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

[Satyrn]

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

Poll: Is it rude for a sidelined player to leave the session?

Another poll, even!

 

[Maxperson]

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?

I think that would be wrong. I wouldn't just get up and leave, though. I'd talk with them about it and come to an arrangement, which if they were my friends, would happen.

In D&D terms, if the DM is going to punish you for hours over some bad luck and not get you participating in some manner(playing an NPC, monster, rolling dice, a new PC, etc.), then you don't leave early. Instead, you politely state your reasons for leaving and leave period. That sort of group is hokey and you should find a new one.

 

[Maxperson]

Poll: Is it rude for a sidelined player to leave the session?

Another poll, even!

Hah! I found it after I asked you. looking through it now. Thanks for giving me that link, though.

 

[Sadras]

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

In those rare circumstances where a player has been sidelined for 4 hours, I'd imagine:

• The DM and player have conversed (early on) whereby
  • The player has either opted to observe with the open option of leaving with no hard-feelings by either side; or
  • The player is participating in other ways (new PC, Monsters, special NPC, other); AND
• This playstyle is undertood/agreed to by the table; AND
• This circumstance is rare; AND
• The player is still having fun.

Granted this is not everyone's playstyle and that is fine.

 

[tuxedoraptor]

Generally speaking, if you sideline players, let them play NPCs or monsters for the rest of the sideline, it can be awesome for them to step out of their comfort zone of roleplaying and can allow them to dip their toes into playing a villan. I honestly want to try a session where one player is the main villain and the rest are the heroes, with the gamemaster being the narrator of the action. Probably won't work but it would be a cool idea.