a striker unmolested.