A little backstory first- after DMing for about two years straight (prolly 9 years total), one of the other players in the group decided to step up to the plate. He's DMed before quite a few times and actually has done a rather good job. He has quite a liking for the old missions also, which is all fine and good. After showing him to Midnight, he decided that he liked the campaign alot, and immediately started DMing.
It started out all well and good. The campaign was extremely intriguing, the atmosphere was good, and everything went well. Then at about fourth level it suddenly turned into "no matter what you do you're dead". A couple of players have problems with this, they don't see where the fun is in a world where anything you do results in your death. Every NPC we encounter is infinitely more powerful than us. Every nemesis he throws against us we can't directly kill. It's almost like he hates the idea of our characters doing anything noteworthy. In one earlier mission we took out the entire orc garrison of the town... much to his anger. When we returned from healing a day or two later we went to lead the remaining townfolk out to another town that was rebellious. We arrive to find them all dead, Fell even. Somehow every single one of them had been killed without us knowing, even though we were less than a city block away. Most of the monsters we've encountered would kill us with little sweat. Ex: a Slaughterking (at 2nd level), a band of Hill Giants, an 11+ level Orc Cheiftain, the list goes on.
To compound matters he recently sprung an "oldie" adventure on us that we've played at least twice before over like six years. I happen to have a good memory, and have been known to remember stuff from video games I haven't played since I was six for example. I remembered most of what we did in the mission (it's called "Nightfall" IIRC), and I also remember that every time we tried it everyone hated it and the campaign ended abrubtly. This time we've gotten further than before. Everything we fight is impossibly more powerful than us. In our dreams in the forest we were assaulted by a night hag on a nightmare that could actually kill us in our dreams... the person on guard could wake us up, but he ruled it would take 5 round per person (did I mention we're 3rd level?). We march for two days, occasionally passing out and trying to wake each other before we die. We get inside the temple we're supposed to assault... and everything there is like 10th level. Funny thing is this is the only mission we were given, and he kinda railroaded us here so its not like we're not supposed to be here. Well, the idea here apparently is to find alternate means to get what we need. We trade a rusty old trident to dragon through some awesome bluff checks, and begin to go about doing the mission right. We're busy trying to get another ring from an Orc, he wants something that we don't have and truthfully weren't willing to go get. So the rogue tries a pick pockets attempt (he has mastery in it, +13 and rolls a 19... so 32 vs the orc's sense motive), and automatically gets caught according to the DM. Next thing we know we have an orc warrior throwing 4+ daggers a round at us dealing out over 10 damage each... we take the hint, tuck our tails between our legs and run. We rest at night out of neccessity in what we thought was a safe room. We awaken to find ourselves confronted by a Raksasha (at 4th level mind you...) and the only way out locked... mkay... so we start a grueling battle with the Raksasha. The DM starts to get angry after awhile when we're not hurting it (gee imagine that, DR 15/ SR 27...) and its kicking our butts. He keeps telling us that its easy to kill... just look in your inventory... hmm.. no blessed crossbow bolts or holy piercing weapons... not even a silver or masterwork. Maybe someone has some kitten chow and neglected to mention it? The Dm got even angrier... decided to fudge it and say the Raksasha had no weapons... and after two hours we kill it?!? Then everyone is angry, they pack up and head home halfway into the game. Not exactly a fun time. Now the DM is angry cause we told him that he's making the game too hard and overpowering. We literally can kill nothing... except I forgot to add his DM NPC he was playing that can do anything. His response: It's not my fault it's too hard, the campaign setting is written that way... last time I looked in most low magic/ power campaign settings you don't throw creatures with high DR's against parties 6 levels lower than the CR...
It started out all well and good. The campaign was extremely intriguing, the atmosphere was good, and everything went well. Then at about fourth level it suddenly turned into "no matter what you do you're dead". A couple of players have problems with this, they don't see where the fun is in a world where anything you do results in your death. Every NPC we encounter is infinitely more powerful than us. Every nemesis he throws against us we can't directly kill. It's almost like he hates the idea of our characters doing anything noteworthy. In one earlier mission we took out the entire orc garrison of the town... much to his anger. When we returned from healing a day or two later we went to lead the remaining townfolk out to another town that was rebellious. We arrive to find them all dead, Fell even. Somehow every single one of them had been killed without us knowing, even though we were less than a city block away. Most of the monsters we've encountered would kill us with little sweat. Ex: a Slaughterking (at 2nd level), a band of Hill Giants, an 11+ level Orc Cheiftain, the list goes on.
To compound matters he recently sprung an "oldie" adventure on us that we've played at least twice before over like six years. I happen to have a good memory, and have been known to remember stuff from video games I haven't played since I was six for example. I remembered most of what we did in the mission (it's called "Nightfall" IIRC), and I also remember that every time we tried it everyone hated it and the campaign ended abrubtly. This time we've gotten further than before. Everything we fight is impossibly more powerful than us. In our dreams in the forest we were assaulted by a night hag on a nightmare that could actually kill us in our dreams... the person on guard could wake us up, but he ruled it would take 5 round per person (did I mention we're 3rd level?). We march for two days, occasionally passing out and trying to wake each other before we die. We get inside the temple we're supposed to assault... and everything there is like 10th level. Funny thing is this is the only mission we were given, and he kinda railroaded us here so its not like we're not supposed to be here. Well, the idea here apparently is to find alternate means to get what we need. We trade a rusty old trident to dragon through some awesome bluff checks, and begin to go about doing the mission right. We're busy trying to get another ring from an Orc, he wants something that we don't have and truthfully weren't willing to go get. So the rogue tries a pick pockets attempt (he has mastery in it, +13 and rolls a 19... so 32 vs the orc's sense motive), and automatically gets caught according to the DM. Next thing we know we have an orc warrior throwing 4+ daggers a round at us dealing out over 10 damage each... we take the hint, tuck our tails between our legs and run. We rest at night out of neccessity in what we thought was a safe room. We awaken to find ourselves confronted by a Raksasha (at 4th level mind you...) and the only way out locked... mkay... so we start a grueling battle with the Raksasha. The DM starts to get angry after awhile when we're not hurting it (gee imagine that, DR 15/ SR 27...) and its kicking our butts. He keeps telling us that its easy to kill... just look in your inventory... hmm.. no blessed crossbow bolts or holy piercing weapons... not even a silver or masterwork. Maybe someone has some kitten chow and neglected to mention it? The Dm got even angrier... decided to fudge it and say the Raksasha had no weapons... and after two hours we kill it?!? Then everyone is angry, they pack up and head home halfway into the game. Not exactly a fun time. Now the DM is angry cause we told him that he's making the game too hard and overpowering. We literally can kill nothing... except I forgot to add his DM NPC he was playing that can do anything. His response: It's not my fault it's too hard, the campaign setting is written that way... last time I looked in most low magic/ power campaign settings you don't throw creatures with high DR's against parties 6 levels lower than the CR...
