D&D 5E Sidelining Players- the Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and the Poll

[Demetrios1453]

Would you go out for dinner with your friends, but they told you you had to just watch them eat? It’s fine, because you’re still allowed to talk to them?

Well, for the comparison to be apt, there would have to be some sort of force majeure situation that is actively preventing you from eating, just like being dead/incapacitated/separated is preventing the player from participating in the game and having nothing to do but watch. So if you're not allowed to eat due to something like a medical reason (strict diet, surgery, etc.), again, it all comes down to how much you like hanging out with that group.

Otherwise, the situation to "going out to dinner with friends and being told that you had to watch them eat" would be most comparable to "being invited to a game and then not being allowed to participate in any way other than watching", which is a situation a bit beyond what we are discussing here!

 

[Seramus]

Well, for the comparison to be apt, there would have to be some sort of force majeure situation that is actively preventing you from eating, just like being dead/incapacitated/separated is preventing the player from participating in the game and having nothing to do but watch. So if you're not allowed to eat due to something like a medical reason (strict diet, surgery, etc.), again, it all comes down to how much you like hanging out with that group.

Well, the DM can always provide you something to do, such as the previously mentioned playing monsters, playing NPCs, playing your own ghost, or whatever. So in this case, the force majeure would be... a DM that has the power to put a meal in front of you but doesn't?

 

[Demetrios1453]

Well, the DM can always provide you something to do, such as the previously mentioned playing monsters, playing NPCs, playing your own ghost, or whatever. So in this case, the force majeure would be... a DM that has the power to put a meal in front of you but doesn't?

Perhaps you go to the meal and realize you've forgotten or lost your wallet or card, and everyone has enough money to cover your bill, but decide they won't?

EDIT. As pointed out below, this is a poor comparison and thus retracted.

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[Satyrn]

Perhaps you go to the meal and realize you've forgotten or lost your wallet or card, and everyone has enough money to cover your bill, but decide they won't?

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Well then they obviously don't want your company. So why are they telling you you can't leave even though they don't want you there? They're jerks.


Also. What a weird hypothetical scenario.

 

[Caliban]

Perhaps you go to the meal and realize you've forgotten or lost your wallet or card, and everyone has enough money to cover your bill, but decide they won't?

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Exactly the same situation. Exactly. And I think we can all agree that the people choosing to let you go hungry while they eat in front of you are being very rude.

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[Demetrios1453]

Exactly the same situation. Exactly. And I think we can all agree that the people choosing to let you go hungry while they eat in front of you are being very rude.

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Not really. While I would find the food situation rude, I wouldn't find watching people play to be so, as I find that entertaining, and have done so willing many times in the past. I guess my comparison was a poor one and I hereby retract it.

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[Maxperson]

Would you go out for dinner with your friends, but they told you you had to just watch them eat? It’s fine, because you’re still allowed to talk to them?

What I wouldn't do is eat quickly or just the appetizer and then leave before everyone else was done. That would be rude.

Of course, it depends on the duration. Half an hour might be OK. 4 hours seems vindictive.

I agree with this. I think 30-60 minutes is fine, but 4 hours is very excessive.

I think both parties are at fault in the scenario that spawned this thread.

 

[Satyrn]

I think both parties are at fault in the scenario that spawned this thread.

I blame the DM's mother for letting [MENTION=67338]GMforPowergamers[/MENTION] use the telephone to call his girlfriend. If not for that, he couldn't have conspired with his girlfriend to watch a movie. He then would've stayed at the game, and never had cause to make the fateful post that set off the fire of controversy that spawned this thread (and has since sparked a third).

It's all her fault!

 

[Maxperson]

I blame the DM's mother for letting [MENTION=67338]GMforPowergamers[/MENTION] use the telephone to call his girlfriend. If not for that, he couldn't have conspired with his girlfriend to watch a movie. He then would've stayed at the game, and never had cause to make the fateful post that set off the fire of controversy that spawned this thread (and has since sparked a third).

It's all her fault!

Wait! Seriously?!? There's a third? What's it called?

 

[Morrus]

What I wouldn't do is eat quickly or just the appetizer and then leave before everyone else was done. That would be rude.

Ah, but what if you met your friends, you all had an appetiser, then they all told you they were having two more courses, but you were only allowed to watch them?