No, I'm not using that book.

[delericho]

Now the first time this happened, I figured it was just an assumption regarding playstyles and experience from old groups. But it keeps happening and I'm getting a little frustrated because it feels like the DM isn't listening.

If your DM is anything like me, then he's carrying around a million-and-one details about the campaign in his head. With that level of information overload going on, it's really no surprise that some things just get squeezed out. Please, try to be charitable - after all, GM's Day is just around the corner!

(Besides: if it's really just one spell, and that spell is revivify, then why not just prepare it? It's a really good spell, honest! )

 

[Dice4Hire]

Well, it sounds like your DM is used to a certain way of playing, which might well be the way your DM likes to play, including favorite spells.

I don't see a problem, just stand your ground.

 

[Bagpuss]

(Besides: if it's really just one spell, and that spell is revivify, then why not just prepare it? It's a really good spell, honest! )

Yeah but it is still the DM expecting you to play a cleric a certain way. It is a pretty handy spell to know though, but it sounds like the DM was assuming you would have it, so he didn't feel to worried about a PC dying, as you could Revivify them, it's kind of like a safety net. If you don't have it then either he has to learn to balance the encounters better or expect/accept more PC deaths. I know some DMs don't like killing PCs and do anything to avoid it and you might find this surprising but some players don't like having their PCs die.

 

[SkidAce]

But...but...if my characters don't die when do I get to make new ones?

 

[griffonwing]

Perhaps another alternative is for you to send your GM an email. Let him know that if there are any other spells that your characters deity wishes to bestow, that you would be more than willing to roleplay the new spells. Just have him email you the complete writeups of each spell, as its written in the book, or even paraphrased, The book that the spell is in has already been purchased, the book is also being used in the same campaign, so there's no real threat of piracy going on. It's not like you are getting the whole book, just a few choice spells that your GM wishes to add into the game.

 

[Gilladian]

I would follow Griffonwing's advice. Tell the DM you're willing to add the spell to your repertoire, with two caveats: 1) he sends you the spell's writeup. 2) he explains to you where and when you're receiving enough treasure that you can reasonably cast it! (or at least make it clear that you're afraid just having the spell won't be enough because of your character's/party's poverty).

 

[frankthedm]

Revivify is a game changer type spell, if it is allowed in the campaign, it is right up there or maybe even beyond Dispel Magic & Heal. Not preparing it is a dereliction of healer duty. You are not just saving your allies life, you are saving their LEVELS. I can see why the GM would question a cleric not taking it, and as a player I'd feel betrayed if my party member could take the spell and didn't.

Character death is part of the game, and character lives are part of the resources encounters cost the party. Revivify severely reduces how costly [non Death Effect] death is by the amount of 4000 gold and a character level.

 

[jasper]

Revivify is a game changer type spell, if it is allowed in the campaign, .... Not preparing it is a dereliction of healer duty. You are not just saving your allies life, you are saving their LEVELS...., and as a player I'd feel betrayed if my party member could take the spell and didn't.

.

As a Player frank, you can run a healer with Revivify, but don't tell me how to run my pc. What I find amazing is the DM appears to requiring a spalt book\spell to play. Which is okay as long as the player agrees to it. But, as cleric player, I would require a copy of spell description if I don't have the spat book.

 

[Nytmare]

What I find amazing is the DM appears to requiring a spalt book\spell to play.

He's not requiring any such thing. He's asked "a couple of times" why Grogg wasn't using spell X, Y, or Z and Grogg is getting bent out of shape cause the DM hasn't memorized his spell list. Nothing in that story leads me to believe that the DM is bullying Grogg into playing a certain way, or requiring certain books. What the story does lead me to believe is that the DM has made a handful of basic assumptions about Grogg's character and is constantly running into situations where those assumptions are being proved wrong.

The DM is saying that these spells exist in the world, and what I assume most of us on this side of the discussion are wondering is why the character is refusing to use them. Grog, would you refuse to let the character use an item that you don't have the book for? What if he ended up getting scrolls as loot for spells from books you don't own?

 

[Lord_Blacksteel]

In a lot of DMing, the only time I've asked a player if his PC had/could take spell X is when the players were rattled and trying to figure out how to overcome some problem and usually it was helping out a new player. This seems like something that's worth a conversation at least - "Hey you've brought this spell up a few times, any particular reason?"

I don't think the DM should be making assumptions about any of the characters - if he needs details for something he can ask for a copy of their sheets. It's not like this stuff is a secret, especially playing online.

I am curious, if it's that much of a game-changer, is the rest of the party asking about it? Or just the DM?