D&D 3.5: Problem with a DM - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

D&D 3.5: Problem with a DM

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
dragoonrider00
Jan 31, 2009 19:52:46 A little background: This entire campaign has been set up and run by a power gamer. Not so bad, yes? Well, aside from the fact that it's a three person group (not including the DM) and two of said people like playing characters they find amusing instead of powerful, aside from the fact that the DM gets rules either wrong or throws out ones he doesn't like, and aside from the fact that his characters all reek of wank ... uh, I was going somewhere with this.

So, that bit of background complete, his latest escapade has us going against an animated castle. So, tons of potential ... except that it's a giant, walking, wank-mobile. Apparently this bastard's supposed to be colossal 5 size, with a BAB of +78, saves of +24, +24, +34, 3300+ HP and ranged weapons. So, what's our party? Three 12th (ish) level characters. One of them's a melee crit monkey, the other's some half-fey forest gnome druid (who's actually still 8th level), and me, the artificer.

I've been running through books trying to find something without saves that could do really well as stopping this thing but I've got nothing. The DM's planning on dumping ass-tons of broken psionic items (including 7 of which that'll give the melee guy another 78 to his AC) and fusing a couple more, then dumping a bunch more of his retard-o characters on us to help out.

Other people I've asked just tell me to quit the game, and I probably will. It's not really fun. Even when we do end up killing his stupid characters they just come back to life, either as vampires (some race that becomes one upon death) or just ****ING WON'T DIE (Helloooo 9th level psion that BROUGHT ITSELF BACK after my construct popped its head like a grape). But, for right now, I just want to prove that I can beat his piece of walking garbage without his help. I don't know if I can, but it'd be nice.

I should have just broken the damn artificer, instead of trying to fill out the party's weaknesses. Gah.
#2
salla
Jan 31, 2009 21:28:27 Well, when confronted by super-wank-machines like that, the best thing to do is simply have your characters run. Obviously, this is out of their league, so the only smart thing to do is run.

Seriously, you can't go into this looking at it like a competition. The DM holds all the cards in a situation like that. If he decides he wants to 'win' (which is not his job as a DM, but I digress), he will. He has no rules, he has no budget, he can do whatever he wants. obviously, what he *should* do is something entirely different.
#3
innabinder
Jan 31, 2009 21:57:51 Hammer. Gun.
#4
Kobold_Avenger
Jan 31, 2009 23:59:51
Hammer. Gun.

Nah... You need a mingun in cases like this!:D
Hmm... A hammer launching minigun:D !!
#5
erk_
Feb 01, 2009 0:07:13 Why don't I ever get the fun crazy DMs everyone hates? /pout/

If the game ain't fun, don't stick with it. That's all I can say. If he's a close friend, happen to be busy on game nights. If not, tell him his game is crap.
#6
jaz0n
Feb 01, 2009 4:22:00 Easy solution:

Walk away from the castle and don't look back. Play cards in the forest for a few weeks. Make it absolutely boring for your GM until he decides to stop being a complete retard.

I don't know all the stats of this animated castle, but at its size, it should pretty much have next to 0 for its movement speed.
#7
lormador
Feb 01, 2009 4:49:19 If your characters don't stand a chance against a threat presented, it makes sense to flee. IRL, even if we DO stand a chance against something, we generally do not wish to engage unless the battle is already going to be in our favor.

Failing this, how about a gigantic pit trap with slippery walls?
#8
etarnon
Feb 01, 2009 17:06:20 seems like it's a comedic monty haul munch-game.
#9
jaz0n
Feb 02, 2009 2:10:00
If your characters don't stand a chance against a threat presented, it makes sense to flee. IRL, even if we DO stand a chance against something, we generally do not wish to engage unless the battle is already going to be in our favor.

Failing this, how about a gigantic pit trap with slippery walls?

or, if they have enough money, they can hire some people to build siege weapons?
#10
brashnir
Feb 02, 2009 3:40:32 You could always just stand in front of the thing poking it with a stick every round while your guy says, "this is stupid" every attack. Then when you eventually die, you can tell him how you feel about his game as you leave.
#11
nezumi45
Feb 02, 2009 6:47:15 hmm how to beat a castle that walks
use a old spell like float which requires NO save and push the castle towards the sky gently in the direction o a chasm and the then wait for spell to end if he can cheat so can you (well a little)

alternatively have your artificer "discover" gunpowder and build a VERY large mine

or round up a bunch of monsters that eat stone (delvers) and simply tell them that the castle is a giant buffet

have it follow you into a swamp is also good

or just swat your gm with dice and simply distract him untill he makes an critical error and pounce upon it
#12
oxybe
Feb 02, 2009 6:51:20 2 options in my mind:

A)

step 1: buy or preferably make wands of explosive runes with a caster level as high as you can... at least 15. you want minimum 3 wands, 7 at most. sell as much of your gear as you can. once this is done, leave the group.

step 2: go to some small town and ask the locals to fetch you small rocks... just big enough for, say, a rune?

step 3: deplete those wands on pebbles & start putting them in a bag (or bags)

step 4: purchase sovereign glue, a potion of invisibility, potion of fly & scroll of a caster level 5 dispel magic (or make them)

step 5: go invis, fly & glue the bag to the underside of the castle

step 6: fly back, use level 5 dispel on the bag of level 15 runes. (max roll on caster check for dispel: 25. dispel dc on runes: 26.

step 7: watch as a small nova of runes explode as they all simultaneously fail their saves. an expended wand should do about 1050 damage on average (6d6 50 times). so 7 wands will deal 7350 damage on avg. it should destroy that castle even if it makes the save.

step 8: dance & profit.

B) explain to the GM the problem your having before the game, and if persists, tell him that his style of game doesn't match yours and you wish to excuse yourself of further games but still be on good terms with him, that if you GM a game in the future you'll be glad to have him aboard, but his style of GM just isn't kosher with you.

personally i recommend B
#13
ioosef
Feb 02, 2009 8:16:49 Or... just read this thread and beat the crap put of it. Basically this build should give you infinite knowledge, hence finding a way to destroy the darn thing.
#14
nezumi45
Feb 02, 2009 8:53:12
Or... just read this thread and beat the crap put of it. Basically this build should give you infinite knowledge, hence finding a way to destroy the darn thing.

holy crap on wet wolverine on a ten foot pole!!!!!!!!

i aplaud the work that was involved in that thread

i also like the wands of explosive runes but i am a bigger fan of pillows of explosive runes (just dont ask)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 dragoonrider00 Jan 31, 2009 19:52:46	A little background: This entire campaign has been set up and run by a power gamer. Not so bad, yes? Well, aside from the fact that it's a three person group (not including the DM) and two of said people like playing characters they find amusing instead of powerful, aside from the fact that the DM gets rules either wrong or throws out ones he doesn't like, and aside from the fact that his characters all reek of wank ... uh, I was going somewhere with this. So, that bit of background complete, his latest escapade has us going against an animated castle. So, tons of potential ... except that it's a giant, walking, wank-mobile. Apparently this bastard's supposed to be colossal 5 size, with a BAB of +78, saves of +24, +24, +34, 3300+ HP and ranged weapons. So, what's our party? Three 12th (ish) level characters. One of them's a melee crit monkey, the other's some half-fey forest gnome druid (who's actually still 8th level), and me, the artificer. I've been running through books trying to find something without saves that could do really well as stopping this thing but I've got nothing. The DM's planning on dumping ass-tons of broken psionic items (including 7 of which that'll give the melee guy another 78 to his AC) and fusing a couple more, then dumping a bunch more of his retard-o characters on us to help out. Other people I've asked just tell me to quit the game, and I probably will. It's not really fun. Even when we do end up killing his stupid characters they just come back to life, either as vampires (some race that becomes one upon death) or just ****ING WON'T DIE (Helloooo 9th level psion that BROUGHT ITSELF BACK after my construct popped its head like a grape). But, for right now, I just want to prove that I can beat his piece of walking garbage without his help. I don't know if I can, but it'd be nice. I should have just broken the damn artificer, instead of trying to fill out the party's weaknesses. Gah.
#2 salla Jan 31, 2009 21:28:27	Well, when confronted by super-wank-machines like that, the best thing to do is simply have your characters run. Obviously, this is out of their league, so the only smart thing to do is run. Seriously, you can't go into this looking at it like a competition. The DM holds all the cards in a situation like that. If he decides he wants to 'win' (which is not his job as a DM, but I digress), he will. He has no rules, he has no budget, he can do whatever he wants. obviously, what he should do is something entirely different.
#3 innabinder Jan 31, 2009 21:57:51	Hammer. Gun.
#4 Kobold_Avenger Jan 31, 2009 23:59:51	Hammer. Gun. Nah... You need a mingun in cases like this!:D Hmm... A hammer launching minigun:D !!
#5 erk_ Feb 01, 2009 0:07:13	Why don't I ever get the fun crazy DMs everyone hates? /pout/ If the game ain't fun, don't stick with it. That's all I can say. If he's a close friend, happen to be busy on game nights. If not, tell him his game is crap.
#6 jaz0n Feb 01, 2009 4:22:00	Easy solution: Walk away from the castle and don't look back. Play cards in the forest for a few weeks. Make it absolutely boring for your GM until he decides to stop being a complete retard. I don't know all the stats of this animated castle, but at its size, it should pretty much have next to 0 for its movement speed.
#7 lormador Feb 01, 2009 4:49:19	If your characters don't stand a chance against a threat presented, it makes sense to flee. IRL, even if we DO stand a chance against something, we generally do not wish to engage unless the battle is already going to be in our favor. Failing this, how about a gigantic pit trap with slippery walls?
#8 etarnon Feb 01, 2009 17:06:20	seems like it's a comedic monty haul munch-game.
#9 jaz0n Feb 02, 2009 2:10:00	If your characters don't stand a chance against a threat presented, it makes sense to flee. IRL, even if we DO stand a chance against something, we generally do not wish to engage unless the battle is already going to be in our favor. Failing this, how about a gigantic pit trap with slippery walls? or, if they have enough money, they can hire some people to build siege weapons?
#10 brashnir Feb 02, 2009 3:40:32	You could always just stand in front of the thing poking it with a stick every round while your guy says, "this is stupid" every attack. Then when you eventually die, you can tell him how you feel about his game as you leave.
#11 nezumi45 Feb 02, 2009 6:47:15	hmm how to beat a castle that walks use a old spell like float which requires NO save and push the castle towards the sky gently in the direction o a chasm and the then wait for spell to end if he can cheat so can you (well a little) alternatively have your artificer "discover" gunpowder and build a VERY large mine or round up a bunch of monsters that eat stone (delvers) and simply tell them that the castle is a giant buffet have it follow you into a swamp is also good or just swat your gm with dice and simply distract him untill he makes an critical error and pounce upon it
#12 oxybe Feb 02, 2009 6:51:20	2 options in my mind: A) step 1: buy or preferably make wands of explosive runes with a caster level as high as you can... at least 15. you want minimum 3 wands, 7 at most. sell as much of your gear as you can. once this is done, leave the group. step 2: go to some small town and ask the locals to fetch you small rocks... just big enough for, say, a rune? step 3: deplete those wands on pebbles & start putting them in a bag (or bags) step 4: purchase sovereign glue, a potion of invisibility, potion of fly & scroll of a caster level 5 dispel magic (or make them) step 5: go invis, fly & glue the bag to the underside of the castle step 6: fly back, use level 5 dispel on the bag of level 15 runes. (max roll on caster check for dispel: 25. dispel dc on runes: 26. step 7: watch as a small nova of runes explode as they all simultaneously fail their saves. an expended wand should do about 1050 damage on average (6d6 50 times). so 7 wands will deal 7350 damage on avg. it should destroy that castle even if it makes the save. step 8: dance & profit. B) explain to the GM the problem your having before the game, and if persists, tell him that his style of game doesn't match yours and you wish to excuse yourself of further games but still be on good terms with him, that if you GM a game in the future you'll be glad to have him aboard, but his style of GM just isn't kosher with you. personally i recommend B
#13 ioosef Feb 02, 2009 8:16:49	Or... just read this thread and beat the crap put of it. Basically this build should give you infinite knowledge, hence finding a way to destroy the darn thing.
#14 nezumi45 Feb 02, 2009 8:53:12	Or... just read this thread and beat the crap put of it. Basically this build should give you infinite knowledge, hence finding a way to destroy the darn thing. holy crap on wet wolverine on a ten foot pole!!!!!!!! i aplaud the work that was involved in that thread i also like the wands of explosive runes but i am a bigger fan of pillows of explosive runes (just dont ask)