D&D 5E What to do with DM issues?

[mafioso420]

I didn't think it would get this heated... WOW. Anyways... if you want to know more regarding the encounter. I did get knocked out for two rounds, luckily the cleric revived me. The Skull not only could fly up super high it was producing a gas in the chamber that made it difficult to see, making it difficult to see the Skull. Of the six PCs only one was able to do any damage to the skull and eventually take it down.

This is a side note... Question for the DMs, if you were to fudge the monster's abilities (making it a higher CR), would you in turn increase the XP given?

 

[graypariah]

I don't use xp personally, but when I did I probably would not have rewarded any additional xp for making an encounter more difficult.

The reason for this is because if I did that then logically I should probably reduce the xp I give them for encounters which I fudged to make less difficult - which does happen sometimes.

 

[iserith]

If I change a monster's abilities, I make an effort to telegraph those changes. In this particular case of extended range for the flame skull's eye beams, when framing the scene, I would describe the flame skull unleashing its beams a few times from that distance, striking the wall, floor, or nearby object, nearly winging a PC. This wouldn't be a proper attack with corresponding attack roll; rather, it's just my way of showing what kind of range the flame skull has. From here, the players can make decisions in the face of that accordingly.

It's when there is an expectation of a particular range, followed by something that flies in the face of that, when it can be jarring to players. Of course, it's always wise to verify one's assumptions with in-game actions before simply assuming you know things about a monster. Short of the DM saying otherwise, there is no guarantee that what you're facing is straight out of the book or even the same as what you've fought before in the same campaign. Of course, this makes it all the more important for DMs to telegraph a monster's abilities or otherwise provide opportunities to figure them out before it's too late to avoid a mismatch in expectations and promote a feeling of fairness at the table.

 

[iserith]

This is a side note... Question for the DMs, if you were to fudge the monster's abilities (making it a higher CR), would you in turn increase the XP given?

In this case, I probably would step up the XP because, as described, the flame skull has an advantage due to the terrain that the PCs don't have.

 

[S'mon]

This is a side note... Question for the DMs, if you were to fudge the monster's abilities (making it a higher CR), would you in turn increase the XP given?

Yes, and I always try to err on the side of generosity when increasing the CR/XP.

 

[Tony Vargas]

I didn't think it would get this heated... WOW. Anyways... if you want to know more regarding the encounter. I did get knocked out for two rounds, luckily the cleric revived me. The Skull not only could fly up super high it was producing a gas in the chamber that made it difficult to see, making it difficult to see the Skull. Of the six PCs only one was able to do any damage to the skull and eventually take it down.

Sounds somewhat challenging.

This is a side note... Question for the DMs, if you were to fudge the monster's abilities (making it a higher CR), would you in turn increase the XP given?

If I were tweaking a monster on the fly to keep it at the level of challenge I intended when I picked it out based on it's CR, no. If I were modding it to be tougher than advertised, sure, higher CR, more exp.

 

[Greenstone.Walker]

EX: Flameskull was in a room flying 40 ft above a 30 ft raised platform for a total of 70 ft up in the air. The DM then has the monster fire it's Eye Beams at will at the PCs, disregarding the limit of 30 ft range for the ability.

Maybe the GM is just ignoring elevation? I sometimes do so, for simplicity.

If you do account for elevation then that encounter could get much, much nastier. If the flying thing is up in the air then it is probably out of range of thrown weapons and maybe at long range for launcher weapons.

 

[MostlyDm]

And if not ignoring elevation, then perhaps he decided that the eye beam range works like a physical ranged weapon.

If you were 60 feet above a target I may not apply the regular disadvantage for attacking with a javelin... Elevation works with you, after all. Yeah part of it is that the target is smaller at distance, but the bigger factor is gravity pulling your throw down, which isn't applicable in this example.

 

[Chaosmancer]

I rarely question things during the session. The only time I would is if it is something I feel is majorly incorrect and massively against the player. Like "You walk around the corner and turn to stone as you catch the gaze of the gorgon" Then, especially if it wasn't my character, I'd ask "Wait, if I remember right doesn't he get a save or two?" Or if a player is using an ability and raising or lowering the power by a large degree, like our bard looked at the Actor feat and didn't want it because he said he could already pretend to be someone else and get the +1 charisma, but I asked about the advantage, he double checked and immediately grabbed the feat because it fit his character perfectly and had good mechanical benefits for him.

Now, if I asked about something and the DM indicated he new what was up and it wasn't a slip, then I drop it, but I've got some experience and sometimes deal with people with markedly less experience and I feel responsible to help out.

Small or fluff things might get asked after session, or something that just bugs me personally because it doesn't mesh and I want confirmation of the facts, but if it doesn't drastically effect the scene then I don't interrupt.