wedgeski
Adventurer
That's a 20-page doozy right there.
D&D 5E How to deal with Metagaming as a player?
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Gardens & Goblins
First Post
Oh aye. Around here, DM's are few, players are many. Everyone seemingly wants to rock up and be entertained. Very few want to deal with entertaining. Personally I believe it's a group effort by all involved but hey..
..point being, a DM makes or breaks a game, and their word is law.
How that law is presented and applied will depend on the DM. And of course, players are free to not play.
DM'ing is akin to any leadership position:
''I need you and you need me - but I don't need you to need me. So go away or follow. It's your call.''
Done poorly, well.. these things take care of themselves. Nobody follows. Poor DM ends up on their lonesome.
Done well... .good, tiring, fun times!
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pdegan2814
First Post
Firstly, I've got to wonder why they're constantly working against you like that? Was this game intentionally meant to have PvP elements like this? Because if not, I doubt I'd have much patience for it, and just leave.
iserith
Magic Wordsmith
The DM has leverage, sure, but everyone has as much say as the next guy or gal outside of the game world. To that extent, I think the OP's DM is correct. It's not on the DM to correct this problem - it's on the OP to communicate the issue clearly to his or her friends or acquaintances, offer an alternative, compromise if it's reasonable to do so or just walk away.
Have you considered a good single player CRPG or even an MMO? Sounds more social and fun than this.
Gardens & Goblins
First Post
Oh aye, we're all in it together, players, DM and what have you. And the OP needs to at least raise a hand or what have you to signal their distress. And the DM should be looking to act in kind.
[sblock]When I DM, I trust my players to manage their characters, and to contribute to the group, in the name of fun. I also realise that not everyone's as old/cranky/hairy as my fine self, and as such watch out for folks that may not know that they can even speak up/should shout out - especially when folks are in peer groups and normality, conformity and peace is the order of the day.
So yes I agree with you on the OP's required action: Dude needs to raise a hand/flag/smoke signal to let folks know something is amiss. And also believe that the DM should be, ideally maybe, looking out for situations that may cause tension/bad feelings/unfun times. I believe a good leader/DM should keeping a looking out, ready to help folks stand up and make an effort to be counted. Simply because standing up and making an effort to be counted can, as I hope we can all relate to, be kind tough, more often than not. Granted, as stated before, this does assume a specific role of the DM, which I accept will and can vary accordingly.[/sblock]
MNblockhead
A Title Much Cooler Than Anything on the Old Site
Are you sure that other players are the problem? This is not meant to be snarky or to be a dig. Maybe the other players don't want to play in a game with someone who attempts to go over on their own, get distracted by an opportunity to screw over and steal from helpful NPCs. I'm not judging how you play your character or how they play theirs.
But it seems obvious that there is a disconnect between you and the other players, and perhaps the DM as well. Maybe his "there is not much I can do about it" is his passive aggressive way of saying he doesn't want to do anything about it--that he agrees with the other players' actions to get you "on track."
Either way, whether the other players are "ganging up on you" unfairly, or whether you are playing in a way that bothers them, you all need to clear the air. It may be that you will all be happier if you just roll up a different character. Or, as others have said, you may be happier in another group.
So, yes, confront the issue head on. Respectfully but assertively bring up the issue at the start of the next session or at least send out an e-mail before hand (these things are best addressed in person, I believe, but some people may object to delaying the game session to address the issue). Just make sure you go into this with a willingness to look at yourself. It may be helpful, to keep them from getting too defensive to simply say:
"Hey guys, I've not been having fun the past few session. I feel like my character is being ganged up on by my own party. Is there something about my character or the way that I'm playing that you don't like? I'm willing to roll up a new character. Let's discuss and make sure we are all on board with the kind of game we want to play."
But it seems obvious that there is a disconnect between you and the other players, and perhaps the DM as well. Maybe his "there is not much I can do about it" is his passive aggressive way of saying he doesn't want to do anything about it--that he agrees with the other players' actions to get you "on track."
Either way, whether the other players are "ganging up on you" unfairly, or whether you are playing in a way that bothers them, you all need to clear the air. It may be that you will all be happier if you just roll up a different character. Or, as others have said, you may be happier in another group.
So, yes, confront the issue head on. Respectfully but assertively bring up the issue at the start of the next session or at least send out an e-mail before hand (these things are best addressed in person, I believe, but some people may object to delaying the game session to address the issue). Just make sure you go into this with a willingness to look at yourself. It may be helpful, to keep them from getting too defensive to simply say:
"Hey guys, I've not been having fun the past few session. I feel like my character is being ganged up on by my own party. Is there something about my character or the way that I'm playing that you don't like? I'm willing to roll up a new character. Let's discuss and make sure we are all on board with the kind of game we want to play."
SilentRave
First Post
How is it not "Metagaming" taking action based on info your character has no knowledge of ?
iserith
Magic Wordsmith
AaronOfBarbaria
Adventurer
It's a case of squares and rectangles.
In this case, any time you decide to do something in-character because of something you only know about out-of-character is a rectangle.
But only times where you decide to do something in-character because the thing you know about out-of-character is specifically that you are playing a game is a square.
So while things like assuming a monster you encounter is within your character' capabilities to defeat because the DM chose to put it there are metagaming, things like punishing your character for stuff you/your character did are not.
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