D&D 5E Deal Breakers - Or woah, that is just too much

[Unwise]

The one thing I won't do is play in an evil party. I just sometimes get the feeling that those type of games are feeding peoples' mental illnesses. You should never have to hear somebody describe an action that turns your stomach and I always wonder if people that are into that are actually getting off on it. You should never have to sit at a table where you even begin to wonder if anybody there gets off on torture.

As such, I have passed on a lot of games of Vampire etc. I love political intrigue, so it is a shame. That game just seems to bring out the crazies around here and with no good guys and immoral/monstrous PCs, from the stories I heard from my FLGS I am glad I missed it.

<edit> Come to think of it, the mental illness thing can be a deal breaker for me. I love and support a bunch of folks with such illnesses, but I won't play RPGs with many of them. I don't want to have to worry about Bob flying into a rage if something happens to his character, or Susan falling to deeper self-loathing from a bad game, or Amy thinking that Frank hates her personally because his character did X. Not to mention the closet sadist wanting to play at murderhobo. I've had all of these experiences at my tables in the past, I just don't think some people have the social skills, maturity or mental resilience for RPGs. I don't want to sound like Jack Chick but I think people with certain combinations of psych issues need to find another hobby.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

The one thing I won't do is play in an evil party. I just sometimes get the feeling that those type of games are feeding peoples' mental illnesses. You should never have to hear somebody describe an action that turns your stomach and I always wonder if people that are into that are actually getting off on it. You should never have to sit at a table where you even begin to wonder if anybody there gets off on torture.

I get the idea that by "evil party" you mean something other than "party that has evil PCs in it." E.g. you could have a party of heroes who goes around protecting their country and saving maidens from dragons, but also torturing those enemies for information or fun and taking unfair advantage of those maidens' gratitude (and their families') and making fun of retards and generally acting like Captain Hammer. And they'd be evil, but not what you seem to be describing as an "evil party."

 

[Desh-Rae-Halra]

I think I have played in every one of these bad games people have mentioned......our group currently is meeting just because we are friends and it is hang out time around the game.

How about the DM who invites an old friend into the group, which then makes it weird and they often digress into telling stories or revisiting things in their youth during game

The DM that says it is too much work on him, but if anyone else takes a turn at it (runs a fantasy setting), pretty quickly they push to get back to their campaign

 

[The Human Target]

If I sit down and realize people have giant lists of deal breakers.

 

[Giant2005]

How about the DM who invites an old friend into the group, which then makes it weird and they often digress into telling stories or revisiting things in their youth during game

That is the worst! Well actually the worst is that same principle taken to the extreme.

My group were happily playing, when a few sessions in one of the DM's old friends joined the game. He joined and brought along some baggage from one of his old games that actually made it into the current game. We were happy just trying to accomplish the goals that had been established, but now the DM has placed all of the focus on whatever it is that happened year's ago in his and his friend's old game and the rest of us just kind of have to hang around not knowing wtf is going on.

 

[GameOgre]

The DM that says it is too much work on him, but if anyone else takes a turn at it (runs a fantasy setting), pretty quickly they push to get back to their campaign

I have seen THIS more than a few times. Some people really like to DM and can't handle not running the show. I have seen DM's who were otherwise nice fellows tell the group they are burned out and need a break but when someone else stats running a game the old DM seems to constantly compare it to his game and after a short while try and swing the group back around to his game.

This is totally unfair to the new DM, who often new to DMing or rusty and has devoted a lot of time and effort to the new game. That new DM will never be as good as the more experienced one unless he gets the chance to you know,actually DM.

Also I have seen the old DM swing things so they start playing his game again, you know the one he was burned out on, and then shortly afterwards the game ends because frankly the DM didn't get a real break and got tired of it all.

Now the old DM is done, the New DM feels unappreciated and undervalued (he was) and gaming comes to a halt, all because that old DM couldn't just get over himself for a bit.

 

[Arial Black]

Hemlock, why are paladins who study a bit of sorcery 'not allowed'?

 

[Arial Black]

When DMs remove player agency.

The only thing players have is that they control their own character. If I say something like, 'My character does this', and the DM says, 'No, your character would not do this, so he does that instead', I'd tell him to have fun playing with himself(!)

 

[shadowoflameth]

As a DM I've had people walk, and I've had the opportunity to let people know that they won't be invited again. There are only a couple of things that are hard rules in that regard for me.

Rule One: Let them play. We don't tell others that they are playing wrong or that their character is doing the wrong thing.
Rule Two: Cooperate. Even if you are playing an evil character like the Blackguard or Assassin, you have a reason to cooperate with these companions. If you Do PVP even briefly, you need a very compelling reason.

And the same suggestion as Skip Williams made about the games he runs and shared as the Sage. Don't give your character a joke name or one from famous literature. You'll get tired of it and so will everyone else.

There have been times when I've sent someone away for other compelling bad behavior, or that they've walked because they simply didn't enjoy the game or group, but these two things cover the understanding of gameplay that you have to have to be with us.

 

[Celtavian]

When DMs remove player agency.

The only thing players have is that they control their own character. If I say something like, 'My character does this', and the DM says, 'No, your character would not do this, so he does that instead', I'd tell him to have fun playing with himself(!)

This is why as a DM I require players to write up a personality and values. I won't tell you what to do, but I will hold you to the standards you have created for your character. If you don't role-play them, I will penalize the player. I can't stand players that conveniently set aside their alignment, values, and especially religious requirements if playing a paladin or cleric because they just want to do be able to do what they want to be able to do. This isn't the real world. You don't live up to your god's values, he's going to remove those powers.