...oh no you didn't...

[Dwarf Bread]

As a companion to StupidSmurf's "...so we tossed the jerk out..." thread, which contains example of gamer behavior ranging from annoying to soul-searingly vile, I'm curious about stories featuring players or GMs who may have acted in unusual or unexpected ways, but who you remember fondly.

For example:

During a 2e campaign, I was leading a low-level party through the ToEE. One of my best friends is playing a dwarf fighter who tries on a magical cloak. POOF! He turns into a gargoyle.

As the other PCs are trying to figure out how to un-mojo his character, my friend passes me a note that reads "Unencumbered at last by the draconian morals of dwarven life, my character flies off in search of his gargoyle kin." At which point the player got up from the table, walked out of my apartment, and drove home.

This is the same player who I was running in a solo game about a young peasant-turned-adventurer who needed gold to save his family farm. He explored the (very limited) above-ground portion of the module, and finally reached a clear dead end (which contained an easy-to-find secret door leading to the dungeon below). The player, though, had his character turn around and go home. When I asked why, he responded "I know there was probably a secret door there, but my character the illiterate peasant has never even heard of a secret door, so he wouldn't have known to look for one."

This friend of mine has annoyed quite a few DMs in his day, but I think that having him as a player has made me, as a DM, more circumspect about potential character actions and more able to think on my feet when they act unexpectedly.

So, if you have stories of crazy-but-loveable antics by your players or GMs, please share.

 

[frankthedm]

During a game where the BoVD was the new PHB, the subject of slave values was being discussed. Adding to the discusion, I said that an elf child slave would be nearly priceless to a pedophile. Thier reactions ranged from stunned and groaning to a chuckling "Oh my god."

for about 2 months the words "elf children" ended many a conversation.

 

[Dwarf Bread]

Man, nothing kills a thread like slavery- and pedophilia-based anecdotes.

 

[sfgiants]

Your above story made me think of an odd situation I encountered. I had a player that was kind of a fringe regular, but was well liked. He was a quiet player, but seemed to enjoy the game quite a bit. One day, something bad happened to his character (I can't remember what, but it wasn't that big of a deal...). Moments later as the game continued we heard a pencil break. We all looked and said player had broken his pencil, and without another word, got up, went outside, and drove home. The weirdest thing:

He came to the next session and acted like nothing had happened.

Weird.

 

[godawful]

One day, something bad happened to his character (I can't remember what, but it wasn't that big of a deal...). Moments later as the game continued we heard a pencil break. We all looked and said player had broken his pencil, and without another word, got up, went outside, and drove home.

Weird.

I make sure at least half the party dies during the first few adventures so they get over their fear of dying and stop whining. Now they know it can happen. It will happen. And it will happen often if they don't watch their butts. Breaking a pencil is not too bad. I usually get stuff thrown across the room. And now, usually the first thing that gets said after i describe a room's or area's monster content is... "We're all gonna die." But they usually barely make it, which is how i like it.

 

[wedgeski]

As the other PCs are trying to figure out how to un-mojo his character, my friend passes me a note that reads "Unencumbered at last by the draconian morals of dwarven life, my character flies off in search of his gargoyle kin." At which point the player got up from the table, walked out of my apartment, and drove home.

Ah, the player, the enigma. Nope, never had anyone do anything like that, but I say bravo! I'm sure this guy treads a fine line between being a pain in the butt and leaving everyone at the table quietly impressed by his bravado.

 

[antman120]

I was running my first ever DnD game last weekend. The players came to a cave whose mouth was covered by giant spider webs. I described the webs as bieng damp and having a few metal objests stuck to the them.

Player A: I use summon water on the webs to wash them of.
Me: There already wet, so why could you wash them off.
Player B: Fine I hack them down with my sword.
Me: Notice the metal objects, your sword gets stuck.
Player A&B: How do we get through then
Player C: Watch. (Lights webs on fire and they burn to the ground)
Me: Thank God, 10 xp for player C
Player A&B: We could have done that

 

[Joshua Randall]

"Unencumbered at last by the draconian morals of dwarven life, my character flies off in search of his gargoyle kin."

I'm going to print this out and paste on my cubicle wall. Because it f---ing rocks!

 

[KRT]

I was running my first ever DnD game last weekend. The players came to a cave whose mouth was covered by giant spider webs. I described the webs as bieng damp and having a few metal objests stuck to the them.

Player A: I use summon water on the webs to wash them of.
Me: There already wet, so why could you wash them off.
Player B: Fine I hack them down with my sword.
Me: Notice the metal objects, your sword gets stuck.
Player A&B: How do we get through then
Player C: Watch. (Lights webs on fire and they burn to the ground)
Me: Thank God, 10 xp for player C
Player A&B: We could have done that

We had this one gut who played in our campaign for maybe 4 sessions. He was great, went through about 6 characters in that span, all of them very colourful and well played, but inevitably dead. The first character was most notable. A cavalier with a knack for weird weapons (usually someone else's). We were attacking a goblin artillery unit before they could get the ballistas in place. They had ogres hauling the things and the Cavalier was deadly in a charge, howevr he decided for somestange reason to charge past a charging ogre and literal steal the ogre falchion and use it on the next ogre. Figuring he would take out of combat 2 Ogres in one round. Well the first part went amazingly well, due to really good rolls. Bouyed by his seeming goo luck he switches tactics and decided to vault over the remaining ogres onto the Ballista. More good rolls follow and he almost makes it. He manages to roll off the imaled horse and onto the ballista platform and for some reason seeing his predicament decides to chop the bow rope of the ballista. He shears through it destroying the ballista and shouts "Hah". And is promptly chopped into mincemeat by the 6 ogres surrounding him. Typically his characters would die in circumstance where the enemy would attack and retreat (we were facing a lot of hit and run from goblins and kobolds). His last character was an Indiana Jones style Ranger who died while chasing some kobold archers who had annoyed him past his boiling point. They lept a pit with the use of ropes that were clearly designed only for light weight creatures. He figured that if he lept and grabbed one in each hand then they should hold his weight. The key was to get both. He did. However the DM asked for his sheet.
DM:"Phil, you realize that you have a suit of magic plate mail in your backpack"
Phil: "I know, I'm wearing my leather armour so that I can get my off hand attacks"
DM: "Ookaay (rolls), both ropes break. and you see the glimmer of dark liquid as you plummet down the pit.
Phil:"I dive"
DM: Its only oil coating the floor.
Phil: "Ouch".
we animated the Ranger into a Zombie and Phil successfully played him for the rest of the day. It really was the best choice as he couldn't run after anything.

 

[Tarangil]

I make sure at least half the party dies during the first few adventures so they get over their fear of dying and stop whining. Now they know it can happen. It will happen. And it will happen often if they don't watch their butts. Breaking a pencil is not too bad. I usually get stuff thrown across the room. And now, usually the first thing that gets said after i describe a room's or area's monster content is... "We're all gonna die." But they usually barely make it, which is how i like it.

I had a player some time ago who was around 15-16, and every...EVERY time he died he'd do the pencil breaking thing, sulking, ripping the character sheet, and crying . For some reason he never did get used to it, but we always enjoyed when he died just for the antics alone. It would still happen even though the Clerk in our group was able to raise dead.