The one thing I do not get is why you, Greenfield, are trapped in this. Given how bad it is, I would think there would be enough group votes to move this guy out of the DM's chair, if not kick him to the curb. It looks like at least one other player is as fed up, if not more so.
The new DM's mistake
Grogg of the North
Adventurer
[MENTION=6669384]Greenfield[/MENTION] I'm impressed you put up with that. I'm a firm believer that no one's first time as DM is perfect but that story was just ... awful. Did your new DM read this and think it was good advice? Once it became obvious that clever thinking was being punished and that things like fire and summons don't work I'd be very hard pressed to come back to the table next week. I think your group needs to sit down and go over what went well and, most importantly, what went wrong.
redrick
First Post
Agreed. If it's wall-to-wall cheese, ask the DM to make an attempt to improve, or take a break.
If he wants to improve as a DM, but is struggling, it probably makes sense to have him run a small, isolated adventure in a totally separate campaign with different characters, as others have suggested. That way, even if it's not that fun for everybody else, at least it's not screwing up your campaign as a whole, and he gets some DM'ing experience and maybe learns how to run a game that is more fun for everybody. That's if he's actually willing to make a good faith effort to be a little more receptive to player innovation.
But, if he isn't interested in making that good faith effort, he shouldn't be DM'ing.
If he wants to improve as a DM, but is struggling, it probably makes sense to have him run a small, isolated adventure in a totally separate campaign with different characters, as others have suggested. That way, even if it's not that fun for everybody else, at least it's not screwing up your campaign as a whole, and he gets some DM'ing experience and maybe learns how to run a game that is more fun for everybody. That's if he's actually willing to make a good faith effort to be a little more receptive to player innovation.
But, if he isn't interested in making that good faith effort, he shouldn't be DM'ing.
Greenfield
Adventurer
There is a vote possible, but it won't take place until his session is over.
Normally we'll run for three or four weeks. He's advised that he's almost done, just another month or so. That pretty much tells me how the vote will go.
Will he wise up? I doubt it. He might get mad at the criticism. It's a real ego thing for this particular person, I'm afraid.
I don't want to be the one working behind his back though. That's bad form on every level. At the same time, confronting him during play has all kinds of problems as well.
As I've often said, I've never seen a DM be wrong. I've heard lots of rulings that I didn't like or agree with, and I've been in games so bad I walked out, but I've never seen a DM be wrong. The rules are whatever the DM says they are.
This is a game that I would walk out on, if I had that luxury: It's at my home, and if I walk, the game ends.
So we'll just have to wait and see how this runs.
Normally we'll run for three or four weeks. He's advised that he's almost done, just another month or so. That pretty much tells me how the vote will go.
Will he wise up? I doubt it. He might get mad at the criticism. It's a real ego thing for this particular person, I'm afraid.
I don't want to be the one working behind his back though. That's bad form on every level. At the same time, confronting him during play has all kinds of problems as well.
As I've often said, I've never seen a DM be wrong. I've heard lots of rulings that I didn't like or agree with, and I've been in games so bad I walked out, but I've never seen a DM be wrong. The rules are whatever the DM says they are.
This is a game that I would walk out on, if I had that luxury: It's at my home, and if I walk, the game ends.
So we'll just have to wait and see how this runs.
The option left out is "talk after the game", whether in person or by email, whether to DM alone, group in its entirety or a subset thereof.
Confrontation in any form can be painful, but it seems like there will be a confrontation at some point, unless no vote is taken, or reluctance to engage in confrontation swings the vote in his favour. Is sitting through another month of this to delay the confrontation worth it? Is putting this into regular rotation to avoid the confrontation altogether an acceptable outcome?
I note you already pushed back into a possible confrontation by refusing to take his instructions on magic items.
Ultimately, if no one says anything, his game stays. I wonder whether he's relying on the fact that players gripe, but no one pushes back, to let him get away with what he wants to do.
Confrontation in any form can be painful, but it seems like there will be a confrontation at some point, unless no vote is taken, or reluctance to engage in confrontation swings the vote in his favour. Is sitting through another month of this to delay the confrontation worth it? Is putting this into regular rotation to avoid the confrontation altogether an acceptable outcome?
I note you already pushed back into a possible confrontation by refusing to take his instructions on magic items.
Ultimately, if no one says anything, his game stays. I wonder whether he's relying on the fact that players gripe, but no one pushes back, to let him get away with what he wants to do.
Greenfield
Adventurer
I've heard from four of our seven players. They're ready to mutiny.
I doubt that we'll wait for the end of his run.
I doubt that we'll wait for the end of his run.
Legatus Legionis
< BWAH HA Ha ha >
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Olaf the Stout
Hero
Sounds to me like you're in the box seat then. You cancel the game and then you and the group start a new game at your house, but don't invite the current DM.
Greenfield
Adventurer
Won't do that.
I just sent out the "As your game host I can neither confirm nor deny that a vote may be called for this Saturday to end and rewind the current adventure." email to the group.
At least one player has said, flat out, that he plans to "phone it in" for the rest of this DM's tenure, essentially making his character an NPC on automatic pilot. Another has expressed his unhappiness as well, though mostly he was apologizing for showing his anger at the table. In character, he essentially flipped off the DM/"Powers that Be".
The vote won't remove the person from the group, just from the DM's seat. Knowing him, he may walk out, but that will be his decision to make.
I just sent out the "As your game host I can neither confirm nor deny that a vote may be called for this Saturday to end and rewind the current adventure." email to the group.
At least one player has said, flat out, that he plans to "phone it in" for the rest of this DM's tenure, essentially making his character an NPC on automatic pilot. Another has expressed his unhappiness as well, though mostly he was apologizing for showing his anger at the table. In character, he essentially flipped off the DM/"Powers that Be".
The vote won't remove the person from the group, just from the DM's seat. Knowing him, he may walk out, but that will be his decision to make.
Grogg of the North
Adventurer
Best of luck to you Greenfield. Would you mind letting us know how it goes? I think enough of us have already made some popcorn. 
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