Problem Player

[madriel]

I don't think it's a bad idea to get the little sister to try D&D (assuming Moe's owed the favour, rather than doing her one). If she doesn't enjoy it, she can back out.

My fiance bought the new Dungeon magazine when he went home for Easter. He talked his little sister and her husband into trying D&D for the first time. His sister played a female dwarven barbarian who bull-rushed a halfling spellcaster, picked him up and kissed him instead of hacking at him. She had fun and finally understood her brother's hobby. His brother-in-law enjoyed himself and asked to play again.

Maybe Moe's sister won't enjoy it, but she'll at least understand what D&D's about and that's a good thing.

 

[maddman75]

I'd rather have only one player in my game that wants to play (or no players!) than a bunch who are "doing me a favor" or who find lame excuses not to play. People who make up reasons not to play, who try to convince others in my group not to play, or family members who don't really want to play don't belong at my gaming table.

As long as you have players who aren't excited to play, you'll have a poor game. They should be bugging you to run a game. Some may argue that a poor game with unmotivated players is better than no game, but I disagree.

(And this is coming from someone who used to convince his little sister to play as well...I've been there.)

Hey, I did the same thing - and she still plays 15 years later (God, has it really been that long?). She plays Rytalyn in my story hour.

Forrester - try not to have fits over her name

 

[King_Stannis]

Re: This is going to get me slapped, but...

To some of us, Elves, Fey, Dragonkin, etc, are very real.

As real as Jewish carpenters who walk on water and heal with a touch, or as real as a burning bush in the desert.

So she may be Wiccan, or Pagan, or some other faith where in effect, you just handed her the equivelent of a picture of Jesus with an Uzi.

one problem with all this.....jesus was a real person. you can debate his divinity all that you want, but he walked this earth. he lived.

the fact that some people think that elves, fey and dragonkin are real is what perpetually keeps me in the d&d closet.

*sigh*

it's just a game, people. there's no such thing as pixies, elves or dragons.

that last analogy about jesus with an uzi is just plain weird, too.

 

[Methinkus]

Ok chief

Ok, ok ok ok, ok ok ok ok ok ok, uh.. . . .. . Im a little speechless.

This is the silliest thing I have heard in a while, I smiled, but I’m not really amused.

Here’s the thing, it cannot be “insulting to elves,” Because nothing can be insulting to elves, because they aren’t real, you see. I read the post above stating that depending on this person’s religion he or she may think they are real and be offended and I suppose in a new age kinda way that is a valid statement but I find it a little hard to swallow. First of all, I think most all religions need to be taken with a grain of salt; I am a fairly devout Christian myself, but I’m pretty sure god doesn’t really care when I eat fish and I’m thinking he isn’t all that offended by homosexuality, likewise, depending on your faith you may believe in elves and spirits of nature and whatnot but there is no reason to be offended by a concept in a game.

Think about it for a second, D&D contains stats for freaking ANGELS, and a Dragon magazine a while ago had lists of tactics for taking them out. Ladies and gentleman, but I am not phased or insulted by any of this. Your friend needs to take a breath and look at this as a game. If it is not about religion this person is freaking nutz anyway. Thank you and goodnight.

Note: Even the image of Jesus with an Uzi is funny to me, because it was made as a half jest to prove a point. I see the point, but D&D is a game, not a theology essay. I would probably buy Uzi Redneck Jesus Warriors vs. The Heathens if a game ever came out like that . . . . . I think there is a movie like that with a guy and an axe, but now im fading Out of Topic

 

[Humanophile]

Re: This is going to get me slapped, but...

To some of us, Elves, Fey, Dragonkin, etc, are very real.

As real as Jewish carpenters who walk on water and heal with a touch, or as real as a burning bush in the desert.

So she may be Wiccan, or Pagan, or some other faith where in effect, you just handed her the equivelent of a picture of Jesus with an Uzi.

If this is what you believe, please tell us how the D&D elf is insulting? Especially keeping in mind how fictional the source is. (For the D&D elf. We'll ingore the reality of the "real" elf for now.) One could say that the cleric, being untrue (a far better word than "insulting" for something that isn't bad, just doesn't follow the original that closely) to christianity, is the same thing. But we have obvious proof of christians who overlook the difference, and I have an ex-otherkin friend (long story) who was quite the gamer. So while D&D may not be good as a reference set, most gamers realize that it only has to be good as a game.

We still don't know if this person personally believes in elves/believes that she is an elf, or if she just sees them as superior in every way and thinks that the "mortal level" elves of the PHB fall far short of her ideal. If she thinks that elven culture is a far cry from PHB elven culture, listen to her and ask what she says. Lots of real-world mythology makes great game background. If she just thinks that elves would be more powerful than the PHB ones, explain to her you'll make elves as powerful as they "should be", but if that's the case, they'd be too powerful and eldrich for beginning characters. If everyone agrees, slap the celestial template and a handful of levels on every elf you meet, and it'll be a compromise.

 

[AstroGnome]

insulting?

I thought that trolls was insulting...

 

[Crothian]

Re: insulting?

I thought that trolls was insulting...

At any rate this is a pretty good one. The guy has yet to even reply back to his thread. The best trolls are the one that get a life of their own.

 

[King_Stannis]

Re: Re: insulting?

At any rate this is a pretty good one. The guy has yet to even reply back to his thread. The best trolls are the one that get a life of their own.

i'm starting to think that, too. though "moe ronalds" does have 52 posts under his belt, for what it's worth.

 

[Forrester]

Hey, I did the same thing - and she still plays 15 years later (God, has it really been that long?). She plays Rytalyn in my story hour.

Forrester - try not to have fits over her name

Ritalin/Rytalyn. That's actually funny enough to make the cut .

Remember, in my original lecture I approved of "Wippit Guud" .

 

[el-remmen]

*clears throat*

Let's not make this into a religious debate - everyone refrain from couching things in religious terms - and refrain from taking someone to task for their beliefs. . .

Let us hope that "Moe" returns to explain what this player finds "insulting to elves" so we can be a bit more helpful with the situation of having a problem player.

And let us also hope that I (or one of the other mods) don't have to close this thread down.

Play nice.