I could use some advice

[Quickbeam]

Some background:
Our group consists of seven players, three of which (myself included) take turns DMing separate campaigns. This allows everyone in the group to participate in settings and campaign styles that are vastly different, hopefully broadening our minds and perspectives over the course of time. All (save one of us) are experienced RPGers, yet none of us had ever encountered an overbearing, control-freak DM.

The current DM is on his second go-round running our game, following a painfully poor first attempt. While he didn't design our characters and name them for us (no one would have played under those circumstances), he did spend an inordinate amount of time controlling just about everything else...including our actions in some instances. After several conversations amongst the entire group, he stepped down as DM to alleviate everyone's building level of frustration.

*Flash forward a year*

Here we sit one month into his second stint as DM, and everything has improved drastically. What's different this time? A year of reflective thinking on all our parts, as other campaigns developed in often unexpected patterns. This gent learned that it's possible to shape our actions without forcing our hands, and we learned that every so often it's best to just sit back and watch the DM weave his web.

My point, is that after you've exhausted all reasonable means of approaching your friend, seek a temporary alternative within your group for DM or campaigns. Perhaps a little time and perspective will allow everyone to ease their positions a bit. As others have stated, pre-made characters for mini adventures or visitors in your group, are just fine and make perfect sense. But for the long term, a good DM will have a plethora of ways in which he can shape the story arcs without micromanaging everyone's PCs. D&D is a game. Games are intended to be fun. Having someone play the game for you is NOT fun. Seek some middle ground; offer to try another campaign or DM; or move on.

 

[Dr Midnight]

I really think you're coming off as something of a whiner.

The DM is the master of his game. If you don't think you'll enjoy something in his game, drop it after one discussion with him.

If he's got an idea for his own game, let him use it. Play or walk. I hate it when my players whine about what I will and will not have happening in my game.

 

[wolfpunk]

As a dm of 12 years I can see both sides of the arguement. It is the job of the dm to find ways to bring any types of characters together for the campaign. However, doing that for each and every campaign can start to get old. Not to mention if it never seems to work, then why try so hard to make it work.

I think if a dm is going to make characters for the players then they need to be something that the player would want to play. When I premake characters and I sometimes, do, usually twice a year or so. I tend to make the characters munchkin. I let them have more then I would normally allow them to have. In doing so they get a different playing style, an above average chance of doing well, and a break from the norm.

I would say, the dm may have a plan for the characters he has created. A mark of a good gamer is someone who can fall into a situation, or a character, and role play with it. I think you should look at this as a challenge to see how good you are at roleplaying when it really comes down to it. Can you role play something that isn't a facet of your personality.

Don't try to ambush the dm, talk it through, if you just can't come to terms with it, then don't play.

 

[The Crimster]

I really think you're coming off as something of a whiner.

The DM is the master of his game. If you don't think you'll enjoy something in his game, drop it after one discussion with him.

If he's got an idea for his own game, let him use it. Play or walk. I hate it when my players whine about what I will and will not have happening in my game.

Wow. Sort of harsh, don't you think, Dr. Midnight??

Sounds like you've had to dealt with some whiners, and now you're taking it out on poor ForceUser. Cut him some slack.

The Crimster

 

[KingThorvar]

Personally, I would use the chance to challenge my roleplaying skills and have fun with it.

If your DM is enjoying the game more, perhaps so will you.

 

[LostSoul]

If he's got an idea for his own game, let him use it. Play or walk. I hate it when my players whine about what I will and will not have happening in my game.

Yeah, because it's not like the game belongs to the group. No, it's all up to the one guy with the DMG and nobody else. Nobody else has any say.

Right...

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

ForceUser,

I would suggest you let the DM have his way and see if you like it. Just have fun and go with the flow for a few sessions. He might surprise you.

It is quite possible your DM has a certain kind of campaign in mind and wants to give it a strong start in the "right" direction. If he is actually fleshing out characters with names and backgrounds and classes, he may have long term campaign themes in mind for which "random" character will not cut it.

He is more likely to be receptive to your concerns once you have demonstrated you will give his ideas a chance.

 

[Gothmog]

I can completely understand how frustrating a situation like this can be- I played in a game where the DM had rigidly designed the events in every game like the chapters in a book. If a PC tried to show any creativity or ingenuity, he would punish the player by having something bad happen to the PC. He allowed rogues in his game, but they could not steal anything, nor could they have any "theifly" fun- they were simply there to backstab and pick locks for the more "heroic" characters. He was obsessed with creating an "epic", but he didn't trust the players enough to make their own decisions, and consequently nobody really had any fun unless it was monkeying with his story. I know this sounds pretty antagonistic, and it was in some ways, but it was more just sad because he got off on the power trip of "plot wagoning" his friends. Luckily the interest in that campaign trailed off pretty quickly, but not before most of us swore never to play in a game he DMed again.

The point of gaming is to have fun- I know what may be fun to me may not be fun to everyone, so before I run a game, I always ask what the players want to do/accomplish/feel is important to do in the game. It might be the DMs game, but without players, he's going to be bored playing out dialogue with himself. Besides, in my 18+ years of DMing, I have found that listening to the players and leaving things more open-ended makes the game a lot more fun- players can collectively come up with much more unusual ideas than a single DM ever can. I'd suggest you ask your DM to talk to the other players and see what they want to do/accomplish in the game, and urge him to run the game for all of you, not just for him.

 

[Bass Puppet]

Your complaint is reasonable

Like other DM's, I see both sides of the coin. First of all, 1/3 of the players fun is making a character, which creates a bond between you and the character and you might want to play a character that you haven't yet played under the 3rd Edition rules.

On the other hand, if the DM has something in mind (which is a real stretch) than go with the flow. I would definetly find out what he has in mind before you start the campaign.

With the information that you provided, I would attempt to talk to the "DM" before the campaign started in a civil manner about why these are the rules. A simple, "Because the adventure is very dangerous and I don't want you to get attached to your character", would do for me.

If you can't get along with him out of the game then I would excuse your self from being in his.

Good luck what ever happens, and update us of the result.

 

[Bonedagger]

Well... Maybe this guy has something in mind other than what you are use to (Dohh ). Maybe he is not refusing your request because he wants to p... you of. Maybe he is just warning you about how it will be in order for him to make his ideas come true. Thats the trick about DMs. They dont tell everything You don't know if it will be fun. If you like what this guy makes then give it a try.